Your New Puppy - A Guide to It's Care
by Dr. Dave Nicol
Congratulations on the new addition to your family. This is an exciting time for everyone and our job is to make sure that you have many quality years together. This article gives you some great pointers to get your pup off to the best start possible. So read on and if you have any further questions please ask one of the team.
Diet
Getting the right food for your dog is one of the most important decisions you'll make. The right choice will help keep your pet fit for life.
At Double Bay Vet Clinic we believe that best food your puppy can get is the Hill’s Science Diet range. It is designed to satisfy all of your dog's dietary needs from the beginning of its life, right up until the end. It's a fact that if you feed your dog a diet like Hill's Science Plan it will live a longer healthier life because it is less likely to suffer from problems like obesity and dental disease.
As your dog gets older its dietary requirements change and different breeds have different needs as well. With Hill's and Double Bay Vet Clinic you don't need to worry about this because we will recommend the right diet for your dog regardless of its age, breed or lifestyle.
Actions speak louder than words though which is why most of our staff feed their pet on Hill's, so we really do practice what we preach.
Feeding Guidelines
- 6-12 weeks: 4 meals daily of Hills Science Plan puppy food.
- 12-16 weeks: 3 meals daily of Hills Science Plan puppy food.
- From about 16 weeks: 2 meals daily of Hills Science Plan puppy food. Change to an adult complete diet at about 1 year for small breeds and at about 10 months for large breeds.
- Large breeds should be fed the Hills Science Plan large breed puppy
- Remember if you are feeding a Hill's diet you do not need to add any form of supplementation or milk.
Vaccinations
Vaccinations are an essential part of keeping your pet fit and healthy. At double bay vet Clinic we perform a health check and vaccination for your pet each year to ensure it is in tip top condition.
Your puppy should have a primary course of three vaccinations starting with the first at eight weeks, the second at twelve weeks and the final dose at 16 weeks of age. Remember older puppies still need vaccinating if the breeder has not already done it. We recommend that puppies should not go out into public areas until after their second vaccination.
Once adult your dog should receive yearly booster vaccinations at its annual health check.
Parasite Control – Worms, Ticks and Fleas
There are a number of parasites that pose a threat to your puppy and your family. Understanding each and using the right products to protect your pet is the key to avoiding problems.
The important parasites to be aware of are:
- Heart worm – spread by mosquito bites heartworm can cause serious heart failure and death of not treated. A monthly or yearly preventative is available to help protect your pet.
- Paralysis Ticks – are a problem between October and June each year. If left untreated, affected dogs slowly become paralysed and cannot breath.
- Fleas – Sydney is the flea capital of the world! It is imperative to treat your pet monthly with a preventative and also treat your home against flea eggs and larvae every 6 months.
- Round worms – Did you know infected dogs can pass millions of round worm eggs into the environment? These eggs can infect children and cause blindness and asthma. So you should worm puppy regularly.
At Double Bay Vet Clinic we will assess the risk to your pet and your
family from each parasite and recommend an individualised accordingly.
We would recommend not purchasing parasite products from a pet shop or
supermarket as they are rarely effective enough to protect your pet.
Exercise
Your puppy should not be allowed to exercise heavily until it has reached maturity. In small breeds this will be about 12 months of age, in some larger breeds it can be as much as 18 months of age. Excessive boisterous exercise (jumping, agility or flyball for example) can increase the chances of joint problems, especially in large susceptible breeds. It may therefore be necessary in some individuals to exercise them mostly on the lead until they are mature.
Desexing Your Puppy
- We recommend that both dogs and bitches are desexed at 6 months old. Not only does this prevent unwanted pregnancy, it also has several health benefits to our pets.
- Desexed males have reduced chance of certain cancers and prostate problems.
- Desexing your bitch females before she is 2 years old can reduce mammary gland cancers and prevent serious womb infections in later life.
Desexing Myths
- Desexing your pet will not change its personality. It is not necessary for a bitch to have a season before neutering. However bitches that are only 6 months old should be checked by a vet before the neutering operation to ensure that they are physically mature enough.
- If you are considering breeding from your pet you should weigh up all
the pros and cons carefully. If things do not go according to plan it can be
time consuming and expensive. Further advice about breeding can be obtained
from books or at the clinic.
Pet Insurance
Insurance for your pets is something we strongly recommend. Veterinary fees can be expensive. There is no Medicare for animals but many people want the same quality of care and treatment for their pets. Many of the more complicated procedures can cost hundreds if not thousands of pounds! We have a range of insurance leaflets available in the clinic. Please ask for advice if you are unsure.
Microchips
Microchipping is a unique way of identifying your pet and is a legal requirement for dogs in NSW. A small microchip is easily implanted under the skin of your puppy's neck during a check up. Should your pet go missing, many rescue centres are able to scan for these chips and identify you as the owner.
Dental Care
Dog’s teeth, like our own, are susceptible to cavities and tartar. Regular oral hygiene is therefore an essential part of the care of your pet. Daily tooth brushing with a soft child's toothbrush is recommended. Flavoured toothpastes are available from the practice for your pet. We also recommend a dry food formula (Hills t/d) to support daily brushing.
Your dog should be encouraged to chew to reduce plaque and tartar.
Rawhide chews, tugger ropes and dental kongs™ are effective
aids to dental hygiene.
Toys, Playing & Training
Your puppy will need lots of toys to keep it occupied. Try not to buy toys with bits that come loose and can be swallowed. We encourage the use of toys that can be chewed safely to help clean teeth.
Toilet training can be frustrating. Newspaper should be used indoors and the puppy initially encouraged to use this. Praise should always be given when your puppy goes to the toilet in the correct place. Remember like children, each puppy will take different lengths of time to acquire toilet training. Be patient be consistent. Please ask us for more information on training and behaviour.
Socialising Your Puppy
We recommend that you take your puppy to our dog training partner Liarne Henry (www.k9trainer.com.au) for puppy school. The socialisation period begins when your puppy is born but closes when they reach 17weeks of age. So it is really important to get them out and about meeting other dogs and people as soon as it is safe to do so. Please ask us for advice on the best time to begin this socialization. And book in to Liarne’s Puppy school by calling 0406 873 308.
Emergency Service
During normal opening hours we always have a vet on site to attend to
your pet’s needs. After hours we refer emergencies to the Vet ICU service based
in North Ryde. This service is staffed by emer4gency specialists who do not
work during the day, so they are always fresh to look after your pet should it
need help. You can call Vet ICU directly on 9889 0289.
And Finally
We hope that you will have lots of fun and pleasure from your dog over the coming years. We trust it will enjoy good health and hope we can help you achieve this.
Should you need further advice about the health or welfare of your dog then make Double Bay Vet Clinic your first port of call. (All of the products featured in this article are available from the practice.)
Section Links
Article:
Choosing the right puppy.
Puppy School @ Double Bay Vet Clinic
Article: Toilet training your new puppy - coming soon.
Article: The
importance of training & behaviour - coming soon.
Video: 20-a-Day
- How to Socialise Your Puppy - coming soon.
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