Getting a New Puppy - What do I Need to Know

Getting a New Puppy?

Getting a new puppy can be both an exciting time and an uncertain one. You have this new living, breathing, chewing addition to your family and you aren't sure what to do next. Every day I have people come in my hospital and say "Doc, educate me." That is what I will try to do here.

Setup an Appointment with Your Local Vet

The first thing you should do once you have gotten your new puppy home is set up an appointment with your local veterinarian to have your new pet examined. Your veterinarian will be able to detect or rule out any potential, congenital, or acquired problems. He or she will also be able to help you decide on the vaccination schedule that suits your pet's needs. This brings me to the first of my top three topics when speaking to a new pet owner.

Get your Puppy Vaccinated

Vaccinations are an essential part of keeping your pet safe, healthy, and happy. There are a number of things your veterinarian may want to vaccinate your pet for depending on your pets age, prior vaccination history, environment and so forth.

Top Two Diseases Vaccinations Will Prevent

The two diseases that are in my opinion at the top of the list for puppy vaccines are canine distemper and canine parvovirus. Both diseases are potentially fatal diseases for dogs, especially puppies, but they can be easily prevented by proper vaccination of your pet. Remember that it is always necessary to have your pet's vaccines boostered (a booster shot is a dose of an immunizing substance given to maintain or renew the effect of a previous one).

Spay or Neuter Your Puppy

The second thing that I discuss with new puppy owners is spaying or neutering their dog. Spaying and/ or neutering your dog simply makes he or she a better companion in many cases. There are numerous health reasons why it is beneficial to alter your pet at an early age, not to mention your responsibility as a pet owner to help control the overall pet population.

The Health Benefits of Spaying or Neutering

Health benefits include:

• A decreased incidence in certain types of diseases specific to both male and female dogs, ensuring that your female dog will not have a potentially fatal disease called pyometra (infected uterus)
• Eliminating the chance of any pregnancy or birthing problems
• Mental health benefits.

The bottom line is that if your pet was not bred or intended to be a breeding animal, then it is in their best interest and yours to have them spayed or neutered.

Heartworm Disease and Prevention

The last of the three topics that I discuss with new pet owners is heartworm disease and heartworm prevention. Everyday I speak to people who have no idea what heartworm disease is, where it comes from, or how to prevent it. Most of these people are fantastic pet owners and would do anything to keep their family members safe and healthy. The problem is either a lack of client/ owner education or misinformation/ misunderstanding of the disease.

How are Heartworms Spread?

Heartworms are spread to dogs by the mosquito. When an infected mosquito takes blood from a dog, the heartworm is passed to the dog where it slowly makes its way to the heart and stays. Over time the infection becomes worse with larger numbers of worms infecting the heart and reproducing, making this a downward cycle for your pets health.

Diagnosing Heartworm Disease

Heartworm disease can easily be diagnosed by your veterinarian with the use of a simple blood test. Thankfully, most cases I diagnose are asymptomatic cases and the dog is diagnosed on his or her yearly physical exam. Dogs with heartworm disease can be treated effectively and go on to lead happy and healthy lives.

The point of this topic is to make it so that we are treating our pets less for diseases like these and spending more time and often less money preventing these diseases.

Where are Heart Worms Found and How Much Does Prevention Cost?

To date I have never heard of a good reason not to have every dog in the United States on heartworm prevention medicine. Heartworms have been diagnosed in all 50 states, with Texas, Florida, and North Carolina leading the way in reported cases annually. The cost per month to provide your dog with heartworm prevention each and every month is around $10 per month or less.

What Types of Heart Worm Prevention are There?

There are a wide variety of different types of heartworm prevention available - from a monthly tablet to a topical solution, and even an injection that is administered every six months. Not all medicines are appropriate for all animals. Ask your veterinarian what he or she recommends to use as a heartworm preventative for your dog.

Our pets are our best friends and all they do is give us unconditional love. It is our responsibility to educate ourselves and do what we can to give them the happiest and healthiest lives possible. If you have a new puppy or you simply have a dog who has not been to see your veterinarian, then please contact your local vet today and set up an appointment. Your dog will thank you for it.