BTAH

Your new puppy will bring years of joy and happiness to you and your family.  To help ensure that your puppy will be as healthy as possible, we need to build a foundation of good health from the start.

Puppies require exams and vaccines more often than adult dogs when first starting out in life due to their rapid growth and need to build immunity from many viral diseases.  Most puppies are adopted to loving families between six and eight weeks of age and should visit the veterinarian soon after adoption.  At this visit we will perform a thorough physical exam, conduct a fecal test, discuss diet and training and prescribe heartworm prevention.  The exam is important to make sure your puppy is healthy and that everything is developing normally.  We will examine your puppy’s eyes, ears, heart, lungs, abdomen, and skin as well as identify any congenital problems like soft spots on the skull, umbilical hernias, and joint abnormalities.  Intestinal parasites can rob your puppy of nutrients that can inhibit organ development as well as cause vomiting and diarrhea; we will examine his stool for these and treat if seen.  We will also discuss dietary needs for your puppy.  Different breeds need different diets to grow properly.  We will also talk to you about a feeding schedule.  This is most important for the smaller breeds to help regulate sugar levels.

Heartworm prevention is a must-have in Texas.  Heartworms are passed through a bite from an infected mosquito, and can be fatal if not treated.  We will send home your first month of prevention and explain how it works at this visit.

As long as your dog is in good health, vaccinations may be administered following a schedule.  Your puppy may have received a vaccine from the breeder or shelter; all puppies should receive a series of vaccinations to help build their immune systems and give them solid foundations in the future.  Each puppy will have his own individual schedule.  Generally, booster vaccines will be given for a total of three sets roughly three to four weeks apart from one another.  At each appointment we will re-examine your puppy to make sure there are no new problems.

Texas state law requires all domestic animals be vaccinated against rabies after twelve weeks of age.  Generally, this vaccine is given during the final series of vaccinations.  Your puppy will receive a tag and a certificate of vaccination.  We will also give a bordetella vaccine that will guard against kennel cough.  This vaccine is required by most groomers, trainers and boarding facilities.

Now is a great time to set an appointment for spaying or neutering.  Spaying before the first heat cycle will virtually eliminate breast cancer.  Unwanted pregnancy and heat cycles will be eliminated as well.  Neutering will take care of testicular cancer and prostate problems.  Having a fixed animal will make them less likely to run off to find a mate.  Puppies will start replacing their puppy teeth with adult teeth and in some breeds, these puppy teeth may not fall out naturally.  If this happens, we will remove them during the sterilization procedure.  This tends to be a smaller breed problem but can happen to any breed.

A microchip would also be a great investment in your pet.  Microchips are a permanent identification system implanted safely under the skin to identify your puppy if he becomes lost.  If your pet should become lost the microchip will link you to your pet and help get them home.