When should my puppy visit the veterinarian?
Most puppies should visit the veterinarian at six to eight weeks of age for a health exam and to begin vaccinations and parasite preventives. This is a great time for you to talk to your veterinarian about your puppy’s vaccination schedule as well as behavior and training.
Follow your veterinarian's recommended exam schedule to ensure that your puppy receives proper protection and that you receive timely and appropriate advice.
When should my puppy be vaccinated?
You can help prevent several diseases by getting your puppy vaccinated. To be effective, vaccines must be given as a series of timely injections. The recommended vaccines and schedule of injections may vary depending on your puppy’s individual needs, but they ideally start between six and eight weeks of age.
The core vaccinations protect your puppy from common diseases like distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, leptospirosis, and rabies. Your veterinarian will recommend the amount and frequency of vaccinations for your puppy.
- Distemper, hepatitis and parvovirus are generally included in one injection, which is given three times, spaced about three to four weeks apart. These injections usually begin when the puppy is between six and eight weeks old, and finish at or after 16 weeks of age.
- Leptospirosis vaccination may be combined with the above vaccinations in the same injection or given separately in two doses spaced about three to four weeks apart.
- The rabies vaccine is often given at 12 to 16 weeks of age.
Optional (non-core) vaccinations are appropriate in certain situations. These vaccines may include Bordetella, Lyme, and influenza if there are risks of those diseases based on your geographic location and lifestyle. Your veterinarian will help you determine which vaccines are recommended based on risk factors for contracting these diseases.
Why does my puppy need more than one vaccination?
When puppies nurse from their mother, they receive a temporary form of immunity through her first milk (colostrum). Colostrum contains high levels of maternal antibodies that can provide passive protection against diseases the mother has been exposed to, either naturally or by vaccination.
This passive immunity is beneficial during the first few weeks of your puppy's life but, at some point, those levels decline, and your puppy must develop its own active, long-lasting immunity. Vaccinations are used to provide this long-lasting protection. However, as long as the mother's antibodies are present, vaccinations cannot stimulate the puppy's immune system because the mother's antibodies neutralize the vaccine.
Many factors determine when a puppy can respond to vaccinations, including the level of immunity in the mother when she gives birth, how many antibodies the nursing puppy absorbed, and the general health of the puppy. Since it is unknown when an individual puppy will lose its short-term maternal immunity, a series of vaccinations are given. The goal is for at least two of these vaccinations to fall within the time frame when the puppy has lost immunity from its mother and has not yet been exposed to disease.
A single vaccination, even if effective, is not likely to stimulate long-term immunity, which is critically important. The rabies vaccine is an exception to this: one injection given at the right time is enough to produce longer-term immunity due to the lack of maternal antibody interference. To keep up your dog’s immunity through adulthood, vaccines are repeated once every one to three years depending on circumstances and the type of vaccine.
Do all puppies have worms?
Intestinal parasites (worms) are common in puppies. Puppies can become infected with some types of intestinal worms before they are born or later through their mother's milk. Since puppies can become infected so early and intestinal parasites can cause severe illness, treatment must begin when the puppy is only a couple of weeks old.
A microscopic examination of a stool sample will identify which worms a puppy is infected with so that a specific treatment plan can be prescribed. This exam is recommended for all puppies, especially during their first few veterinary visits. Many puppies are infected with common intestinal worms, and they may not pass worms every day, so your veterinarian may routinely administer a broad-spectrum dewormer that is safe and effective against several species of intestinal worms. Some of these intestinal parasites can be transmitted to humans.
It is important that deworming is repeated because it only kills adult worms. Within three to four weeks, the larval (immature) stages of the intestinal parasites will become adults and need to be removed. Dogs remain susceptible to re-infection with hookworms, whipworms, and roundworms throughout their lives. Periodic deworming throughout a dog's life is generally recommended for these common intestinal parasites.
