What You Need To Know When Getting A New Puppy

Getting a new puppy can be both an exciting time, and an uncertain one. By acquiring a puppy, you are taking responsibility for a new life and all that it entails. Sometimes you are not sure what to do next. Here are some of the things you should keep in mind when having a new puppy.

Vaccines

Vaccinations are an essential part of keeping your pet safe.  There are a number of things that your vet may have in mind to organize your pet’s vaccination chart, as this depends on age, previous vaccination history, environment, among others.

Two very serious diseases

The two diseases that are most serious and can be avoided with vaccination are distemper and canine parvovirus. Both diseases are potentially fatal to dogs, especially puppies, but can be easily prevented by properly vaccinating your pet.

Spaying or neutering your puppy

A common discussion with new puppy owners is spaying or neutering your dog. There are numerous health reasons why it is beneficial to do this to your pet at an early age.

Also, we must bear in mind that it is a situation of responsibility, as a pet sitter to help control the general population.

Benefits of sterilization

The health benefits of spaying your dog include:

• Decrease in certain types of diseases specific to male and female dogs, for example, in the case of female dogs, they will not suffer from pyometra (infection in the uterus), which is a potentially fatal disease

• Eliminating the possibility of any problems with the pregnancy or delivery
• Mental health benefits
• Reduction of aggressive tendencies due to loss of territoriality.

If you do not intend for your pet to be a breeding animal, then it is best to have them spayed or neutered.

Heartworm prevention

It is common to find people who have no idea what heartworm is, where it comes from, or how to prevent it.  Most of these people are fantastic pet owners and would do anything to keep their family members safe and healthy. The problem is misinformation and misunderstanding of the disease.

How is heartworm spread?

Heartworms are transmitted to dogs by the bite of a mosquito.  When an infected mosquito takes blood from a dog, the heartworm is passed to the dog where it slowly makes its way into the heart. Over time, the infection becomes worse with more worms infecting the heart, the infestation eventually causing severe damage to the organ and death to the dog from heart failure.

Diagnosis of heartworm disease

Heartworm disease can be easily diagnosed by your vet with a simple blood test.  Unfortunately, in most cases the disease is asymptomatic, so regular visits to the vet can make a difference.

Dogs with heartworm disease can be treated effectively and can lead happy and healthy lives.

Prevent heartworm

There are a wide variety of actions you can take in heartworm prevention. For instance:

• Monthly tablet
• Topical solution
• Injection given every six months

Keep in mind that not all medications are appropriate for all animals. Ask your vet what he or she recommends to use as a heartworm preventative.

Why do puppies need special food?

Like babies, puppies require a diet that is different from adult dogs.  The reason for this is exactly the same as the reason why babies need a different food than adults, who have different nutritional needs and different processing capacities.

Younger puppies have a higher need for protein and calories, which has to do with reaching their adult size, and to reach that size and stay healthy, it is imperative that they get the proper levels of vitamins and minerals that their body needs.

Our pets are our best friends and all they do is give us unconditional love. It is our responsibility to educate ourselves and do what we can to give them the happiest and healthiest life possible.