When you get a puppy, your head is filled with ideas of adorable puppy kisses and playing fetch at the park, but the reality can often be quite stressful! It's like adding a new baby to the household, with countless hours of toilet training, loss of sleep and feeling confused about healthcare and feeding routines. We hope this simplified guide will help you keep track of all of the essential facts you need to know to take care of your new family member.

VACCINATION

We routinely vaccinate against parvovirus, distemper, hepatitis, and canine cough (bordetella and parainfluenza). These diseases are serious and can be fatal, so vaccination is vital.

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1st C3 (Distemper/Hepatitis/Parvovirus) at 6-8 weeks of age

2nd C5 (As above + Canine Cough) at 10 weeks of age

3rd C4 (Distemper/Hepatitis/Parvovirus/Parainfluenza) at 12 weeks of age

A YEARLY BOOSTER  is essential to continue protecting your dog against disease.

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Please remember your puppy will not be fully  protected by vaccinations until after their final puppy vaccination. It is important to restrict contact with other dogs and public places during this time.

HEARTWORM PREVENTION

Heartworm is a parasite transmitted as larvae to dogs by mosquitos (who are themselves infected by heartworm positive dogs). The larvae move to the chambers of the dog’s heart, growing to adult worms and eventually causing death by heart failure. All dogs should start on heartworm prevention by 12 weeks of age.

We recommend PROHEART injection for the prevention of heartworm disease. This involves a course of injections starting at 12 weeks old, with a second at 6 months, and at 15 months old and then once a year thereafter to coincide with yearly vaccinations. Dogs that do not use the annual Proheart injection need to be on a monthly oral medication for life.

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INTESTINAL WORMING

Intestinal worms can cause serious problems, and puppies are especially at risk. When worm burdens become high we can see problems such as diarrhoea, vomiting, pot-belly, weight loss, anaemia, scooting and even more serious intestinal complications.
An “all-wormer” should cover Roundworm, Hookworm, Tapeworm (including hydatids) and Whipworm. Please note that intestinal wormers do not cover heartworm (but see above for heartworm preventative care options).

These worms can spread to people, especially children, so it is very important to prevent infestation. Puppies need to be treated every fortnight from 2 to 12 weeks of age, then monthly up to 6 months of age, then every three months for life. Some products combine flea, heartworm and intestinal wormer and are given monthly for life.

FLEAS

Only 5% of fleas live on your pet, 95% live in the environment! Fleas can be spread to your house or yard by roaming cats or even possums.  It is very important to keep up a continuous flea prevention regime, or you may find you have a flea infestation.

Note that ALL animals in the household must be treated for control to be effective. There are many flea control products available but some older products are not as effective, so please schedule an appointment with one of our highly trained vets to learn about the best options. The best products combine flea and tick control.

TICKS

Paralysis ticks can be life threatening and very expensive to treat. We see a large number of cases in hospital each year. Any animals spending time in bushy areas, even just their own backyards, are at risk, especially over spring and summer. 

Signs of tick paralysis include:

• Wobbly back legs

• Change in voice

• Gagging/vomiting

• Difficulty breathing

• Depression

• Distress

• Total collapse

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Tick paralysis is an emergency – seek veterinary attention immediately.

Prevention products have developed over recent years and the new generation ones are well worth using.  We currently recommend Nexgard products monthly or Bravecto products three to six monthly.

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DESEXING