How Can I Help A Puppy To Go To The Bathroom
Newborn puppies cant go to the bathroom on their own. Their mother licks their genital and anal areas, which stimulates the muscles and nerves and causes the pups to eliminate their waste. If your puppy is orphaned or wasn’t trained by their mother, you can use a washcloth or cotton ball soaked in warm water and gently stroke these areas, which simulates their mothers licks.
Newborn Puppy Temperature Control
Newborn puppies cannot control their body temperature. This means that owners need to make sure that puppies are kept in a warm, draft-free environment, as exposure to cold stresses the puppies and exposes them to disease. The Merck Veterinary Manual recommends using a heat lamp to keep the new litter warm, as long as you provide a slightly cooler location within the whelping pen to prevent the puppies from overheating, and position the lamp far enough overhead that it does not burn the puppies or the mother. Or, consider placing the heat lamp at the corner of the whelping box so that the puppies can crawl to another corner if overly warm. They recommend heat lamps over heating pads, as heating pads are more likely to burn puppies.
Cutting Costs And Keeping Your Puppy Healthy
When you bring a new puppy home, you promise to love and care for them for their entire life, which includes seeing to their medical needs. Vaccinations may seem expensive at the time, but treating any of the diseases that these vaccinations prevent can be a much greater expense. For example, parvovirus is completely preventable and prominent in unvaccinated puppies, and can cost thousands to treat. Outpatient treatment can cost $ 600 â $900 and hospitalized treatment can be $6,000 or more depending on the severity of the illness. When it comes to your puppyâs health, itâs better to be proactive as opposed to reactive.
One easy way to help cut down on the cost of vaccinations is through pet insurance. Some plans may cover illness and accidents only, while others cover the cost of vaccinations, fecal examinations, deworming, flea, tick, and heartworm preventions, spay or castration procedures, and even food.
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What Are Puppy Shots
What most people call âpuppy shots,â doctors call vaccinations or boosters. When puppy owners hear âvaccination,â they typically think of the annual rabies shot their dogs get, but puppies actually need quite a few more vaccinations than that. Puppy vaccinations help dogs lead full and healthy lives.
Puppies need a series of vaccinations that will protect them from infectious diseases that can spread quickly from dog-to-dog or be picked up while outside playing.
Meningococcal Serogroup B Vaccination
- Adolescents not at increased risk age 1623 years based on shared clinical decision-making:
- Bexsero: 2-dose series at least 1 month apart
- Trumenba: 2-dose series at least 6 months apart if dose 2 is administered earlier than 6 months, administer a 3rd dose at least 4 months after dose 2.
Special situations
Anatomic or functional asplenia , persistent complement component deficiency, complement inhibitor use:
- Bexsero: 2-dose series at least 1 month apart
- Trumenba: 3-dose series at 0, 12, 6 months
Bexsero and Trumenba are not interchangeable the same product should be used for all doses in a series. For MenB booster dose recommendations for groups listed under Special situations and in an outbreak setting and additional meningococcal vaccination information, see .
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Do Puppies Need Booster Vaccinations
Yes. The next vaccination will be at 12 months of age. This will boost your pets protection against the myriad of diseases that can affect them.
At your annual booster appointment, your vet will be able to assess which vaccines your pet needs for the year ahead. The immunity provided by some vaccines can last up to three years, whereas others need topping up every 12 months, so your pet wont require the same vaccinations every year.
When you book your vaccinations with Medivet, talk to us about setting up reminders for when your pets vaccinations are due.
The Timing Of Puppy Shots Is Important
Very young puppies have a certain amount of natural immunity that they get from their mothers milk, but that begins to diminish somewhere between 5 and 8 weeks of age.
If a puppy is vaccinated while he still has a significant level of maternal antibodies in his bloodstream, the vaccine won’t be effective.
Some studies have indicated that at 6 weeks old only 25% of puppies vaccinated respond to a vaccine by producing antibodies.
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When Can My New Puppy Go Out And Mix With Other Dogs
You should not take your puppy out or let them mix with other dogs until they have had their second vaccination and have an adequate level of protection. Even at this stage you still need to be cautious about where you take them and what other dogs they mix with.
