Puppy Basics
Congratulations on your new puppy! Happiness is warm puppy breath, right? There is nothing so cute and adorable as a frisky, snuggly new puppy, but as with all babies, you wish they came with a handbook so that you would know what to do and what not to do for your youngster.
Below are a few topics that we receive the most questions about that may be helpful for you as you welcome a new puppy into your family.
Vaccinations
Because their immune systems are not fully developed, young puppies are susceptible to common diseases and viruses. Until your puppy is completely vaccinated (about 16 weeks of age), it is best to limit exposure to unvaccinated dogs and places where dogs frequent such as parks, pet stores, and playgrounds. You do want to encourage socialization, but with well behaved, vaccinated, healthy dogs.
At Country Place Veterinary Clinic, we typically start vaccinations around 6 weeks of age and vaccinate every 3-4 weeks until 16 weeks of age. Our recommended vaccination schedule is listed below.
6 Week Puppy Visit
- Physical Exam
- DAP Vaccine
- Intestinal Parasite Screen
- Dose of Heartworm Preventive and flea control
9 Week Puppy Visit
- Physical Exam
- DAP Vaccine
- Intestinal Parasite Screen
- Dose of Heartworm Preventive and flea control
12 Week Puppy Visit
- Physical exam
- DAP 4L Vaccine
- Bordetella Vaccine
- Intestinal Parasite Screen
- Dose of Heartworm Preventive and flea control
16 Week Puppy Visit
- Physical Exam
- DAP 4L Vaccine
- Rabies vaccine
- Intestinal Parasite Screen
- Dose of Heartworm Preventive and flea control
- Discuss continued Heartworm Prevention and Flea Control
- Discuss Spay/Neuter
Annual Wellness Visit (one year from previous Rabies vaccine)
- Physical Exam
- Rabies Vaccine
- DAP 4L Vaccine
- Bordetella Vaccine
- Intestinal Parasite Screen
- Heartworm Test
- Discuss continued Heartworm Prevention and flea control
Heartworm Prevention
Heartworm prevention is one of the most important things that pet parents can do for their pets. Heartworms are spread by mosquitoes, and can eventually lead to heart failure and respiratory distress. The American Heartworm Society recommends that all pets, whether they live indoors or outside, receive year-round prevention. Once a dog is infected, the treatment for heartworms is expensive, and for some pets, it can be dangerous. Taking preventive measures against heartworm infection is a much better and more cost-effective option than treating heartworm disease.
For canine pet owners, we have options to fit different lifestyles and budgets. Dr. Jackie Simon always says the best heartworm preventive is the one that gets in the dog when it is supposed to!! Our doctors and staff are always ready to discuss the options with you. We do stress that the source of your heartworm preventive needs to be from your veterinarian or a reputable veterinary distributor as counterfeit products are out there available on the internet.
Flea and Tick Prevention
Flea and tick prevention is just as important to your health as it is to your pet’s. Fleas can lead to anemia and blood-born infections in our pets, but they can also lead to bacterial infections in people. Ticks can also cause several types of bacterial infections in our pets and in people.
In Louisiana, it does not get cold enough for a long enough period of time during the winter months to kill off flea and tick populations. That is why year-round prevention is a critical part of controlling flea and tick infestations in our homes and yards. It is just as important to control flea and tick populations in the environment/home as it is to use something for the pet. Just as with heartworm preventives, our doctors and staff will be glad to discuss the flea life cycle and available options that fit your pet, your lifestyle, and your budget. Additionally, make sure that you purchase your flea and tick products from a reputable source.
Spay/Neuter
The surgery to “fix” a female dog is called an ovariohysterectomy (OHE) or spay. The surgery to “fix” a male dog is called an orchidectomy or neuter.
At Country Place Veterinary Clinic, we generally recommend spaying female puppies at 5 months of age, before she goes through the first heat cycle. We recommend neutering male dogs at 5 months; however this recommendation may change depending on the size and breed of your puppy. Our veterinarians will discuss the specific needs of your puppy before scheduling a spay or neuter.
Nutrition
Country Place Veterinary Clinic recommends that puppies stay on a reputable, commercial, puppy food for at least one full year, or maybe longer, depending on the specific breed. We prefer brands such as Hills Science Diet, Purina One, or Royal Canin. It is our belief that your puppy should be on a complete and balanced diet that includes grains unless your pet has a documented allergy to grains. Grain free diets can lead to heart disease in dogs. “All Life Stages” types of foods need to be avoided because puppy nutrition is so very different from adult or senior dog nutrition requirements. Table food, raw diets, and fatty/high caloric treats should be avoided.
Potty Training
One of our top discussions with new puppy parents is the subject of potty training. Kennel based potty training has the best results and gives your dog a safe place to rest in future years. We advise our pet parents to get a kennel that is the appropriate size, just big enough for your pet to stand up and turn around. If it is larger than this, then the puppy will not effectively learn not to potty in his or her environment. When you are not home, when you are sleeping, or when you are preoccupied with household tasks your pet should be in the kennel. When you are at home, take your puppy outside as often as every 30 minutes. Be consistent; take your pet out on a leash, go to the same spot outside every time, and stand there until your pet goes potty. Once your puppy has pottied, make sure you offer lots of praise and a small amount of food to reinforce the good behavior. Don’t wait to be back inside to reward the good behavior as at that point you are rewarding coming inside.
For other types of training, including behavioral training we recommend group puppy classes. There are several options in the area including:
Sit Happens (https://lafayettedogtrainer.com/)
Pet Smart (https://services.petsmart.com/training)
Petco (https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/s/petco-dog-training)