Puppy Care

It is important to have your puppy vaccinated to help prevent infection and to keep your puppy healthy.  The following diseases are seen in dogs and vaccination is necessary to help protect your puppy.

Distemper: A highly contagious, potentially fatal virus which can cause pneumonia, vomiting, diarrhea, and seizures.

Adenovirus: A virus causing respiratory and liver infections.

Parainfluenza: A virus which can cause coughing and respiratory infections.

Parvovirus:  A highly contagious virus characterized by severe vomiting, bloody diarrhea and a decreased immune system.

The four viruses listed above are commonly grouped together in one vaccine and is known as the “distemper vaccine” or the DHPP.  The vaccine series begins at  6 to 8 weeks of age and continues every 3 weeks until 15-17 weeks of age.  It is extremely important to keep your puppy in its own yard until he/she has received all of his/her vaccines, as his/her immune system is still developing and he/she is susceptible to many of these diseases.

Leptospirosis is a bacteria which can cause liver and kidney failure.  It is spread through the urine of wild mammals, including opossums, raccoons, and squirrels.  It is transmissible to humans through infected urine.  We recommend vaccination of all dogs.  The vaccine is given as a series of two vaccines, three weeks apart, followed by a yearly booster.

Bordetella is a bacteria which causes coughing and bronchitis. It is commonly seen where groups of dogs are located:  training centers, groomers, dog parks, trips to pet stores, kennels.  We recommend all dogs be vaccinated for bordetella.  The vaccine can be given to pups at 8 weeks of age and is updated every six months.

Rabies is a fatal virus which can also affect humans.  The vaccine is required between 12-16 weeks of age and then boostered 1 year after the initial vaccine, then every 3 years thereafter.

Internal Parasites

Intestinal parasites include intestinal worms and protozoa and are diagnosed on a stool specimen from your puppy.  Most puppies are born with intestinal worms or acquire them soon after birth by walking in areas where infected animals have defecated. Proper treatment will prevent their potential debilitating effects (diarrhea, vomiting, anemia).  A yearly fecal examination is recommended throughout your pet’s life.

Roundworms

Long, “spaghetti-like” worms which can cause diarrhea and vomiting.  Occasionally, the worms are seen in the vomit or stool.  The worms steal nutrients from the puppy and can lead to a “pot-belly” appearance and an unhealthy hair coat.  Roundworms are potentially zoonotic, meaning they can be transmitted to humans.

Hookworms

 

Thread-like worms which attach themselves to the intestinal wall and suck blood from the intestine.  Puppies can become severely anemic from a hookworm infection and may die.  Hookworms are also potentially zoonotic.

Tapeworms (Dipylidium caninum)

Long segmented worms which steal nutrients. Tapeworm infection is caused by the dog ingesting a flea carrying a tapeworm egg.  Once ingested, the tapeworm egg is released inside of the dog and the tapeworm life cycle begins.  These parasites may be seen in a stool specimen as small ivory colored rice-like segments.

Whipworms

Microscopic worms which attach to the wall of the large intestine and steal nutrients.  These worms can cause chronic diarrhea and debilitation.

Coccidia

A one-celled protozoa which destroys the intestinal lining and can cause diarrhea.

Zoonoses

Some parasites are zoonotic, meaning they can infect people as well as animals.  Children, the elderly and immuno-compromised people are at highest risk.  Hookworms and Roundworms are two common internal parasites that can infect people.  Humans become infected with roundworms through oral contact (not washing hands after working in litter boxes or soil contaminated with dog feces).  Roundworms can migrate to a child’s eye and cause blindness (visceral larval migrans).  Hookworms can penetrate through the skin from contact with contaminated soil, whether through gardening or walking barefoot in the yard, beach, or park and cause a severe rash.

Heartworm Prevention

Heartworms are carried by mosquitoes and result in long, thin worms which live inside the adult dog’s heart and lungs and with time cause serious heart and lung disease.  It takes six months from the time a carrier mosquito bites the dog until the adult heartworm develops in the heart and can be detected by a blood test.  We recommend all pups be placed on a highly effective preventive at the initial visit to the hospital. The monthly heartworm prevention must be continued year round to prevent infection.  For dogs, a yearly heartworm blood test is recommended and is performed at the time of the annual physical exam.

Ticks

Ticks are skin parasites which feed on the blood of their hosts. Ticks can transmit several diseases including: Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Ehrlichiosis, and Babesiosis.  Humans can become infected with Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Ehrlichiosis.  It is important to use a tick preventative such as Frontline, Advantix, or a Preventic collar if your pet regularly goes outside in areas where ticks are commonly seen (wooded areas, tall grassy areas).  Check your pet for ticks every time he/she comes back from an area you suspect is inhabited by ticks.

Fleas

Fleas are arthropod parasites which can live on the skin and feed on the blood of their hosts.  In addition to causing skin irritation and inflammation, fleas can also cause deadly anemia if present in large enough numbers.  Several products are available to control fleas and include:  Sentinel, Capstar, Advantage, Frontline, and Revolution. For dog flea prevention, our number one choice is Sentinel, because not only does it protect against heartworms and most intestinal parasites, but it also contains lufeneron, a flea birth control agent.    Because of the lufeneron, the female fleas cannot infest your home with hundreds of fertile flea eggs and a flea infestation never gets started.

Nutrition

Young, rapidly growing puppies require approximately twice the energy and nutrients of adult dogs of the same weight. Puppies are considered to be growing until they reach adulthood; at about 9 – 18 months, depending upon  breed. Puppy foods (i.e., Purina ProPlan, Purina ONE) provide higher protein and fat content and are higher in quality than general purpose adult foods, thus meeting the needs of the growing puppy.

            

Large breed puppies should be fed specific “large breed” puppy food or fed regular puppy food and switched to adult food between four to five months of  age.  High calorie foods may cause puppies to gain weight too fast which makes them more at risk for hip dysplasia and becoming overweight as an adult dog. 

Puppies initially should be fed three times daily (possibly four times a day for very small puppies).  Once pups are about 12 weeks old (depending on body condition), they can be fed twice daily.

No exact amount of food can be recommended.  Instead, a warning must be given against overfeeding, or any abrupt change in diet.  Chronic overfeeding may result in obesity, or too rapid growth.  The general feeding guidelines printed on food packages are usually excessive.  We usually recommend feeding 1/4 to 1/3 less than the label recommends.  The goal is to feed the puppy so it looks and feels healthy and to adjust the amount as necessary to prevent obesity or malnourishment.

When you buy your dog’s food, look for brands that are labeled AAFCO approved and tested.  Foods so labeled have been balanced following the National Research Council’s guidelines and most have been proven in kennel testing.  The first ingredient in the food should be meat (chicken, turkey, lamb, etc) and not corn meal, animal meal, or animal by-products. 

Spaying/Neutering

Around 6 months of age:   Spaying (ovariohysterectomy) of the female dog involves the removal of her ovaries and uterus. It eliminates the heat cycle and reduces the risk of mammary cancer. Neutering of the male dog involves removal of his testicles. It will reduce or eliminate the tendency of the dog to roam, eliminate the possibility of testicular disease, and will reduce the chances of prostatic enlargement, cancer, or infection. Spaying or neutering your dog will also help control the pet population.