Dog
Puppy Information
Compassionate Professional Care | Cold Laser Therapy | Experienced Caring Staff
Compassionate Professional Care Cold Laser Therapy
Experienced Caring Staff
Pet Owners, Watch Out for These Household Toxins and Dangers!
Vaccines
The owners should bring any paperwork from the breeder, adoption agency, etc.
The first vet visit should be when the puppy is 8 weeks old. This is also when parasite prevention can start (first dose free with vaccine).
Puppies usually have worms (from the mom) that are noticeable by a distended belly. It is safe and effective to treat with a dewormer & needs to be repeated for the next lifecycle of the worm to be eliminated. We request a fresh fecal sample to test for worms and parasites.
Recommended Vaccines: Rabies, Lepto, Lyme, Distemper, Influenza, Bordetella
Note that Distemper, Lepto, Lyme, & Influenza need to have a booster shot 3-4 weeks after the initial injection. If a vaccine booster is not administered in the window of time, they must start over.
Vaccine Schedule
Distemper only: 6 weeks, requires a booster 4 weeks later
Leptospirosis: 12 weeks, requires a booster 3-4 weeks later
Lyme: 9 weeks, requires a booster 2-3 weeks later
Oral Bordetella: 3 weeks, no booster required
Canine Influenza: 7 weeks, requires booster 2-4 weeks later
Rabies: 16 weeks or older, no booster required (3 yr can be given after the first 1 yr Rabies)
Post-Vaccination Information
Preventive health care is an important part of keeping your pet happy and healthy. Vaccinations are designed to stimulate an immune response to help protect your pet from illnesses that your pet may be exposed to in the future. Vaccinations provide proven life-saving benefits and have minimal risks. A favorable response to vaccinations has been found in most cats and dogs, with minimal to no adverse effects. However, as with any vaccination, there are some risks that are associated.
Minor Reactions
Your pet may display short-lived side effects for up to 1-2 days:
- Reduced appetite or loss of appetite (lasting one to two feedings)
- Pain at the injection site
- Lethargy (lack of activity)
- Reluctance to walk/run
- Mild fever
- Mild cough, sneezing, or stuffy/runny nose (intranasal vaccines only [Our clinic does not use intranasal])
Other Minor Reactions
Sometimes a small firm swelling (“lump”) may develop at the injection site. Contact your veterinarian if the swelling:
- Is still painful after 1-2 days
- Continues to grow
- Persists beyond 1 month
Severe Reactions
Contact your veterinarian immediately if your pet develops any of these less common but more serious allergic signs:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Collapse
- Difficulty breathing
- Facial swelling
- Itchy or bumpy skin (“hives”)
Spay/Neuter
We wait until the pet is 6 months old to spay or neuter. An exam is required prior to scheduling surgery if we have not seen the patient previously. Reasons to spay/neuter are to prevent breast cancer and uterine diseases in females and to prevent prostatic disease and testicular tumors in males.
Microchip
Placing a microchip into the pet’s neck enables them to be identified if found and taken to a clinic or pound. You can update your contact information so you can always be reunited.
Preventatives
There are several options on the market but we recommend Heartgard Plus for Heartworm prevention (which is a fatal disease) and Nexgard for Fleas & Ticks OR the combination version which is Nexgard Plus (all are chewable, not topical). Preventatives need to be given all year, not just in the summer months. Flea collars are not recommended, but if the owner prefers it, they should use the Seresto collar purchased through a Vet (copycats have made animals sick) preferably in conjunction with another method. (Requires annual blood work to be able to continue preventatives after 1st year.)
Canine Flu Information
What is Canine Influenza?
Influenza is a highly contagious respiratory illness. Most dogs do not have an immunity built up for influenza and will likely become infected if exposed to the illness. Mild cases are more common, but in some instances, dogs can develop a more severe case have a high fever, and get pneumonia.
There are two strains of Influenza in dogs, H3N8 and H3N2. Disinfectant that is effective against parvovirus is also effective against these two influenza strains. Both flues are spread through direct contact, and respiratory secretions like barking, coughing, or sneezing.
Symptoms
- Sneezing
- Eye Discharge
- Nasal Discharge
- Coughing
- Low Grade Fever
- Loss of Appetite
- Fatigue
Treatment
- Isolate infected dogs IMMEDIATELY
- H3N2 Strain— Quarantined for 28 days
- Supportive care
- Alleviate symptoms
- Prevent or Control secondary bacterial infections with antibiotics
- Clean and Disinfect food, water bowls, and equipment
- Wear gloves and disinfect clothing after working with an infected dog(s)
- Wash hands or use hand sanitizer to prevent spreading to other canines
Virkon and Oxine will penetrate organic matter and kill the virus.
Prevention
There is an influenza vaccine for Dogs. This vaccine will protect dogs from both strains of influenza. If a dog who is vaccinated is exposed, the vaccine reduces symptoms, severity, and spread significantly.
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