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Jan 20 2012
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Getting a New Puppy - What do I Need to Know

Filed under: Ask the Pet Doc » Articles,

Getting a New Puppy?

Cute New PuppyGetting 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

Puppy VaccinationVaccinations 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?

Heartworm MosquitoHeartworms 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.

Your rating: None Average: 1.1 (49 votes)


Your rating: None Average: 1.1 (49 votes)

Keeping your puppy healthy

Submitted by a hound with a fashionable sense on January 20, 2011 - 4:19am.

Friends, most of us love pet animals very much. The admins of Fashion-Hound have provided an excellent platform to share tips and ideas to those who are trying to buy new puppy. When talking about puppies or dogs, they are the most faithful and sincere pets which guard our home 24 hours a day.

As mentioned above, we must pay our attention in many aspects like in its health, food or training. And from my point of view, dog training is the most important and crucial matter. It doesn't only teaches your pet to be obedient and faithful but also tackles the problems and aware you in difficult abnormal situations. So, I must suggest to all of you folks that buying puppy is not a big deal, but maintaining its health and habit is the fundamental procedure to be performed.

I love pets very much

Submitted by a hound with a fashionable sense on July 9, 2010 - 9:25am.

I love pets very much. You have provided excellent tips to who are willing to buy new puppy. Well, Well, currently I am searching for tramadol a pain reliever. My back is paining badly I desperately need it. Do you know where I will get it.

Training my dog

Submitted by a hound with a fashionable sense on May 17, 2010 - 2:16am.

How do I train my dog?

I want my dog to bite off strangers and street dogs. Does any one know any institute that deals with puppy training? Please post under this if you have experience with specific institutes which specialize in training puppies.

Puppy insurance

Submitted by a hound with a fashionable sense on May 12, 2010 - 11:43am.

If you plan to sign up with a pet insurance plan timing will be key! Apply for the policy as soon as you can after that initial veterinary exam. If you wait, any condition which is found prior to buying the policy will be pre-existing and they will not pay for any expenses related to it.

Also, wait at least three weeks before your next vet exam, whatever he finds during the first couple of weeks can also be considered pre-existing!

If you find an insurance company which does not require an initial exam to sign up, then sign up before that exam and wait at least three weeks before going to the vet. Pre-existing conditions are the easiest way they get you... So be aware Eye-wink

And if you want to compare policies from different companies, you can use petinsurance.net - their service was great a couple of months ago, when I used it.

Kids love to play with puppy

Submitted by a hound with a fashionable sense on May 9, 2010 - 12:07am.

Our kids love to play with our puppy. If the puppy gets sick, there's a chance our kids will get sick too. In such a case we must visit the nearest pet pharmacy. In addition, puppy training should be provided to little puppies. Training provides exercise and social interaction as well as keeping the puppy physically fit.

Heartworms

Submitted by a hound with a fashionable sense on January 25, 2010 - 2:43pm.

I have had some good success with some all natural Herbal Wormers. They have taken my dog from sick to totally clean in just a few months.

What kind of herbal wormers

Submitted by a hound with a fashionable sense on May 21, 2010 - 2:57am.

What kind of herbal wormers did you use? Any adverse effects?

Kim

Great Advice!

Submitted by a hound with a fashionable sense on November 30, 2009 - 5:18pm.

In addition to making sure your new puppy is healthy and medically sound, you might also want to consider puppy training. Young dogs can be quite a handful with all their energy, but some obedience and different social settings will be to their benefit - and your shoes and furniture. Smiling

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