Puppy Health Care
Vaccinations
The core diseases we vaccinate against in dogs include Distemper, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza, infectious hepatitis and Rabies. The first four diseases are combined into one vaccine, often called a DA2PP vaccine. An ideal vaccine schedule is at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age, but your veterinarian will determine the best schedule for your puppy during your initial visit. The rabies vaccine is typically given at 16 weeks of age. After the final vaccine appointment at 16 weeks of age, the vaccines are given either annually or triennially, depending on the dose given.
The lifestyle diseases that we offer are for Leptospirosis, Bordetella and Canine Influenza. (See below)
- Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease carried by wildlife through their urine and can be transmitted into outdoor water sources. Leptospirosis can result in kidney and liver failure in dogs, but it can also be transmitted from dogs to humans. This vaccine can be given any time from 12 weeks of age on. The initial series requires a set of two vaccinations 3-4 weeks apart.
- Bordetella is a disease that can be responsible for causing infectious canine cough (also known as Kennel Cough). This vaccine is given any time from eight weeks of age on and we recommend giving boosters every 12 months; although, most dog boarding facilities will require Bordetella to be updated every 6 months. This vaccine is often required by groomers, doggy daycare, and boarding facilities.
- Canine influenza is a viral disease of dogs that can cause coughing, fever, and potentially pneumonia. The vaccine contains two strains of influenza, both of which are dog-specific. We recommend canine influenza vaccine series if going to dog parks, dog daycare, or traveling outside the state of Colorado. This vaccine can be given any time from 12 weeks of age on and requires one booster vaccine two to four weeks later. It is then given annually for life.
Parasites
There are many parasites that can cause disease in both dogs and sometimes humans. The main ones of concern are heartworm, intestinal parasites, fleas and ticks.
The heartworm is a parasite that lives in the blood vessels around the heart of dogs. It is transmitted by mosquitoes and can result in severe heart disease. As heartworm disease doesn’t always show symptoms and can take 6 months from being bitten to show up positive on a heartworm test we recommend testing at 12 months of age and annually thereafter. For more information on heartworm disease you can visit heartwormsociety.org. In order to prevent this parasite, we recommend year-round protection with either an oral preventative such as interceptor plus or a 6 or 12 month injection that is administered in the practice. Please discuss with your veterinarian the best option for your pet.
There are many intestinal parasites that can infect dogs, and some can be transmitted to humans. The most common we see are hookworm infections. We recommend performing a fecal test in puppies to see if they have any parasites, as well as regular deworming for life. This is typically included in your pet’s monthly heartworm prevention. We recommend annual fecal testing if going to dog parks, dog daycare, or if they are going to be around young children or anyone immunocompromised.
Fleas can cause itchiness in dogs, as well as potentially spreading tapeworms both to dogs and humans. Tick bites are a risk at any time during the year, but especially during spring, summer and fall months. Make sure your flea preventative is also a tick preventative. Use of flea/tick prevention is recommended during the spring/summer fall, if traveling outside the state of Colorado at any time, or if going up to the mountains. Common recommendations for flea/tick prevention are Bravecto, Simparica, Nexgard, Frontline or Credelio. Call your veterinarian to discuss the best options for your pet. For more information on flea/ticks you can visit capcvet.org.
Feeding
Puppies need to be fed a diet that is balanced for growth to maximize their chances of developing normal joints and strong bones. We recommend puppy-specific diets that are AAFCO certified diets for growth. There are certain companies that have provided feeding trials to support the efficacy of the diet. Companies that have performed feeding trials are Purina Pro plan, Hill’s science diet and Royal Canin. These diets, in particular, produce high quality puppy diets that give dogs an excellent start in life.
As puppies are less able to regulate their blood sugar, we recommend feeding puppies that are less than 16 weeks old, at least three times a day. Once they are 16 weeks of age, you can drop the frequency to twice daily. Please wait until at least 1 year of age, if you intend on feeding your dog once daily.
We generally recommend puppies receive a puppy-specific diet until they are 12 months old. At this time, they can slowly transition to an adult diet.
Certain grain free diets have been linked to a heart condition called Dilated Cardiomyopathy which can lead to heart failure. For this reason, we do not recommend any diet that is labeled “grain free”.
We also do not recommend raw diets as they predispose puppies to bacterial infections, such as salmonella, listeria, and e coli. They also have been shown to increase the risk of bacterial infections in the humans who feed their dogs raw diets.
Spay/Neuter
A spay procedure involves removing the ovaries and uterus of a female dog so that she cannot get pregnant and does not have heat cycles. Spaying female dogs can reduce their risk of breast cancer as well as preventing ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, and pyometra (massive infection of the uterus that can be fatal if left untreated). We recommend spaying between 1st and 2nd heat cycle, by 1.5 years of age. The benefit of going through the 1st heat cycle is to give the musculoskeletal system the appropriate time for growth. If they are not spayed before the 2nd heat cycle, then they will have a high risk of mammary cancer and/ or unwanted pregnancy later on in life.
