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Puppy Health Problems
Do you have puppy health questions? Worried about vaccinations? Want to be sure little Fido doesn't have worms? Want to know more about the most common problems and issues that can affect your precious furbaby? Adding a new puppy to your family is kind of like having a new baby... they're helpless, and the responsibility for their health and safety totally depends on you. No pressure! Well it's okay, you can relax - because we're going to help you keep your puppy healthy and happy! Here's the minimum you need to know to keep that precious bundle healthy and strong. Start out the right wayIn the very beginning, responsibility for the puppy health issue rests squarely on Fido's doggy mom. If she's well-bred, healthy, has a good, nutritious diet and is properly vaccinated she'll have got him off to a flying start.If you pay attention to the condition of the mom, and pick wisely, you'll save yourself a lot of money and heartache. Find out what to look for and how to choose a healthy puppy, so that your new family will be off to a flying start!
What next?Once little Fido comes home, you are his new 'mommy' or 'daddy' and the puppy health care issues are all yours. If you chose your puppy carefully he's in great shape already, and it's fairly straightforward to keep him that way.
The puppy health problems you may encounter could include parasitic infections - worms and/or fleas - malnutrition and or dehydration. These puppy health concerns are usually treatable, but the sooner you get started on that the better. Good puppy health care involves several different things. The basic stuff such as making sure Fido eats a good, nutritious puppy food and gets enough rest and exercise are simple but important. Then there's routine health care, which includes regular check-ups and vaccinations, and dental care. Don't just stick a pin in the yellow pages to choose a veterinarian! If you already have pets you most likely have a veterinary professional that you like and trust. If this is your first pet take a little time to check around - whoever you pick is going to be your partner when it comes to keeping Fido healthy, so make sure it's someone you feel comfortable working with. For more info. on what to look for when picking a veterinarian click here.
How to tell if your puppy is sickThere are a few serious, potentially fatal, infectious diseases that your puppy could catch. That's why it's so important to begin scheduling his puppy shots right away.The signs and symptoms of these dangerous puppy health threats are varied, and can often also be the sign of an entirely different, and much less serious complaint. It can be difficult to tell if your puppy is sick. You won't be able to tell whether a runny nose is an early sign of Parvo or just the beginning of a 'puppy cold' (upper respiratory tract infection), so you need to bring any puppy health problems to the attention of your veterinary surgeon immediately. He or she has spent years training and learning everything there is to know about animal health - let him make the diagnosis rather than trying to figure it out yourself.
Just as you know your own children so well that you instinctively recognize when one of them is acting 'out of sorts', it won't take long for you to see your puppy's' special pattern of behavior. You'll soon know what's normal for him, for example - how long he can play for without getting tired; how much he eats in a day (or at each meal); how often he needs to 'potty' and what's normal for his bowel movements; whether he's normally very happy and excitable or more mellow etc. etc. When it comes to puppy health care, this is all important stuff, because one of the earliest signs that all is not well with Fido will most likely be behavior that is unusual for him. If you see any of the following in your puppy, talk to your veterinarian.
Any of the above warrant a visit to your veterinarian, and when it comes to puppy health problems - sooner is always better! It can be difficult to decide when to take your dog to the vet and when to 'wait and see', especially if you're a new puppy parent. To make this task a whole lot easier, check out the Ultimate Guide to Dog Health - a comprehensive guide that can help you to spot little puppy health problems before they turn into big ones! This easy to read, fully-illustrated guide will give you a confidence and peace of mind that is priceless. To ensure your pups health and happiness (and save you $$'s on unnecessary veterinary visits) find out more now! Allergies in dogs is on the rise these days, and dog food allergies account for about 10% of all allergic reactions. To find out more about allergy symptoms and how to handle the problem, check out our Dog Food Allergies Page.
