Puppy Care

Our comprehensive physical examination and gathering of information from you will give us a complete picture of your puppy’s health during your initial veterinary visit. This is also the perfect opportunity for you to gain the critical puppy care information you need to be a knowledgeable, responsible, and caring pet owner.

Some of the topics that we will cover during the first visit are:

• Vaccination Schedules
• Spaying or Neutering
• Basic Obedience Training
• Housebreaking
• Appropriate Puppy Diets
• Flea, Tick & Heartworm Preventative
• Symptoms of Illness

Although most of these considerations and recommendations apply to all puppies, our veterinarians will take into account your puppy’s breed, age, your lifestyle, and any existing health or behavioral issues to provide personalized recommendations.

Caring for a puppy involves understanding the importance of quality puppy food. Since your puppy’s body is growing rapidly, it is vital to choose a puppy food that is specifically formulated for young and growing dogs.

It is recommended that puppies weighing more than 50 pounds at adulthood eat large breed puppy food, and that puppies eat puppy food until they reach one year of age. Always make sure your puppy has access to plenty of fresh water. Having a regular feeding and walking schedule will assist in potty training and help your puppy learn to enjoy a structured routine. Our veterinarians will offer personalized feeding advice during your puppy exam.

It is best not to share food from your plate with your puppy, as it can lead to poor eating habits. Instead, stick to a good puppy diet and follow a feeding routine. Early training on how to behave while you are eating is also beneficial.

Puppy potty training should begin right away, and it is essential to remain patient and calm during this process. Take your puppy outside frequently, and reward good behavior with immediate praise. Crate training is a humane way to confine the puppy in a small area when not being watched, which can decrease potty accidents and destructive behavior.

Common times to take your puppy outside to go potty include after every meal, after drinking water, after waking up from a nap, after playing/exercising and right before bedtime.

Once your puppy begins vaccinations, he or she is ready to begin puppy classes with other vaccinated puppies. Puppy classes should begin at 8 weeks of age and continue through basic training.

Puppies are more susceptible to health problems than adult dogs due to their immature immune system. We know no pet parent wants to think about their precious pup feeling poorly.

These symptoms all indicate urgent situations and require immediate veterinary care.

• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Lethargy
• Coughing
• Nasal discharge

Vaccinations play a critical role in protecting your puppy from many dangerous and even fatal diseases.

Puppy vaccinations typically start at the age of 6-8 weeks. Vaccines must be given as a series of timely injections, but the recommended vaccines and schedule of injections may vary depending on your puppy’s individual needs. It is important to follow your veterinarian’s recommended vaccine schedule to ensure that your puppy receives proper protection. Our veterinarians will offer personalized advice during your puppy exam for your happy, healthy and growing dog.

Just like human babies, puppies go through a teething phase when they begin to develop new teeth. During this phase, your pup will grow a set of adult teeth. Puppy teething is a natural and sometimes painful part of a puppy’s development process. However, it is also a behavior that can become problematic if not properly addressed.

It is important to provide age-appropriate puppy teething devices and toys for your puppy during this time and also to gently but assertively reinforce that nips and bites to people, property, and other animals are not okay. If you do have other animals present for the puppy teething period in your home, they will do a good job of being assertive too. Just be sure to monitor play between animals to ensure that an innocent puppy teething incident does not escalate into something more serious.

We understand that the decision to pursue surgery for your pet can be stressful, which is why our knowledgeable veterinary team is available to guide you through the process. We will ensure you have all the information you need to make informed decisions about your pet’s surgical procedures.

Both terms refer to the surgical sterilization of an animal, the procedure you choose depends on your pet’s gender. Females are spayed while males are neutered.

The procedures may also be referred to as being “fixed”. Whether male or female, both procedures sterilize your dog so they cannot have puppies and may also prevent certain diseases and health conditions later in life.

Neutering is the common term used to describe the surgical procedure also known as orchidectomy. A veterinarian performs this surgical procedure, both testicles are removed in order to sterilize a male dog. In general, complications are rare during a neuter procedure. However, as with any anesthetic or surgical procedure, there is always a small risk. Pre-operative blood work is a useful screening test that may detect pre-existing problems that could interfere with the pet’s ability to handle anesthetic drugs. There are different determining factors for the optimal time to neuter a puppy, including the health, behavioral, and environmental factors. Talk to your Pets I Love veterinarian to determine the best time to neuter your dog.                                 

Benefits of Neutering Dogs

• Risk of testicular cancer is eliminated
• Reduces the risk of disease benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate that comes with age) and prostatitis (prostate infection)
• Reduces certain types of aggression

 

Spaying is the common term used to describe the surgical procedure known as an ovariohysterectomy. A veterinarian performs this surgical procedure, the ovaries and uterus are removed completely in order to sterilize a female dog. In general, complications are rare during a spay procedure. However, as with any anesthetic or surgical procedure, there is always a small risk. Pre-operative blood work is a useful screening test that may detect pre-existing problems that could interfere with the pet’s ability to handle anesthetic drugs. There are different determining factors for the optimal time to spaying a puppy, including the health, behavioral, and environmental factors. Talk to your Pets I Love veterinarian to determine the best time to spay your dog.

Benefits of Spaying Dogs

• Risk of ovarian and uterine cancers is eliminated
• Unspayed female dog also carry the risk of developing pyometra – a fatal condition of the uterus that requires surgery to treat
• More than a quarter of unspayed female dogs will develop a mammary tumor (breast cancer) during their lifetime

Puppy socialization is one of the essential ingredients for a happy, well-behaved, and confident dog. Socialization is an assortment of stimuli and experiences they might encounter in their adult lives. As they learn how to explore their world, puppies become acclimated to various stimuli and situations. Exposures must be done carefully, so the puppy remains calm and interested in engaging and does not become frightened or overwhelmed. Bring tasty treats, to give to people that want to meet your puppy, and then allow the puppy to approach at their own pace. For some puppies, every stimulus may seem overwhelming. Never force your puppy to ‘face his fears’ when he seems panicked or fearful, as it may worsen the fear. Allow your puppy to explore all the new sights, sounds and feels at his own comfortable pace. Your veterinarian can offer advice tailored to your puppy’s specific needs.

We would love to meet your new puppy! Our team is here to help make your visit to the vet as fear free as possible!