Tapeworms are a common intestinal parasite. Tapeworms require an intermediate host, meaning that they are not passed from dog to dog. Puppies usually become infected when they swallow fleas carrying tapeworm eggs or when they eat contaminated raw meat or infected mice, birds, or rabbits. Infected puppies will intermittently pass small segments of the worms in their stool. The segments are white and look like grains of rice or cucumber seeds. If you observe tapeworm segments on your puppy’s stool, tell your veterinarian so the appropriate medication for treatment and prevention can be prescribed.
What kind of identification should my dog have?
A microchip is the most widely recommended form of pet identification. It is a tiny device that is implanted under the skin with a needle, like a routine injection, and can be placed during any regular veterinary visit. The microchip stores a unique identification number that is linked to your contact information in a national registry. Veterinary hospitals, humane societies, and animal shelters use scanners to detect microchips and access this information, helping identify lost pets and return them to their owners.
What should I do if my puppy has fleas?
Contrary to popular belief, most of the flea life cycle is spent away from the dog. Only adult fleas live on an animal, while the eggs, larvae, and pupae feed and develop in the environment. For that reason, flea control should include treatment of the environment, as well as your pet. Be sure that any flea product you use is labeled as safe for puppies. Many flea control products that are safe for adult dogs are not safe for puppies less than two or three months of age, so consult your veterinarian before choosing a product.
What are heartworms?
Heartworms are important parasites, especially in climates where mosquitoes are prevalent. They live in the dog's bloodstream and cause major damage to the heart and lungs that can result in death. Heartworms are transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito. Heartworm preventives are dosed according to your dog's weight. As your dog’s weight increases, the dosage should also increase. They are very safe and effective when used as directed. Many of these products also protect your dog against certain intestinal parasites and external parasites such as fleas and ticks.
What are ear mites?
Ear mites are tiny parasites that live in the ear canal of dogs and cats. The most common sign of an ear mite infection is excessive and persistent scratching of the ears that can result in injury if not addressed promptly. Sometimes the ears appear dirty because of a black material in the ear canal.
The tiny mites can be seen with magnification, either directly in the ear with an otoscope or by examining a sample of the ear discharge under a microscope. Ear mites spend most of their lives in the ear canal, and transmission requires direct contact with an infected animal.
Ear mites are more common in cats than in dogs. In dogs, ear infections are the most common cause of a dark discharge in the ear canals. It is important that your puppy is examined to differentiate between an ear infection and ear mites.
Why should I have my puppy spayed or neutered?
Spaying is the surgical removal of the uterus and the ovaries, and it eliminates the dog's estrous (heat) cycles. In an intact dog, these heat periods result in about two to three weeks of vaginal bleeding and discharge approximately every six months. During this time, male dogs are attracted, even from a distance. Male dogs will go over, around, and through doors or fences to reach a female in heat.
Intact female dogs have a significant risk of developing breast cancer and/or uterine infections. Spaying your dog before she experiences her first estrous cycle has several benefits, including:
- It eliminates the risk of unplanned pregnancy and helps control dog overpopulation.
- It eliminates any possibility of uterine disease.
- It virtually eliminates any chance of developing breast cancer.
Neutering (castration) is the surgical removal of the testicles. This procedure can be done any time after your dog is six months old. Like spaying, neutering has many advantages:
- It reduces the likelihood of territorial behavior towards other male dogs.
- It lowers the risk of prostatic disease and testosterone-induced tumors.
- It helps control dog overpopulation problems.
Your veterinarian will talk to you about the best time to spay or neuter your dog.
If I choose to breed my female dog, how old should she be?
There are many dogs and puppies that need homes, so unless you have a clear plan for placing every puppy in a responsible, loving home, breeding is not recommended. Responsible breeding includes testing your dog for several health conditions prior to breeding to prevent genetic-related problems like hip dysplasia.
Breeding is not recommended until there has been time for all health checks to be completed—usually after one or two years of age. Breeding also requires additional veterinary care to ensure your dog stays healthy through the process. Talk to your veterinary team about specific recommendations for your dog.
Adding a puppy to your family is a lot of fun. Remember that puppies are energetic, so be prepared to build play routines into your day and offer “puppy safe,” stimulating toys. As always, if you have any concerns or questions about your new puppy, contact your veterinarian—they are there to help.
