Caring for Your New Puppy's Health

You fell in love with that fluffy, little puppy and brought him home. He is cute, cuddly, and playful. Reality will set in soon enough and you will realize that your cute ball of fur is also a major responsibility. Dogs are wonderful pets. They bond easily with humans, and become like one of the family.

One of the most important things you can do for your puppy is to keep an eye on your puppy's health. Preventative healthcare for your puppy can prevent sick visits to the vet. It can also prevent sickness and disease that may threaten your puppy's life.

Caring for your Puppy: Vaccines Get your puppy started with a healthy lifestyle by getting him vaccinated. Once the puppy is about six weeks old, and has been weaned from its mother, it is time to get shots. Puppies do not have fully developed autoimmune systems and need the extra protection provided by Core vaccines. Core vaccines include: canine parvovirus vaccine (CPV), canine distemper virus vaccine (CDV), canine adenovirus vaccine (CAV), and rabies. Your puppy may also require additional vaccines depending on exposure to other animals and the home environment. Discuss the need for any additional vaccines with your veterinarian. The initial vaccines should be finished in three visits.

Once the initial vaccines are completed go ahead and schedule your puppy's annual rabies vaccines. Rabies vaccination is required by most states, and is especially important in areas where there is a greater chance that your animal may be bitten by a rabies carrying animal. Rabies is passed through the saliva of infected animals.

Caring for your Puppy: Worming

Worming your puppy every two to three weeks is also important. Most puppies are born with worms. You can first worm your puppy at two to three weeks of age. Puppies may also contract worms from insect bites, or eating feces. Worms are parasites that live off your puppy's body and blood. Worms may infest the heart, intestines, or blood streams. It is important to get worms out of your dog's system as soon as possible.

Worms that look like spaghetti are round worms. 80% of dogs are born with roundworms. Once your dog has been wormed round worms will likely pass in stool. It is also common for puppies to vomit up roundworms. Round worms are contracted outside, usually from other animals. Cute puppies with distended stomachs are usually full of roundworms.

Tapeworm and heartworm elimination require treatments available from your veterinarian. Some over the counter or online medications may be available, but for best results and assurance of mind, take your puppy to the vet. Your veterinarian is best equipped to deal with worm problems.

Tapeworms are long segmented worms. They may appear like grains of rice around your puppy's rectum. Heartworms cannot be detected by sight. Only your vet can test for heartworms. Heartworms and tapeworms can proliferate and become potentially fatal. Your veterinarian will usually take a fecal sample to check for worms. She will then recommend the best course of action to rid your puppy of worms, or prevent your puppy from contracting worms.

After first worming your puppy, the treatment should be repeated in 7 days, or according to treatment instructions. A follow-up treatment should be given approximately two weeks later. Follow-up worming ensures that your puppy is worm free.

Caring for your Puppy: Fleas and Ticks

Prevention is the best alternative to dealing with fleas and ticks. Fleas and ticks can cause bites that itch, may get infected, and may cause dermatitis. Each of these conditions are extremely uncomfortable for your dog. Fleas and ticks are also carriers of worms and parasites like tapeworms and Lyme disease. Additionally, fleas can easily infest your home.

In warm climates, or with animals that have sensitive-flea allergies, it is important to use preventative medication about once a month. It doesn't take fleas long to proliferate. Once fleas get on your puppy, or in your home, a never ending battle to get rid of them begins. Flea spray and powder are considered obsolete. It is now known that only 1-5% of fleas are adults. The remainder are eggs that lay dormant in your puppy's coat or in your carpet. One of the best lines of protection is a traditional flea collar. The flea collar kills adult fleas, and sterilizes flea eggs. Frontline, prescription Sentinel, and Advantage have great flea collars at economical prices. "Natural" flea preventatives like eucalyptus oil, sonic collars, and brewer's yeast are not very effective.

Caring for Your Puppy: Bathing and Grooming
Internal worms must be detected by your veterinarian. However, keeping your dog clean and well groomed will help prevent parasites and diseases carried by fleas and ticks. Use a shampoo and/or conditioner designed for dogs. Begin your puppy's bath at his head. Work your way from there down the body. If you do not start with the head, fleas tend to flock toward the nose and ears for refuge. If necessary, use a flea comb to remove dead fleas from your puppy's fur once the bath is completed. Also, be sure to towel dry your puppy and keep him warm until he is dry.

Caring for Your Puppy: Illness Prevention

Check your puppy each week for any irregular behaviors or physical ailments. You may catch potential issues before they turn into major health problems. Unusual discharge from your puppy's eyes or nose could be a sign of illness. You can also check your dog's body for unusual bumps or lesions. Some bumps are normal, but if you perform weekly checks, you will be able to identify abnormalities and report them to your veterinarian.

Enjoy your new puppy. He will not be a puppy long, but even more quickly he will become your best friend. Take extra care with your new friend's health so that you can enjoy his company for a long time.

Sources:

eHow: How to Protect Your Dog or Puppy From Parasites

Experts: Ask the Veterinarian
Puppy Care.com

Puppy Scoops by Pedigree

The Pet Center.com

UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine VMTH Canine and Feline Vaccination Guidelines