Congratulations on your new puppy! Our goal is to provide you with the highest quality service and information so you can have the best possible relationship with your pet. There is lots of information to cover in a new dog visit, so we have written down some points for you to remember.

Vaccinations

  • DA2PP or DHPP: (Distemper, Hepatitis or Adeno2 virus, Para influenza and Parvo-virus). This vaccine is given in a series and is one of the most important things you will ever do to protect your dog’s health. The first DA2PP is given at 6-9 weeks of age, and is then repeated every 3-4 weeks until the puppy is 16 weeks old.
  • Leptospirosis: Leptospirosis is bacterium spread by wildlife and ingested by dogs drinking out of standing water outdoors (puddles, ponds, lakes) that could be contaminated by rodent or wildlife urine. It is a severe disease in pets and can also infect humans. It is given in a series of two injections 2-4 weeks apart followed by a yearly booster. We typically begin this at 9 weeks of age.
  • Rabies: This vaccination is first given at or after 12 weeks of age. The next booster is given in one year.
  • Bordetella: This vaccination is given to prevent contagious tracheobronchitis or “kennel cough.”


Remember to keep your puppy out of public parks, dog parks, boarding kennels, dog daycares and places with large numbers of dogs until this initial series of vaccines is completed.

Diet

In general, we recommend using products produced by major manufactures with “AAFCO” printed on the label. These foods undergo rigorous and long-standing feeding trials to ensure safety. Examples of premium pet foods we would recommend are Science Diet, Purina Pro Plan, Royal Canin, Iams/Eukanuba. Both canned and dry formulations are acceptable.

Puppies should be fed about 3 meals per day until they are older than 16 weeks. Many small breed dogs are “grazers” and will eat as they please without overeating. For dogs that eat rapidly, consider a “slow feeder” or a “puzzle feeder” to slow down eating and reduce possible complications such as bloat or obesity.

For large and giant breed dogs, we recommend feeding a diet labeled as “large breed puppy” and to feed these dogs according to the label on the bag using a measuring cup.

Dogs older than 12 weeks being fed a high-quality, highly digestible diet should have no more than 2-3 well-formed bowel movements per day. If your dog has more than 3 bowel movements per day, please discuss this with a veterinarian for recommendations.

A 14-year study by Purina in Labrador Retrievers suggests that body condition has a profound effect on both the length of the dog’s life and the development of arthritis. The thin dogs (ideal body conformation) in this study lived an average of two years longer and had 75% less arthritis. Exercise is important, but the most important factor in weight control in dogs and cats is the quantity fed.

A note about grain free: Over the last few years, hundreds of cases of serious heart disease/heart failure has been associated with feeding “grain free” diets from certain dog food brands (often the “boutique” variety) and those from exotic protein sources. For more information, please Click Here.

Chew Toys

Avoid chew toys that are very hard (antlers!) or that are less than 3 inches in diameter. The rule of thumb is that a chew toy should be soft enough to bend or be able to indent with your thumbnail. Rubber chew toys are ideal. Be cautious with real bones and raw hides—some of these are choking hazards as well as can become lodged in the intestines causing a blockage or perforation. Avoid fabric toys that can be chewed up and swallowed. Monitor your puppy’s bedding/blankets to ensure they are not chewing them up and remove them if so.

Dental Health and Dental Care

Appropriate dental care is an important thing that you can do to improve the quality and longevity of your dog’s life. Now is the time to gradually train your puppy to allow you to handle his/her mouth. Since your puppy is still teething, simple handling of the mouth is all that is recommended until six months of age. Brushing the teeth should begin after six months of age and should be done daily. Remember that only the outside surfaces of the teeth need to be brushed and that pet toothpaste is optional. Soft bristled brushes, finger-brushes, gauze or a dedicated wet washcloth around one’s finger are all acceptable. Try to make it a fun and positive experience with plenty of praise and treats. For long term dental health, a combination of home care (brushing) and periodic professional cleanings is recommended

Dental diets (Hill’s t/d, Purina DH, and Royal Canin Dental Diet) are a convenient and effective way to reduce plaque/tartar buildup on the chewing teeth. Please ask if you are interested- they are a little more expensive than a traditional diet but they also brush your dog’s teeth!

Oravet Chews are an excellent choice for dogs over 6 months as they freshen breath, kill bacteria, and deposit a microfilm barrier over the tooth to reduce plaque accumulation. These can be purchased at our clinic or through our online pharmacy.

Baby Teeth: Your dog’s adult teeth should be erupted by the end of 6 months of age. If any baby teeth are still present when the adult teeth begin to erupt, it is best to have them removed as soon as possible because they affect the eruption of the adult tooth, cause problems with your dog’s bite, and worsen periodontal disease (bacterial accumulation destroying the gum tissue and structures around the tooth).

Housetraining

The basic concept is to not allow your puppy the opportunity to make mistakes. Your puppy needs to be taken outdoors to the designated area frequently and shortly after each meal. Praise your puppy lavishly after performing. If you want to use treats as a reward for eliminating outdoor, bring the treats with you and give it immediately after eliminating. Punishment for making mistakes is not usually helpful. If you catch your puppy in the act of voiding in the wrong place say “NO!” or “YUK!” (mostly to get their attention and distract them from voiding), and then take the puppy outdoors. “Potty pads” may be a good alternative for toy dogs with condominium lifestyles. These are available at pet supply stores. Keep in mind that using a potty pad trains the pet to eliminate inside, so if this is not what you want, only use the potty pad in their kennel when you are not available to let them outside and place a potty pad as close to the outside door as possible to train them to go to the door. Otherwise, you may find your dog confusing any white fabric/clothing/towel on the floor for an acceptable place to eliminate.

