Having a puppy in your home makes life a lot more fun, a lot more relaxing, and definitely a lot more interesting. Whether you spent time researching the perfect breed of dog for your home or you’ve adopted a puppy from a shelter or pound, the joys of having a pet will immediately come to you. However, a puppy is a lot of responsibility for all members of the household. Puppies need to be house-trained and they will inevitably make messes as they explore their surroundings. But beyond the home, a puppy is also going to need regular visits to the vet to make sure they are healthy and they stay that way so they can be a part of your family for a long time to come. Eventually, only yearly visits to the vet will be needed, but until you get to that point you will find yourself on a first name basis with your vet and their staff if you aren’t already.
DHPP/DHLPP
The 5-in-1 DHPP or the 6-in-one DHLPP vaccination prevents against major viral and bacterial diseases that your pet may come in contact with throughout their lives. Your puppy needs the initial DHPP injection between 6 to 7 weeks of age. They will then need two boosters of the DHPP at between 9 to 10 weeks and again at 12 to 13 weeks. After these 3 initial vaccinations, boosters will only be needed annually, but then the DHLPP is administered. The 5-in-1 and 6-in-1 vaccines have very mild side-effects, if any, and can include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, depression, loss of appetite, and muscle aches. Side-effects wear off rather quickly.To understand just how important these initial vaccinations are, here is a list of the diseases they will help prevent:
- Distemper : widespread and often deadly, early symptoms are fever, loss of appetite, lethargy, runny eyes, and a runny nose
- Hepatitis : transmitted by urine from an infected dog, it usually affects the liver and can cause fever, pain, and even death
- Leptospirosis : transmitted through the urine of an infected dog or other animal, it can cause fever, depression, jaundice, internal bleeding and death (‘Lepto’ can also be transmitted to humans so prevention is key) – only in the 6-in-1 DHLPP vaccine
- Parvovirus : mainly affecting puppies, it is transmitted via fecal matter and it largely affects the intestines – ‘Parvo’ can result in death rather quickly and long vet stays are required to treat the disease, symptoms include bloody and violent vomiting and diarrhea
- Parainfluenza : this upper respiratory viral disease is quite common but very contagious and can cause sneezing or coughing – if not treated, this can progress into more serious ailments
Deworming
Most puppies have what are called ascarids in their intestines. Ascarids are worms that have a larval phase that the dog’s body will build up an immunity to. However, as a young puppy and then again later in life during stressful events, ascarids and other intestinal worms can grow in population and cause a myriad of symptoms. A puppy should not be given a deworming medication if they are experiencing stressful situations like an infection, weaning from the mother too abruptly, or have diarrhea. If a puppy has diarrhea and a vet determines the cause is worms, then a dewormer may be used but the vet may want to keep the puppy for observation. Puppy deworming should be done at 6 to 7 weeks and at 9 to 10 weeks to help the puppy build up their own immunities to the worms.
Fecal Exam
A fecal examination will help determine if there are any microscopic gastrointestinal parasites present in your puppy. A preventative check is recommended at 12 to 13 weeks, and then annually to catch parasites early or whenever gastrointestinal symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea are present to determine the cause. Retrieving the fecal sample is very quick and simple but may be a bit uncomfortable for your pet.
Bordatella Vaccination
Bordatella is also known as Kennel Cough and is spread through the air by already infected dogs. Most pets with Kennel Cough seem perfectly healthy in every way except for a dry, deep cough. The Bordatella vaccination will prevent Kennel Cough and is necessary for any dogs who may come into contact with other dogs, even if just at the veterinarian’s office. Those pets who do come down with Kennel Cough will need to be treated with antibiotics until the cough is gone. The cough can last up to a month.
This vaccine should be given at around 12 to 13 weeks of age to start and should be given annually for further prevention. There are two ways of administering the vaccine: nose drops or shot. The nose drops are preferable since it will begin working in the exact place where the bacteria would be entering the dog’s body, but shots are easier to give to dogs who won’t allow a vet or vet technician near his or her face.
