Guide for puppy owners
There is a large amount of
information to take in when you bring your new puppy to the
surgery for his / her vaccination, particularly if this is your
first dog.
Most of the information contained
in these notes will have been discussed at your puppy's first
vaccination and this booklet is designed as a memory aid.
If you have any further
questions, then please do not hesitate to telephone the practice
and speak either to one of our Receptionists or a Veterinary Nurse
who will be only too pleased to help. Alternatively, you can make
an appointment to see one of our Vets.
Vaccinations
The vaccines we use give
protection against 5 major diseases:
These diseases are spread during
contact between dogs or contact with places where other dogs or
foxes have been. They all cause serious illness which can be life
threatening, some are also a risk to people.
The starter course consists of
two injections given 2 weeks apart. The first of these can be
given to any dog aged 8 weeks or over. Your dog will be fully
protected 14 days after the 2nd dose is given. It is vitally
important that you bring your dog back each year for a booster
vaccination to ensure that it retains its immunity to these
diseases. We will send you a card to remind you when the booster
is due. These boosters will be tailored to your individual dogs
needs.
Kennel Cough
Though usually not as serious as
the diseases we have just discussed, Kennel Cough can be a serious
problem. Transmission between individual dogs can occur very
quickly and easily.
We recommend vaccination against
the disease if your dog is going into kennels for any period of
time. The vaccine should be given at least 2 weeks prior to moving
into the kennel. Immunity last approximately 12 months.
Most kennels will not accept your
dog without proof of this vaccination.
Worming
There are 2 types of intestinal
worms in dogs, roundworms and tapeworms. These worms can cause
loss of condition, loss of weight, diarrhoea or constipation and a
swollen abdomen.
In addition Toxocara canis, one
of the commonest roundworms, can be transmitted to children where
it can migrate to the eyes causing permanent damage. If there are
young children in your household it is particularly important that
you worm your pets on a regular basis.
Puppies can be born with worms
and also be infected via their mother's milk. At this stage of
life their immune system is poorly developed and they are very
susceptible to a large worm burden.
In the surgery we have medicines
licensed to treat all canine roundworms and tapeworms. There are
many non-prescription medicines available from pet shops and
supermarkets, but these are less effective.
We recommend regular worming,
starting at your 1st visit and a typical schedule may look like
this:-
| Age |
Wormer |
| 8 Weeks |
3 day course of Panacur or a
single dose of Drontal every 2 weeks |
| 12 Weeks |
3 day course of Panacur or a
single dose of Drontal every month |
| 6 Months |
Single dose of Drontal Plus |
| Ongoing |
After the age of 6 months it
will be tailored to the lifestyle of your dog in
consultation with your vet, usually a dose every 3 - 4
months |
We recommend that your adult dog
is wormed every three months with a multi purpose worming product.
In the surgery we have worming
products licensed to treat all these roundworms and tapeworms and
they are Prescription Only Medicines. There are many
non-prescription medicines available from pet shops and
supermarkets, but these are often less effective.
Fleas
Fleas survive by feeding on your
pet's blood. They are a major cause of allergic skin disease and
are responsible for the transmission of some tapeworms between
dogs. If fleas are present in large numbers they can cause anaemia
in puppies.
Don't forget, they can also bite
people!
Flea infestation is a year-round
problem. Each flea can lay 2000 eggs. They fall to the floor where
they hatch to form larvae and eventually adult fleas.
These will jump onto your pets,
feed off them and then begin laying eggs after a couple of days.
The life cycle can take as little as three weeks and as long as 18
months.
We stock in the surgery products
to treat a house with flea infestation. Please ask our
Receptionists for more information.
Flea Prevention Is Better Than
Cure
Preventing your dog from picking
up fleas is simple. The most effective treatments are medicines
only available in Veterinary Surgeries. There are 2 main types; a
spray or a pipette which is easily applied to the back of the
neck.
Other methods are available in discussion with your Vet. You
always need to treat the house at the same time.
Once your pet is registered with
us you can purchase effective flea treatments at the reception
desk. Should you have a question regarding fleas, then please do
not hesitate to speak to a Veterinary Nurse or make an appointment
with your Vet.
There are products available in
Pet Shops and Supermarkets which often have a narrow safety margin
and are less effective.
Neutering
Dogs
Neutering (castration) of a male dog will prevent him from
breeding. It can also curb undesirable behaviour such as roaming,
aggression, and excessive boisterousness.
Castration reduces the risk of
prostatic problems in later life and eliminates the risk of
testicular tumours.
If you wish to have your dog
castrated, we generally recommend that this is done from 12 months
of age.