Its safe to socialise your puppy with other vaccinated dogs. You should avoid places where foxes or other unknown dogs may frequent.
I Understand That The Mother May Develop Infection Or Inflammation Of The Breasts Without Warning Is This True
Inflammation and infection of the breasts is called acute mastitis and can occur very quickly. This is the reason that mother’s mammary glands should be checked regularly for any abnormal discharge, inflammation, tenderness, or hardness by your veterinarian.
If the mother does not produce milk or her milk is infected, the puppies will not be properly nourished. Puppies that are not being fed enough milk will cry constantly and fail to gain weight. If this occurs, an entire litter can die within twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Total milk replacement feeding either via a foster mother or with milk replacer products is necessary in these circumstances. Contact your veterinarian for advice.
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Vaccinatable Conditions Of Dogs
The core vs. non-core category of each vaccine is provided below for guidance, but the situation can be different for every dog and every situation. Your veterinarian is your best resource for helping to determine which vaccines your new pup would benefit from, and when. They are the only ones who have the medical training and understanding, as well as the first-hand knowledge of your dog and home/environmental situation necessary to best guide you.
Not all vaccines can completely prevent infection and disease, but even if they dont completely prevent infection, they will at least minimize the effects of infection and often shorten the course of the infection.
Note that some of the vaccinatable conditions of dogs listed below can be zoonotic, meaning that they can also infect and cause disease in people.
The Typical ‘puppy Shot’ Series
The puppy shot series usually starts between 68 weeks of age, with new vaccines and boosters given every 34 weeks until the puppy is 1617 weeks old .
Discussions with your vet will help determine the best vaccines and schedule for your particular puppy and situation as its NOT always a one-size-fits-all.
The timing and duration of a puppy shot series, as well as which vaccines are included in the series, is dependent on several factors and isnt necessarily always 100% completely the same for every puppy. Some of the factors that influence which vaccines a pup should receive, as well as when and how often, include:
- Puppys age
Note that the vaccines listed below are marked as either “core” or “non-core.” A discussion of what this means and why it’s important is provided further along in this article, after the list.
68 weeks of ageIn some cases, your puppy will already have received some of these vaccines before you pick them up. Check with the people or organization you’re getting your puppy from to confirm which vaccines your pup received, and when. This information is important for your vet to have to know best how to structure your pup’s initial vaccination series, as all of these puppy vaccines need to be given in a series of “initial” shots followed by “booster” shots.
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How Often Should A Puppy Eat
Newborn pups generally eat every 2 to 3 hours. Youll be as busy with them as you would with a human baby. If youre mixing formula, the packaging should tell you how much to give them. You might find that your puppy will need more or less than the packaging tells you. Be sure to make a note of how much youre making per feeding.
Puppies require a warm environment to sleep and to eat. Their body temperature isn’t regulated for the first few weeks of life. If they are cold, they cannot eat or digest their food properly.
This means that youll need to have a source of heat underneath a towel or a blanket in their nesting box. Place it next to a non-heated area so that they can move away if they become too hot.
Around 3 to 4 weeks of age, you might notice that your puppy is biting or chewing their bottle. This means they may be ready to begin eating soft or semi-solid food. You might need to mix formula with canned dog food occasionally when they first start eating. Talk to your veterinarian for guidance when you notice your puppy chewing on the bottle.
If your puppy is between 4 and 6 weeks old, they should be eating solid food on their own from a bowl. Follow the recommendations on their food bag for amounts. The normal feeding schedule for 6 to 12-week old puppies is four times per day.
Vaccinating Your Puppy And Kitten
Getting a new puppy or kitten is always exciting and most of us just want to cuddle this cute little bundle of fur. It would be lovely if this were enough to keep them healthy and disease free forever but unfortunately it isnt. Just like human children, animal babies also need immunization when they are very young.
