Vaccination Information:
Here are some things that many people do not know about the vaccinations that your puppy will receive in their first year of life. This is the most common misunderstood area for most pet owners. On this page you will find important information that will help you to understand a puppies first year of required vaccinations. I highly recommend speaking with your veterinarian about any questions that you may have. This information is intended solely for the purpose of educating our new puppy owners.
We vaccinate our puppies with Fort Dodge brand vaccines. The first puppy shot, given @ 6 weeks of age, is the Duramune Max 5-CvK. It is properly handled so that it does not lose its effectiveness.
We give our vaccinations in the lower part of the puppies neck, in the subque layer of the skin. Sometimes there may be a small lump that may take several months to disappear. If the lump does not go away in a couple months have your vet take a look at it. Keep in mind though that there are side effects, like with most things, that can cause a permanent mass or even a tumor from the vaccination. Your vet will also give you actual statistics of vaccine reactions. Your vet is your MOST important source for information. DO NOT rely on personal information from friends or information found on the internet alone!
ALL puppies will require a total of three Distemper / Parvo vaccines before they are "covered" from these diseases. NOTHING is 100% effective, not even human vaccines. Vaccines should be given at 6 weeks, 9 weeks and 12 weeks. A puppy CANNOT receive a Rabies vaccine until they are 12 weeks of age. Bordatella (kennel cough) can be give as early as 9 weeks (this is required if you plan to board a puppy). Each of the puppies distemper vaccines must be given within 3 weeks of each other until the 3rd one has been completed. It will need to repeated yearly thereafter as a “booster”.
DO NOT take your puppy to public areas where other dogs are able to potty. This is how diseases are spread! Walk your puppy in the longest grass available to ensure that it is not a highly used area. Do not let them walk around at a rest stop, especially on the “pet walk”, or at a gas station. It is safer to have them hold it until you get home.
DO NOT set play dates with other animals that do not live in your household either. Wait at least a couple weeks AFTER the last puppy shot has been administered. You will need to limit your puppies exposure to ALL animals until FULLY vaccinated.
If your puppy should stop eating, get diarrhea, or vomit, take them to your vet immediately!!! If they are lethargic it is another sign that something is not right. The earlier your can catch something that may be wrong with your puppy, the better chance you have of them getting over it.
Internal Parasites:
|
ROUNDWORMS:This is a common worm of puppies and kittens, but can be seen in any age dog or cat. Diagnosis is made from a microscopic examination of the feces or from a description of the worm if it is seen in the stool or vomitus. Treatment is an oral medication given at 2-week intervals. Symptoms will vary from none to marked vomiting and diarrhea, and abdominal swelling. Transmission to adult dogs and cats occurs by infected feces contaminating the yard. As a result, prevention is accomplished by isolating your pet from infected feces of other animals. For dogs, the heartworm preventives also prevent roundworm infection. Transmission to humans is rare; young children can develop “visceral larval migrans” by eating dirt contaminated with feces.
HOOKWORMS:This is also a common worm of puppies and kittens but is seen with equal frequency in adults. This parasite sucks your pet’s blood and can cause severe anemia. Diagnosis is made from a microscopic examination of your pet’s stool. Treatment is either an oral medication or an injection or both. This is repeated 2 weeks later. Symptoms will vary from none to blood in the stool (dark tar-colored stool) with diarrhea. Severe cases may need a transfusion and hospitalization. Transmission to adults occurs by infected feces contaminating the grass or soil. Prevention, therefore, requires that the pet be kept away from contaminated areas. Two types of heartworm preventive can also prevent hookworm infections in dogs. Transmission to humans is uncommon and is usually shows up as skin lesions. 
WHIPWORMS:This worm affects dogs only. Diagnosis is also made from a microscopic exam of the feces. Eggs from this parasite pass intermittently, however, so it may be necessary to check multiple fecals before a diagnosis is made. Treatment is an oral or injects able medication given at 3-week intervals for several treatments depending on the severity of the infection. Symptoms vary from none to a severe watery diarrhea, vomiting, and marked weight loss. Some dogs require hospitalization for treatment of dehydration, malnutrition, and infection. There is no human transmission.
TAPEWORMS:This common worm affects both dogs and cats. Transmission occurs when your dog or cat bites and “eats” a flea. The intermediate form of the tapeworm is inside the flea’s body and it then attaches to the intestine and begins to grow “segments”. In about 3 weeks, these segments begin to pass in the stool. They are approximately ¼ to ½ inch long, flat, and white. After a short time in the air, they dry up to resemble a small yellow flat seed. Diagnosis is made from seeing these segments on the stool or on the pet’s back end rather than a microscopic fecal exam. Treatment is either by oral tablets or by an injection. The tapeworm infection kills existing tapeworms but it does not prevent future infection. The only prevention is strict flea control. There is no direct transmission from dog or cat to a human.
GIARDIA:This parasite is not a worm. It is a very tiny single-celled parasite that can live in the intestines of dogs, cats, and man. It is seen most commonly in dogs coming out of kennel-type situations (pet stores, shelters, dog pounds, etc.) but its incidence is increasing. Symptoms include intermittent or continuous diarrhea, weight loss, depression, and loss of appetite. Diagnosis is made from a very fresh fecal specimen that must be collected at the clinic for optimum results. A surprising number of affected animals are “occult”; that is, they are infected but are negative on these tests even with multiple examinations. As a result, this parasite is often treated without a confirming diagnosis. Treatment is an oral medication administered at home. Prevention involves careful disposal of all fecal material and cleaning contaminated areas. Humans can become infected with Giardia so special care must be taken to wash hands and utensils.
COCCIDIA:This is also a single-celled parasite. It is seen primarily in puppies and kittens, although debilitated adults can also be affected. Transmission occurs by eating the infective stage of the parasite. It then reproduces in the intestinal tract causing no symptoms in mild cases to bloody diarrhea in severely affected pets. Diagnosis is made from a fresh stool sample. Treatment varies greatly. Animals showing no signs of illness are often not treated because a mild case is often self-limiting. Pets with diarrhea are treated at home with an oral medication. Severely affected pets may need hospitalization. Prevention involves disposal of all stools and cleaning the pet’s living area. Human transmission is uncommon but can occur.
MANGE:
Both types of mange present symptoms such as hairloss and thickened skin. One difference in the manges is that Scabies is VERY "itchy"! Each of these types of mange are treated DIFFERENTLY!!!! You MUST have your veterinarian do the treatment!! There is NOT an effective mange treatment that you can buy in ANY store. DO NOT use a “home remedy” to treat your dog, such as putting motor oil on them!!! These can be severely TOXIC to your pet!!!! Seek veterinary care if your suspect any type of mange!!!!.jpg)
PUPPY ACNE (PYODERMA):