Bitches
Neutering (spaying) a bitch will prevent her coming in season,
mating and having puppies. An unspayed bitch will have a season
lasting between 2 and 5 weeks. The gap between seasons is
approximately 6 months. During her season she may try to escape,
especially if there are dogs in the area. She will need to be
watched carefully when exercising. Early spaying eliminates the
risk of ovarian and uterine problems, for example uterine
infections (Pyometras). It will also considerably reduce the
incidence of mammary tumours which are the most common tumour we
are presented with in entire females.
We recommend the routine spaying
of bitches when they reach approximately six months of age, around
their first season, in consultation with your vet.
Our practice policy is to
recommend that all bitches be spayed unless they are going to be
used for breeding.
Feeding your Puppy
When suckling, puppies feed
almost continuously for the first 10 days of life. As they develop
the bitch will leave them for increasingly longer periods. The
puppies are usually ready to leave their mother when they are 6
weeks old, by this time they should be on solid food.
Puppies up to 3 months of age
need feeding 4 times a day. From 3 to 6 months of age, we
recommend three meals daily, then 2 meals daily until your puppy
is fully grown, which will be at about 12 months of age. Adult
dogs can be given one full meal each day, but many people prefer
to feed half their daily requirement in the morning and half in
the evening.
For growing puppies any good
quality commercial puppy food is fine, whether it is a tinned meat
with biscuit or a complete dried food.
It is not necessary to supplement
the diet, for example with milk or breakfast cereal, as this may
cause stomach upsets.
For puppies, we recommend Hills
Canine Growth. This is a complete puppy food available in both a
tinned or dried variety. This product is nutritionally balanced
and provides everything a growing puppy will need.
If your puppy is a large breed
(Great Dane, Rottweiler, Labrador, German Shepherd Dog) its
dietary needs when growing will be different. Feeding the wrong
diet can lead to problems with bone formation. We have specially
formulated diets available for them.
Once your dog is fully grown any
good quality commercial dog food will be fine. However, again, we
recommend Hills Canine Maintenance diet which is a complete food
available in both a tinned and dried variety. This food is
nutritionally balanced to provide everything a fit adult dog will
need.
All of these Hills products are
available for you to purchase from our surgery.
We also stock Science Diets
formulated for dogs with dental problems.
If your dog is overweight, we
stock low calorie prescription diets and offer your pet a weight
check clinic and diet consultation with one of our qualified
Veterinary Nurses.
Pet Insurance
Unfortunately, there is no
National Health Service for Pets.
Though veterinary treatment is
considerably less expensive than its human equivalent the cost can
still be high.
We strongly recommend that all
our clients take out Insurance Plans for their pets at the
earliest opportunity. This means that should your pet require
treatment, we can provide the best possible clinical care without
financial worry. This may include referral to a specialist centre
if necessary.
Please ask us for information to
allow you to make an informed choice.
Pet Insurance is not expensive
and gives peace of mind. We urge you to consider it now.
We are an "Appointed
Representative" for Pet Plan Ltd and can issue immediate full
cover or immediate temporary policies subject to their terms and
conditions.
Identichip
An Identichip is a tiny microchip
(about the size of a grain of rice) with an ID code unique to each
pet.
It is injected under the skin at
the back of the neck. This can be done during a consultation or at
vaccination or at any other time by your Vet.
A scanner is used to read the ID
code on the chip. These are in routine use by veterinary
surgeries, rescue kennels, dog wardens, the RSPCA, the PDSA and
the Cats Protection.
Should your pet escape, get lost
or be stolen, the information on the chip will help you to be
reunited and also provides proof of ownership. We regularly
reunite owners with their lost pets when they are handed in to our
surgery.
The ID chip is a safe, reliable
and permanent means of identification and is mandatory for those
animals going abroad on the PETS Travel Scheme. The ID chips we
supply at Andale meet all the requirements and are fully suitable
for the Pet Passport.
We recommend this service to
all our clients.
Annual Health Check
Our fully qualified Veterinary
Nurses hold Health Check Clinics for your dog and it is one of the
many clinics we hold for preventative health care.
We recommend that you bring your
pets into the surgery 6 months after their puppy vaccine course or
annual vaccination for a health check.
This service is a perfect
opportunity for you to ask our staff questions about your pets and
for us to examine them and spot early signs of illness.
Our Nurses will include in their
examination your puppy's eyes, ears, teeth, coat and nails. We
will weigh your puppy and talk to you about their eating and
drinking regime.
At the end, you will be given
advice and recommendations on the way forward if further treatment
is needed or you will go away with complete peace of mind that
your pet is in good shape and healthy.
Remember, we are not here just
because your dog is sick.
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