Office puppy diaries volume 2: Staying Healthy
After getting a new puppy, it's a good idea to take them to your vet for a basic checkup. Mikey took her first trip to the vet since leaving her mom and the good folks at the Animal Care Clinic gave us lots of good information. Choosing the right veterinarian is incredibly important for your puppy. Two key areas that need to be addressed with new puppies are making sure they get their necessary vaccinations and they get wormed. While with their mother, puppies receive antibodies that help protect them.
As they grow more independent, they need your help to get them vaccinated to ensure they develop a strong immune system to stay healthy. One recommendation is to have the DA2PP vaccine every 3 weeks from when the puppy is age 6-weeks up until they are 5 months.
The DA2PP protects against parvovirus, parainfluenza, hepatitis and distemper. Rabies vaccines will also be need at 4 months (by law). After the first yearly booster, both the rabies and DA2PP vaccines need to be repeated every 3 years. In addition to vaccines, worming is also important in keeping your pup healthy since virtually all puppies are born with hookworms or roundworms.
All puppies should be wormed for both hookworms and roundworms for their whole lives, starting at 6-weeks. As the dog matures, worming will only be needed annually but it is needed more regularly earlier on. So far Mikey was nice and healthy and even came back to the office to test out a recently installed pet door.
Here are some other ways that you can keep your pet healthy and happy! We also have more articles in the Office Puppy Diaries Saga!
CEO
DOG PERSON🐶
Pets: I have a half border collie, half angel named Mikey.
Fun stuff: My dog's tongue is slightly longer than her face, so frequently her tongue sticks out a little even when her mouth is closed.
