Vaccinations

We recommend vaccinating your puppy at 8 and 10 weeks of age. Two injections are required and are given 14 days apart. Remember your puppy is not protected until one week after the second vaccination. Currently there are four infectious diseases, which are of primary concern in dogs in the U.K.: Parvo, Distemper, Infectious Hepatitis and Leptospirosis. Puppies, in general, are born with a certain amount of immunity to these diseases thanks to their mother but this disappears within a few weeks of birth. It is therefore essential that puppies be vaccinated, as these diseases can be fatal.
Booster Vaccinations as part of an annual health are recommended. Failure to do this may result in the loss of your dog’s immunity and a need to restart the vaccine course with two injections, 14 days apart.

We can also offer a Kennel Cough vaccine which is done yearly, and which may benefit working dogs, dogs that use commercial kennels and very ‘social’ dogs.

As part of your vaccine treatment we would like to offer you and your puppy a free six month health check. This involves coming to the practice to meet the nurses and discuss things like feeding, dentistry, insurance, neutering and anything else you would like to talk about

Worming

Regular worming is strongly recommended throughout your dog’s life. Worming should ideally be done monthly until 6 months of age, then every 3-6 months for life. We recommend using a wormer, which treats roundworms and tapeworms. Remember that fleas transmit tapeworm, so if fleas are seen it is important to worm as well as provide flea treatment.

Fleas

There are effective and safe flea treatments that can be used. There are numerous flea products on the market which all have their own pros and cons. We currently recommend using Practic every 4 – 6 weeks. About 90% of the flea’s life cycle is in the environment. For this reason it is important to not only treat your dog, but also your house. We currently recommend R.I.P house spray for the environment. Please ask us if you would like some more information on flea treatments.

Neutering

There are many benefits to having your dog neutered. If you would like to discuss the pros and cons please ask!
The usual time for this to be done is:

Males: from 8 months of age.
Females: 3 months after the end of the first season.

Both neutering procedures are classed as ‘day cases’ and therefore it means that he or she will be able to go home the same day. Whilst spending time with us we try and make them feel at ease by offering them a nice fluffy bed and food once they have come round from their anaesthetic.

Identification

A collar with an identity tag is a legal requirement when your dog is out in a public place. Another method of identification is the Identichip, which is permanent and cannot be lost, however it does not mean that a collar tag is not needed. This can be done at any age. We prefer to wait until a few weeks after the second vaccination.
Each microchip contains a unique number that is readable using a scanner. Rescue centers, vets and police have scanners which helps you get your dog back if he or she goes walkabout. An identichip is required for the pet travel scheme.

Diet

Ensuring that your dog receives the correct nutrition is important throughout its life and even more so during growth.
The use of puppy/junior food will be discussed. Adult food should only be started once your puppy has finished growing.
A good complete dry food has advantages of convenience for feeding and may help keep teeth cleaner.

Insurance

Having your dog insured allows us to do the best for your dog at times of accidents or illnesses without having the added worry whether treatment costs can be afforded. It may also cover you for public liability should your dog cause any accidents or injuries.

Dental care

Daily brushing of your dog’s teeth will help prevent dental disease. Start getting your puppy used to having its mouth handled and introduce toothpaste suitable for dogs. Contact the surgery for a free consultation with a qualified veterinary nurse for advice and a brushing demonstration.

Exercise

It is important not to over exercise your puppy whilst he/she is still growing. Regular short periods of exercise are preferable to one long walk. This will help reduce the possibility of damaging growing bones & joints.

Socialisation

Early socialisation will help your puppy become a happy, well-balanced pet.

Over recent years a fuller understanding of dog behaviour has been achieved. It is now widely accepted that a large part of the way your puppy behaves as an adult is learnt within the first 12 weeks of life. This does not mean to say that a dog older than 12 weeks cannot be taught good behaviour (or learn to be naughty!) but the first few weeks of life of your puppy’s life are a vital learning period.

To give your puppy the best possible start in life you should try and ensure that he or she experiences as many new things as possible e.g. cats, other dogs, traffic, cars, buses, trains, washing machines, children, loud noises, water, vacuum cleaners, men, women, having his/her teeth looked at, mouth opened, nails clipped – the list is really endless. Don’t forget also that being left alone is an important thing for your puppy to experience. Try to think of all the things they may have to deal with during their lives and you should be kept busy!

Remember though, your puppy will take his cue from you about how he should behave when he encounters something new. If you appear unconcerned then your puppy will learn to be unconcerned. If you become agitated then your puppy will become agitated and frightened. Unfortunately for us, what we regard as reassurance is often assumed by our dogs to be agitation! If your puppy shows fear or concern on encountering something new try to resist the temptation to be overly reassuring. Instead stay calm and wait until he has relaxed – then praise him! In this way your puppy will learn that being relaxed is the correct response to this strange situation.

We hope you will find this information is helpful but if anything is unclear or you have a specific problem please ask the one of our vets or nurses on your next visit or ring the surgery on 01451 830620 between 8.30am – 6.00pm Monday to Friday.