Puppy Health Care

Puppy Health Care.

When getting a puppy, it’s important to know how to care for them. Whether you are an experienced dog owner or a first-time puppy owner. The fact of the matter is they depend on us to protect them from all the viruses and unknowns. For most of us these Fur babies are family to us.  A responsible breeder like Elite White Goldens raise healthy beautiful white golden retriever puppies. They vaccinate for the health of the puppy. Puppies are vaccinated with NeoPar, Bordetella and a 5-Way Puppy Vaccine that covers parainfluenza adenovirus 1 (hepatitis), adenovirus type 2, (respiratory disease), distemper and parvovirus. All of which offer the puppies the best chance at a strong and healthy immune system.

When is it time to vaccinate

There are many different vaccinations in the Veterinary field to vaccinate your puppy with. It’s not easy in choosing the right time to vaccinate or even what vaccines to give. Here is a list to help with age-appropriate vaccinations. Your veterinarian can help with your puppies Vaccination Schedule. If you are more organic and don’t want to feel like you are over vaccinating your puppy, then you have an option. You can choose after age 1 to do Titter Testing . This will show you the amount of vaccine coverage in your puppy, so you can wait longer to do boosters. This is with the exception of Rabies as they are required yearly starting at 4 months old and then at 1 year old, then every 3 years thereafter.

When do I need to worm my puppy

Well, there are many discussions on this topic and to when to worm and what to use. Let’s start with a fecal.  A fecal can determine if a dog or puppy actually needs to be wormed and what to worm for. There are different parasites that can be found in the feces. Your veterinarian will recommend what they feel will work.  If you are acquiring your puppy through a breeder, be sure to do your research. A reputable breeder like Elite White Goldens in Caro Michigan follows a strict worming protocol and runs 2 separate fecal test to ensure their program is working and puppies are free of parasites when they leave. 

Puppies eat everything and because of that reinfestation can easily happen so they require more frequent worming’s. Round Worms and Tape worms are most frequently treated for in our k9s so doing our due diligence is our k9s best line of defense in the fight against parasites.  A rule of thumb is to worm your puppy monthly until 6 months of age.  Then twice a year along with running a fecal sample to with IDEXX Laboratory, your veterinarian can send out and have result the next day.

Do I need to brush my puppy’s teeth

The simple answer is yes. It promotes good dental health and reduces the risk of dental disease.  Brushing removes plaque and tarter that causes periodontal disease. There are many flavors of toothpaste your k9 is sure to love one and different styles of toothbrushes to accommodate the most reluctant of k9s.

How do I take care of my dog’s ears

Ear care is important to your dog’s health. Regularly cleaning their ears helps them to not get ear infections. You can use baby wipes and ear cleaning solutions to aid in cleaning and maintenance. Golden Retrievers have longer hair, and it holds moisture in their ears. Carefully trimming the long hair under their earflap will increase airflow and reduce the warm moisture from being held in. Therefore, reducing infections.

Is Pet Insurance important

Yes, Pet Insurance can be important and help with most veterinary health care expenses. Reasearch the many companies and be sure to find the one that fits you.