A neuter procedure is performed on male dogs and involves removing both testicles so they cannot produce sperm. Neutering male dogs prevents testicular cancer and reduces the risk of many prostatic diseases. It can also reduce unwanted behaviors such as roaming, aggression, urine marking and humping. In general we recommend neutering dogs at 1.5 years of age, though we can perform this procedure as early as 6 months of age.
Please discuss the best age of spay or neuter with your veterinarian.
Puppy nipping
Nipping is a normal, but often undesirable puppy behavior. There are three main ways of discouraging puppy nipping: redirection, ignoring the behavior and scolding the behavior.
Redirection involves giving your puppy something else to chew on while you play. This encourages the normal play behavior while discouraging the puppy from biting you.
Ignoring puppy nipping is best achieved by standing up tall (with your arms crossed over your chest, if the puppy could otherwise reach them), turning away from the puppy and not making eye contact with them. Do not engage with the puppy in any way (even giving commands) until they have settled again, then give gentle praise. Repeat this behavior whenever your puppy is nipping.
Scolding the behavior involves making a loud “ouch” sound as soon as the puppy attempts to nip you, then using your best big dog voice to say “no”.
Each puppy is going to react differently to each method, so find the one that works best for you both.
Grooming and bathing
Depending on your puppy’s coat, they may need regular grooming. If grooming is required, it generally needs to be done every four to six weeks, but this can depend on your dog and on the groomer. We recommend finding a reputable groomer and following their advice on how often to get your puppy groomed.
If you are bathing your puppy at home, we recommend using only gentle, dog-specific shampoos. Human shampoos and detergents strip too much of the oil from the coat, which can damage the coat and lead to itching. Only bathe your puppy when they are dirty, as frequent bathing can dry out your puppies coat.
Handling your puppy’s feet early and often will prepare them for a life of getting their nails trimmed. Gently touch all four feet, flip over the paws and look between the toes, all while giving praise and treats when your puppy is calm and quiet.
Ears
We recommend handling your puppies’ ears at an early age and as often as possible. Your veterinarian will look at your pet’s ears during annual visits or when their ears seem to be bothering them such as possible ear infections. We recommend sticking your fingers in their ears and rubbing the base of their ears, all while giving praise and treats when your puppy is calm and quiet to prepare them for handling in the future.
Teething
Puppies generally start losing their baby teeth at around 14-16 weeks of age. Most of the time, the puppies swallow their baby teeth as they fall out; so you may not see any loose teeth, but you may notice small amounts of blood coming from their mouths or on their toys. Generally teething takes about four weeks. During this time, puppies are often very focused on chewing, so make sure to provide plenty of toys so that they don’t chew on you! Some puppies also enjoy chewing on cold things during this time to soothe their gums, so you can put their toys in the freezer.
Dental health
Brushing your dog’s teeth is the best way to reduce plaque and tartar build-up to maintain a healthy mouth. Brushing needs to be done at least once daily using dog-specific toothpaste to be effective. If you plan on brushing your dog’s teeth, build up to it gradually to get them used to the process. Start by letting them taste the toothpaste so they get used to the flavor. Then use your finger to smear the toothpaste over their teeth. Once they are comfortable with this process, start gently using the brush on their teeth, using more pressure on the brush as they get more used to it.
Alternatives to brushing include dental diets, dental treats, and water additives. Dental diets have larger kibbles that do not shatter when a pet chews into them, so the tooth actually gets scrubbed by the kibble. Dental treats often require chewing to break them down and many have tooth-cleaning additives to aid in plaque and tartar breakdown. Water additives are similar to mouthwash in humans and aim to chemically reduce the amount of plaque and bacteria on the teeth. Dental preventatives in general supplement, but do not take the place of daily tooth brushing. If you are going to use supplemental products we recommend that they are VOHC approved through the veterinary oral health council. Their website is VOHC.org.
Crate training
Crate training provides a safe place for your puppy, as well as limiting their access to the house when you aren’t home. The Dumb Friends League website has an excellent step-by-step guide for crate training your puppy.
Microchip
A microchip is the best way to ensure your puppy is returned to you if they ever go missing. They are implanted with a needle, and can be done at any age. Making sure your details, such as address and phone number, are up-to-date on the microchip registry. This is very important in ensuring your pet’s safe return. We can give you details on how to check your pet’s microchip.
Toxins
Many common household chemicals and plants can be toxic to dogs. If you think your dog may have ingested something toxic, please contact us immediately so that we can assess the risk to your pet. If this occurs after-hours, we recommend contacting either your preferred urgent care pet hospital or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435.
Insurance
Pet insurance can make a huge difference if your dog requires emergency treatment as this can get very expensive very quickly. There are many providers for pet insurance, so we recommend researching your options carefully as there are many different levels of coverage available. Some of the most popular pet health insurance companies are Healthy paws, Embrace, Nationwide, Lemonade or Pumpkin.
