Puppy Care (for a lifetime)

April 2012

When you purchase a puppy, you have to plan for the future. With luck, you and your companion will share at least the next 15 years together. Because this time with our four-legged friends is so important, we need them to start out healthy and stay healthy.

To ensure your companion is as healthy as possible, there are two things that you should do as a caregiver. First you need to select a puppy free of disease and deformities, and then you must strive to maintain the health and mental well-being of your companion with consistent exercise, optimal nutrition, and preventive health care.

Healthy puppies are available from several sources. If you desire a purebred dog, make sure you choose a breed that will fit your family’s lifestyle. Do your research before making a decision. Once you know what breed you want, seek out a reputable breeder. Breed organizations can assist you in making a good choice. If you are not particular if your pup is purebred or not, your local SPCA will be a good source. Besides gaining a new companion, you will also be saving a life when you adopt a pup from a shelter.

Once you have acquired your new puppy, your first outing should be to your veterinary hospital. It is important to have your new puppy examined soon after you get him, but don’t make that trip on the first day. In most cases, it is better to wait a day or two so that you will have answers to your veterinarian’s questions about appetite, activity, drinking, and bowel movements. If there is a problem stewing, it will likely surface in these first days.

Vaccinations are in the forefront of every new puppy owner’s mind. How old should a pup be when he gets his first set of vaccinations? What diseases should pups be vaccinated against? There are no concrete answers to these questions. Your veterinarian is the best source for information on vaccinations because she will know which infections are a concern in your area and she will follow an established protocol that she trusts.

Infectious diseases are a real risk to puppies making their first appearances in the doggie world. The foremost question in the minds of most new puppy owners is “When can I take my new baby out to play with other dogs?” Every veterinarian has a story about the newly acquired puppy that went to the park before it was fully vaccinated. On this “happy” outing, the puppy contracted parvovirus. Though most puppies survive this severe viral infection with expensive intensive care, a few will die.

Puppies should not be out and about until they have had a complete vaccination series. Protection from the common infectious diseases cannot be assured until two weeks after the last set of vaccinations. It may be safe to let your pup visit the old dog next door who never goes to the park and is fully vaccinated, but ask your veterinarian before you do it.

Deworming your pup is also an important part of a preventive health program because puppies can get roundworms from their mothers. Your pup should be dewormed several times during the first four months of his life. Once he reaches adulthood, most veterinarians suggest checking your dog’s stool (a fecal sample) for parasites or deworming him at least once a year. We do not have a problem with heartworm in our area so don’t worry about that parasite.

Feeding your pup can be as easy as opening a bag of food, or as complicated as preparing a balanced meal from scratch at home. Some puppies do better with meal feeding while others are comfortable with free choice feeding. Most new puppy owners are content to feed a premium food that is designed for growth (your veterinarian or breeder can make some suggestions about brands). Though these diets are normally fed through the first year of life, puppies that are putting on fat rather than growing should be switched to an adult food at a younger age.

Most owners, like most parents, are concerned about bringing up their “baby” correctly. It is important to choose a pup with the right temperament for your family, but just as important, to do the right things at the right age to turn him into a perfect companion.

Read and research about how to handle your pup before he arrives, and once he is there, start shaping his behaviour immediately. Informal training at home until four or five months of age should be followed by formal obedience classes. Your veterinarian can offer a wealth of information on puppy behaviour.

The decision to have your dog “altered” is a personal one. If you leave your dog intact, you must contend with your bitch when she comes into heat and put up with your male wanting to roam. If you want to breed your dog for the fun of it – think again. Raising puppies requires a serious commitment even when everything goes smoothly. The usual age for spaying and neutering is about six months. Most females have their first heat after seven months of age (and much later in the larger breeds). They should be spayed before this happens.

Does spaying and neutering promote obesity? Veterinarians see both intact and sterilized dogs that are overweight. There is an indirect link between the hormone changes associated with sterilization and weight gain, but the primary cause of obesity is overfeeding.

Because dogs age much faster than people, general health will also decline more rapidly. This means that regular annual checkups are critical. When your veterinarian gives your dog an annual physical, she will check his eyes and ears, listen to his heart and lungs, and feel his abdomen for irregularities. Your dog’s hair will be examined for general health and parasites and his skin will be checked for scaling and abnormalities. Lumps and bumps on or under the skin will also be palpated.

Finally, your dog’s teeth will be examined. Over 2/3 of dogs three years or older have dental disease. Occasionally, your dog may need to be anesthetized to have his teeth cleaned and polished. Caring for your dog’s teeth by brushing them regularly at home can negate or delay the need for this procedure.

As dogs age, their susceptibility to tumours, kidney and liver disease, along with common ailments such as arthritis increases rapidly. Because many of these diseases can be helped if they are caught early, senior checkups are recommended. These obviously include a physical examination, but blood tests and heart evaluations are also important tools to help make an early diagnosis.

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