A newborn puppy or kitten isnt naturally immune. They do have some antibody protection that they received through the mothers blood via the placenta, but this is roughly only 10%. The other 90% is through the first milk they take in from their mother. This milk is called first milk or colostrum because only the milk produced in the first two days after birth contain antibodies . These antibodies are like little soldiers standing ready to counter any attack from a virus . The intestinal lining of the newborn starts changing 6 hours after birth and starts losing the ability to absorb these antibodies. It is therefore very important for new puppies and kittens to start suckling as soon as possible after birth. The newborn is only able to absorb these maternal antibodies for the first two days of its life. Proper vaccination of the mother will ensure that she has proper antibodies levels which can then be passed on to her babies. If for some reason the puppy or kitten did not receive this precious colostrum , they will be at a greater risk of contracting disease.
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Meningococcal Serogroup A C W Y Vaccination
Routine vaccination
- 2-dose series at 1112 years, 16 years
Catch-up vaccination
- Age 1315 years: 1 dose now and booster at age 1618 years
- Age 1618 years: 1 dose
Special situations
Anatomic or functional asplenia , HIV infection, persistent complement component deficiency, complement inhibitor use:
- Menveo
- Dose 1 at age 8 weeks: 4-dose series at 2, 4, 6, 12 months
- Dose 1 at age 36 months: 3- or 4- dose series
- Dose 1 at age 723 months: 2-dose series
- Dose 1 at age 24 months or older: 2-dose series at least 8 weeks apart
Travel in countries with hyperendemic or epidemic meningococcal disease, including countries in the African meningitis belt or during the Hajj
- Children age less than 24 months:
- Menveo
- Dose 1 at age 8 weeks: 4-dose series at 2, 4, 6, 12 months
- Dose 1 at age 36 months: 3- or 4- dose series
- Dose 1 at age 723 months: 2-dose series
What Shots Does My Puppy Need
According to the AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines there are four CORE vaccines that all puppies need:
Canine Adenovirus-2 This puppy shot protects against a viral disease which attacks your pup/dogs’ respiratory system. One of the causes of Kennel Cough
Canine Parvovirus This one protects your puppy from the dreaded Parvo. A viral disease which affects his intestines, lymph nodes, bone marrow and sometimes even his heart
Distemper This vaccinations protects against the viral disease Distemper, which affects his respiratory system, intestines and central nervous system
Rabies Protects against Rabies, a deadly viral disease which affects your pup’s central nervous system.
These same vaccinations are also recommended by the AVMA .
There are no ‘cures’ for the diseases these core vaccines protect against.
If you’re worried that the vaccinations will hurt your pup, don’t be. The discomfort is minimal and most puppies barely notice the needle.
However, adverse reactions to puppy vaccinations can, and do, happen.
Some breeds are more at risk of side effects.
Small breeds given multiple vaccinations at the same time are most at risk.
It’s important to be aware of the signs of a reaction.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Hypoglycemia
Signs of hypoglycemia or low blood sugar include severe depression, lethargy, sleepiness or inactivity, muscle twitching, seizures and convulsions. If a puppy shows signs of hypoglycemia, a solution containing glucose must be administered. A few drops of corn syrup on the tongue can be lifesaving to a hypoglycemic puppy.
Your Puppy’s Needs: Diet
When it comes to the question of what puppies need, feeding your little one a premium puppy food that’s been designed for his size/age/breed is right at the top of the list.
Puppies grow phenomenally fast, and the larger the breed the more spectacular the growth curve. They’re also very active little creatures and use up a lot of energy in a day… so to keep your pup happy and healthy his body needs the right nutrients.
There are literally hundreds of different dog food brands and manufacturers to choose from, and trying to figure out which puppy food is best for your pup can be a challenge.
But when you’re looking for the answer to the question ‘what do puppies need in their food?’, the type of ingredients and their ratio within the food is the key.
You want to look for ‘human grade’ organic or all-natural ingredients.
Real meat and whole grains should be at the top of the ingredient list, some fat, then vitamins/probiotics and/or Omega 3 fatty acids are all good too.
Avoid foods with a lot of artificial additives, preservatives and fillers.
Puppies need to be fed three times a day at 8 weeks old, by around 16 weeks you can go down to two meals a day and when a pup reaches maturity most pups will do fine being fed just once daily.
But tiny and toy breeds may always need to be fed twice a day even when mature, because they use up calories very quickly and have tiny tummies which don’t hold much food!
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