Puppy Care:
Newborn Puppy Care
Puppy Safety
Taking Care Of A Newly Adopted Puppy
Taking Care Of Orphan Puppies
Puppy Health & Nutrition
Housetraining A Puppy
Socializing Your Puppy
How To Crate Train A Puppy
Bathing Your Puppy
Exercising Your Puppy
First Aid For Puppies
Puppy Health & Nutrition
You need to keep a watchful eye on your puppy at all times. Your puppy's environment, food, and social factors can affect him or her in different ways. Most importantly, he can become deathly ill with some of the illnesses that befall puppies. When you need to identify a problem, be sure to include your vet in the process. He or she will know the appropriate action to take.
Symptoms to watch for in your new pup are diarrhea, vomiting, coughing, sneezing, lethargy, pain of any kind, no appetite, and a fever. Dogs cannot tell us what they are feeling so we have to watch for these symptoms and call the vet to see if they need to be seen. Make sure their vaccinations are all up to date. Also monitor his contact with other dogs as they may be sick and the owners may not know it.
You should watch to make sure that your puppy doesn't eat too much food or too little. Simply going by the recommended amount on the label may not be enough for a growing puppy. He may need a little extra sometimes. But with an increase in food, you must increase exercise or you will have an overweight puppy.
The extra weight can put your pup at risk for heart problems, respiratory, and muscular problems. Avoid obesity by preventing it in the first place.
If the puppy is underfed, increase his ration for two weeks. If he is growing back to where he should be, keep with the plan until he reaches an ideal weight.
If the pup is overfed, reduce the amount of food you give until he is down to an acceptable weight. Also increase his exercise routine.
Overweight and underweight puppies have lower immune systems. They can catch something from the dog next door or the one down the street. Keep a watchful eye on your puppy when he is trying to maintain a stable weight.
At least two to three times a week, be sure to check your puppy's temperature to make sure there is no fever brewing. A normal temperature for dogs is between 99.5 and 102.5 degrees. If you are uncertain, please get the vet to show you how to do it. You will need to lubricate the thermometer with petroleum jelly or mineral oil and slide it halfway into the rectum. Leave for three minutes. Remove and read the mercury level. If the puppy is running a fever, you should see your vet immediately. DO NOT ever use an oral thermometer for a rectal temperature. The readings could be off and make you think the dog is sick when he isn't.
Vet Visits:
When you first get your new puppy, you will want to take them to the vet as soon as possible. They can often find things you might have missed. Ask friends and family who they recommend. Visit the office before taking the new puppy to see if it is clean and if they have hours that fit your schedule. Talk to the vet and develop a rapport so you can bring up concerns when they arise. This person will become pretty important in your dog's life. So you and your dog need to feel comfortable with your choice of vet. By building a trusting relationship with the vet, you will have a long-term effect on your pup's life.
On the first visit, the pup will be checked for any type of defect. The vet should also take a health history and do a complete physical exam. He should also give any shots that are needed. When you go to the visit, bring along any medical records you may have. You need a copy of all the medicines the puppy takes and information about his mother and father. If you get obtain a fresh stool sample, take it with you as well. Make sure the vet answers all your questions before you leave.
For the first six months, your vet will want to see the puppy for checkups and vaccines. After six months, the visits taper off to once a year. Taking your puppy to regular checkups will help him grow into a healthy dog. It will also add years to his life.
Emergencies are when you need to call and transport the animal to the vet immediately. Times when the puppy isn't behaving as usual, if he seems in a lot of pain, if he isn't breathing and you can't feel a pulse, if he has been vomiting or has diarrhea for more than twenty-four hours, has suffered a burn of any kind, or has a wound that won't stop bleeding.
Vaccinating Your Puppy:
Vaccines are important to your dog's health as they help to ward off illnesses that may otherwise cause problems. A vaccine helps the puppy's immune system build up antibodies to the specific disease for which it is being given. That way, when the puppy comes into contact with another dog who has a disease your puppy has been vaccinated for, he already has the antibodies to start fighting it before it makes him deathly ill.
There are a few major illnesses that your puppy needs to be vaccinated against when he is young. They include Canine Distemper, Bordetella, Rabies, Parvovirus, and Leptospirosis.
At six weeks of age, the puppy should receive his first vaccine for Canine Distemper, Canine Hepatitis, Corona Viral Enteritis, Parainfluenza, Parvo Virus, and Leptospirosis. The secondary vaccines come two to three weeks later up to sixteen weeks of age with annual revaccination. Rabies is given at three months, six months, and annually after that.
The puppy should start receiving his vaccines beginning before he is four months old. The vet will know what to give and in which order. They will usually give you a card that tells you what the puppy has gotten and what is left to get.
Booster shots are important to keep your pet up to date on his vaccines and to keep his immune system built up. The more immunity he has, the less chance of the puppy getting sick with the major illnesses listed above.
You should also keep in mind that some vaccines don't work on some puppies. Some puppies' immune systems are just weak by nature. If you have a puppy that is ill, even though he has received all his vaccines, you should call the vet. Never hesitate to get help if you are unsure. The vet will be able to answer your questions and get your pet feeling better.
Giving Your Puppy
Medicine:
If your vet determines that your puppy is sick, you might need to give your puppy some medicine to help them feel better. There are several ways to get the puppy to take the medicine whether it is liquid or tablet. Some dogs may spit it out. You have to keep trying until they get it down or call the vet and see if something else can be done.
For liquid medicines, some dogs will lick it right off a spoon or out of the dropper. You can pour it in some food and mix it up. If the dog is uncooperative, you can hold him by the back of the head. Pull one side of the mouth up and shoot the medicine toward the back of the mouth and they will swallow it.
For tablets, the same thing applies. Most people will disguise the food in a piece of bread or in the dog's food. Some dogs will take it right out of your hand. If the dog is uncooperative, tilt your dog's head back and place the pill as far back on the tongue as you can get it. At no time should you hurt the puppy while giving medicine to him.
What To Feed Your Puppy:
When
you bring your new puppy home, the first thing you will want to do is
feed him. What kind of food do you use? What are his
nutritional requirements? Will he like what you give him? Make
sure your vet is involved in his diet planning.Make sure the dog's food is healthy and tasty. Try to find something for the stage of life he is in. For example, if he is a puppy, buy him puppy food. Decide on what you are going to feed him before you bring him home. This prevents last minute decisions that might not be healthy for your pet.
Dry food is quite popular. It is easy to store and usually tastes great. It is also good for helping keep the teeth clean.
Soft and moist food are great for your dog to eat because he will eat most of the food and get the added nutrition.
Canned food have the highest water content. These also contain less nutrition, so you may need to feed your dog more than usual to equal out the nutrition they may need.
Look at the levels of vitamins and crude materials on the label. Is there enough fat, protein, calories and other nutrients? These are things to consider when buying puppy food.
If your dog becomes finicky and will only eat certain things, this is sometimes due to change in diet. Allow the dog time to adjust. If he still won't eat, try a new food. If he still doesn't cooperate, you may need to take him to the vet for a checkup to make sure nothing is wrong.
Some people feed their puppies from the table. This is like in between meal snacking and kills the dog's appetite for when it is time for him to eat his food. Try to avoid feeding your puppy table scraps.
Photo of puppy eating by estoril
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