Vaccinations, Parasites & moreVaccinations are one of your best defenses in the puppy health wars. A regular schedule of shots will protect your puppy from the most dangerous and deadly of diseases. This is not an optional extra but an absolute MUST!All puppies should have begun their series of vaccinations by the age of 6 weeks and the breeder you bought your puppy from may have already made a start on that. Be sure to ask whether or not that's the case before you take Fido home, and get a copy of his vaccination record and veterinarian visits for your records. Once you've got Fido all his puppy shots you will only need to get him a booster shot annually. Depending on the State and area that you live in the regulations about how often your pet needs to be vaccinated can vary. Your veterinarian can advise you on this and make recommendations based on experience. There's one more thing. Pay attention to how Fido behaves after he's had his vaccinations, because some puppies can have a reaction to their shots. The reaction can be mild or severe and could include difficulty breathing, diarrhea, hives or shivering. If you think Fido is experiencing any of the above, take him back to your veterinarian right away. A reaction could develop almost immediately or anytime up until about 3 weeks after the shots, so keep an eye out at all times. See our Puppy Shots Page to find out which dog breeds are most inclined to have a reaction.
Parasites are another puppy health problem you're likely to come up against. Parasites can be external (fleas and ticks) or internal (various types of worms which live in your puppy's intestinal tract or heart). Fleas and Ticks can be a real nuisance, and are more of a problem in some areas of the country than others (particularly bad in southern states). Fleas transmit tapeworms and their bites can cause nasty, allergic skin reactions. Ticks feed on your puppy's blood (like fleas) but that's not all. Certain ticks (especially deer ticks) can carry and transmit Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Both of these are serious canine illnesses and pose potentially severe puppy health risks. 
Your puppy's breeder will most likely have started your puppy on a worming schedule already and it's important that at Fido's first veterinary appointment you ask them to do a fecal test (where the veterinarian will test a small portion of his 'poop'). Fido can then get medicine if he needs it.In general, a mild case of most worms won't cause too much damage as long as it's treated early. But a severe case can cause serious, potentially life-threating problems. Our Puppy Worms Page will help you can find out more about the different varieties of puppy worms, how to tell if Fido has these unwanted guests, and how to get rid of them. In addition to the more common types of worms that puppies harbor (tapeworms, roundworms etc.), there's another worm that is a lot more dangerous. It's heartworm. These nasty parasites don't live in your puppys' digestive system, but rather they travel to his heart, and a heartworm infestation, left untreated, is a deadly serious puppy health threat and is usually fatal. Symptoms are often not seen until a pup/dog is already sick, so to find out more about this horrible parasite and learn how to protect your precious pup, see our Heartworm Prevention page right now.
Now, let's sum it all up -
Spaying or Neutering your puppy has definite health benefits as well as helping to reduce the staggering number of unwanted dogs in the USA today. For all the information you need on these simple but important procedures check out our Spay & Neuter Page. Illnesses, accidents and injuries can happen at any time. Make sure you're prepared for any eventuality by putting together the ultimate Dog First Aid Kit. See our Dog First Aid Supplies page. To find out how best to treat dog wounds take a look at our Dog Wounds page too! Puppy health dangers also lurk in and around your home, sometimes in the disguise of popular and seemingly harmless foodstuffs. Take a look at our Poisonous Foods page and then learn what to do in an emergency situation involving dog poisoning. For more information on dog illnesses you can check out - The Dog Health Guide - The Dog Health Guide is a good source for information on canine illnesses. We believe that a dog's best friend is an informed owner.
Got a question about your puppy's health? You can get the answer fast by using our Puppy Health Questions Page We've designed our FREE monthly e-zine 'Puppy Pawprints' especially for you! It's packed with exclusive and original articles, information, tips and whole lot more. Don't miss out on this valuable FREE resource. Sign up today. Choosing A Healthy Puppy
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(If you've adopted a stray, sickly or abandoned puppy you will need to have a thorough veterinary exam done right away so that you know what canine health issues you might be dealing with. 