General Behavior

Train your puppy to have “good manners” from an early age (begin around 6-7 weeks). Interrupt and re-direct behaviors that you do not want to continue (puppy jumps up on you to get attention), and acknowledge/praise behaviors that you desire/want to continue. Reward good behaviors immediately with praise or treats. For example, teach your puppy to sit calmly before you give him/her a meal, treat, toy, positive attention, or opening a door. Many behaviors are really cute when they are little but become problematic once your puppy gets much larger. If your pet is showing signs of aggression, please discuss this with a veterinarian.

Intestinal Parasites

We routinely administer deworming medication at each puppy visit because puppies are frequently born with worms and several treatments may be necessary to eliminate them. We perform a fecal examination on all new puppies on 2 visits, or until we get 2 negative samples in a row, then yearly thereafter. Even if your puppy has normal stool, he/she can still have parasites. Some of these parasites are transmissible to humans so we do recommend routine deworming in all pets. Many of our monthly heartworm preventatives treat/prevent most intestinal parasites as well.

Heartworms

Heartworms are extremely prevalent in our area and can be fatal to your pet if left untreated! ALL DOGS SHOULD BE ON HEARTWORM PREVENTION! Heartworms are spread by the bite of an infected mosquito and after 6 months, mature into long worms living inside your pet’s arteries in the lungs. There, they can cause very serious cardiovascular disease and damage to the lung tissue. The baby heartworms can migrate to any blood vessel in the body (kidneys, eyes, spinal cord, etc) and cause organ damage. Rarely, heartworms can result in sudden death of a seemingly healthy pet. Treatment of heartworm disease is expensive and requires 8 weeks of confinement. We recommend testing all dogs for heartworms every year.


Heartworm Prevention products that we carry are:

  • Proheart 12: A single injection given in the clinic that prevents heartworms for 12 months. Proheart 6: A single injection given in the clinic that prevents heartworms for 6 months. Interceptor Plus: A chewable tablet given monthly that prevents heartworms, roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and tapeworms.
  • Imoxi: A topical liquid applied to the skin between the shoulder blades monthly that prevents heartworms, roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and fleas.
  • Simparica Trio: A chewable tablet given monthly that prevents heartworms, fleas, ticks, roundworms, and hookworms.

There are numerous, safe, convenient products on the market to suit your individual preferences. Any prescription products that we do not carry (Trifexis, Heartgard, Revolution for Dogs, etc) can be ordered through our online pharmacy and shipped to your home.

External Parasites (Fleas, ticks, mites)

Fleas are present year-round in our climate, can carry diseases, and can cause intense itching and skin infections in dogs and cats. We recommend year-round flea prevention for any pet that goes outdoors, even if it is just to potty.

Products we carry for external parasites are:
1. Imoxi: covers fleas, intestinal parasites, ear mites, and prevents heartworms; liquid topical applied monthly.
2. Bravecto 1 month: (puppies 3. Simparica (puppies > 6 months) fleas, ticks, mites; chewable tablet given monthly
4. Bravecto (puppies >6 months) fleas, ticks, mites; chewable tablet given every 3 months

Bathing

If you bathe your dog more than once every 1-2 weeks, please use a gentle aloe and oatmeal dog shampoo as frequent bathing will cause dry skin and flaking.

Spay/Neuter

In general, we believe that spaying and neutering is an overall benefit to the dog’s health, well-being, and relationship with the owner. The decision on when to spay or neuter your dog is based on many factors. Your veterinarian can help narrow down the recommended window of 5 to 15 months depending on your dog’s disease risk and lifestyle.

Identification

We recommend some kind of identification for all pets. We offer Home Again microchip permanent identification available here. A microchip can be scanned at any veterinary office or animal facility to help reunite you with your lost pet. This is given by a simple injection during an office visit. Visit their website at www.homeagain.com to find out more.

Emergencies

For after-hours emergencies, our office number is forwarded to the Lafayette Animal Emergency Clinic located at 206 Winchester Drive (Open 5 pm-8 AM 7 days a week).

Common dog emergencies are:

  • Bloat/GDV: your dog will seem uncomfortable, have an enlarged, firm abdomen, and may be trying to vomit. THIS IS A TRUE EMERGENCY AND REQUIRES IMMEDIATE MEDICAL CARE!
  • Poison/Toxin Ingestion: Consult a veterinarian as soon as possible, or call ASPCA poison control for advice 888-426-4435. Dog-proof your home and familiarize yourself with common household toxicants and toxic plants. https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control.
  • Trauma: Have your dog evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible- internal bleeding can occur despite the dog seeming okay.
  • Wounds: apply gentle pressure to bleeds for about 5 minutes. Gently clean wounds with mild antibacterial hand soap, hydrogen peroxide (will burn on exposed tissue), or diluted Betadine. Call a veterinarian for advice.

Do NOT give your dog any human medications without consulting a veterinarian!! Many are directly toxic to dogs.