All About Puppy Care with Country Hills Pet Hospital
How does caring for a puppy differ from caring for an adult dog?
Puppies are definitely more work. We're bringing them to the clinic more often, feeding them more often, taking them out for potty more often, and we're working on training so we get them to be a good adult dog that we want to live with.
At what age can I get my puppy from its mom?
8 weeks would be the earliest we'd recommend separating a puppy from its mom.
Does my puppy need to come to the vet right away?
We do recommend bringing them in within a couple of days of getting them. That way, we can do an exam to ensure they're healthy, get them age-appropriate vaccinations, and test their stool for any parasites.
What vaccines might my puppy need?
There are vaccines that we consider core vaccinations and lifestyle vaccinations. Our core vaccinations include distemper, leptospirosis, and rabies vaccinations. Lifestyle vaccinations would include bordetella, which is our kennel cough vaccination, as well as a Lyme vaccine, which protects them against that tick-borne disease.
What can I do to prevent my puppy from getting fleas and ticks?
We do recommend having them on a monthly preventative. There are orals, topicals, and collars available.
What should I be feeding my puppy?
You should be feeding your puppy a puppy diet. There are different age sections: puppy, adult, and senior. So we do want to make sure we're on a puppy formula.
When should I start training my puppy?
You should start training your puppy immediately. As soon as you bring them home, we want to be working on potty training, basic obedience, and leash work.
How do I take care of my puppy's teeth?
For your puppy's teeth, we want to start introducing oral health. Brushing their teeth, getting your fingers in their mouth, using all those types of things to get them used to that so that we can brush as an adult.
When can I take my puppy to see other puppies?
Once your puppy has had age-appropriate vaccinations and a stool sample check to make sure we don't have parasites, it would be a good time to start that.
At what age should I spay or neuter my puppy?
Spaying or neutering is going to depend on your puppy's size and breed. Your doctor will give you a recommendation at their exam.
Should I do anything if my puppy is vomiting or has diarrhea?
If you are seeing any symptoms like that, we want you to give us a call right away!
If you have questions, we would love to answer them for you. Please give us a call at the office at (920) 477-3003, or you can email us at [email protected]. Our staff would love to talk with you!
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