Spaying or Neutering
Many times a pet owner does not want to breed their dog, and doesn’t want a surprise litter of puppies showing up unannounced. In this case, spaying or neutering is a simple surgical procedure that will ‘fix’ your dog so that it won’t get pregnant or get another dog pregnant. Females are spayed and males are neutered. The procedure has less effects on a puppy and is recommended for puppies at about 4 months old, although you can wait a little longer than that. Waiting increases the risks that your puppy will become fertile before the procedure is performed.
Having your pet spayed or neutered can also reduce their tendency to roam by following scent trails, to mark their territory, and to be aggressive in addition to preventing more puppies. The only side-effects your puppy will have from the spay or neuter procedure are the same side-effects they would have after any surgery. They will usually be lethargic while the anesthesia wears off. The amount of pain felt depends on the dog, but pain medication should be discussed with your vet before the procedure. Dogs shouldn’t be allowed to bite at the incisions as it can lead to increased risk of infection. Rare side-effects can happen, but they are usually gender or breed specific and your vet can go over any signs of these side-effects that you need to look for.
Rabies
Rabies is a virus that is transmitted through the saliva from a wild animal bite, such as that from a raccoon or fox. It causes encephalitis, which attacks the nervous system, and symptoms can present themselves anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks after being exposed. Rabies can be transmitted to humans through wild animal bites or through a dog bite after a dog has been exposed. Every state requires that a dog be given rabies vaccinations according to strict schedule. For most states this is three years but for some it is annually, and it may be recommended by your vet to be given annually depending on where you live.
The first rabies vaccination should be given at about 4 months, with regular follow up vaccinations as required. Side-effects from the rabies vaccine are minimal in most dogs, but can include being tired or depressed, a lump under the skin at the injection site, irritability, or mild allergic reactions that lead to puffy face or ears. If any side-effects seem to be harsh or last longer than a few days, then you may have to call your puppy’s vet. If appropriate from your description of symptoms, they will have you bring your dog in for a quick check.
Heartworm Testing
Heartworms can be quite serious for a dog and are transmitted to them through mosquito bites. When the mosquito bites your puppy, it transfers eggs into the bloodstream that travel to the heart. The first symptom is usually coughing as the parasites find their way into the lungs. There are no outward symptoms that affect the eyes, nose, or coat. As the parasites multiply in the heart they can cause vital organ failure and eventually death. It is much easier to prevent heartworms than to treat them so a monthly preventative is necessary, especially if you live where mosquitoes are common. Monthly treatments can begin at 6 months, but only after a negative heartworm test from the vet. It is important to be diligent about the monthly preventative during peak mosquito seasons. Very few, if any, side-effects are seen in dogs from heartworm preventatives.
Flea & Tick Treatment
Flea and ticks are common in many areas and can not only make your pet uncomfortable but they can also spread illnesses. Preventing fleas and ticks is very easy with the use of a monthly preventative. Most of these are in the form of a liquid that will be placed on the dogs skin at certain areas. Treatments for fleas and ticks usually also prevent against biting flies and mosquitoes. When to start flea and tick treatments in dogs varies by location, your pet’s health, and the brand of treatment that you will be using. Getting a recommendation from your vet about which treatment to use and when to start it is usually best. Rarely, a dog can experience a skin irritation from the treatment, but this usually dissipates over a couple of days and can be treated with ointments from your vet.
Internal & External Parasites
Most vets will check for external parasites at every visit since it is a simple matter of rubbing the fur back and checking for actual parasites or signs of them. Internal parasites will usually be found with the fecal exam done at your pet’s annual check-up and vaccine booster appointment. Treatment for internal and external parasite will vary depending on the parasite and the severity of the infestation. Medications will most likely be prescribed and your vet will let you know of any side-effects for the medications being recommended to treat the parasites.
Resources
- Doctors Foster & Smith
- Vaccination Info
- Puppy Vaccinations
