Puppy Health
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 they're totally dependent 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 you're on the right track already.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.(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. 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 stuff, which includes regular check-ups and vaccinations, and dental care. Don't just stick a pin in the phone directory 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. Even routine veterinary care can be costly, but if your precious puppy gets really sick, needs surgery, or has an accident/injury, the costs can be extreme! A $3000 vet bill certainly isn't out of the question. Could your savings account handle that? Your credit cards? Even if they could, they shouldn't have to. Investing in Pet Health Insurance could make all the difference.....
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.
If you're a new puppy owner, knowing when Fido is sick (or not!)can be a challenge. Symptoms like a runny nose, diarrhea, vomiting, or loss of appetite can signal a minor problem.... or the beginning of big trouble. Check out our Dog Illnesses page, for a comprehensive list of the causes, symptoms and treatment of the most common, contagious canine diseases. You can also find lots more tips, advice and information on recognizing a sick puppy on my Worried About A Sick Puppy page. Whether or not there are other symptoms involved, if you notice a significant change in your puppys behavior, mention it to your veterinarian. Sometimes it can signal an underlying issue that needs attention. As long as your pup isn't showing symptoms of serious illness, in pain, injured or it's an emergency situation, consulting an online veterinarian is a very cost-effective way of getting professional help. You'll get a professional answer within in few hours, and at an average cost of only $12 it's much easier on the pocketbook than an office visit. 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!A puppy gets it's first immunity to disease through the colostrum in it's mothers milk. This is called 'passive immunity' and it gives your puppy some protection from infectious diseases for a few weeks. 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). Intestinal parasites that are single cell organisms (protozoa), rather than worms, include Giardia and Coccidia. These parasites cause Giardiosis and Coccidiosis in dogs. Fleas and Ticks can be a real nuisance, and are more of a problem in some areas of the country than others (it's 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 (Deer ticks) can carry the and transmit the bacteria 'Borrelia burgdorferi' which causes Lyme Disease in dogs. Other tick-borne illnesses such as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Ehrlichiosis are also a possibility. Lyme Disease is most often seen in the north-eastern coastal states, the Great Lakes area and California. 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 helps to reduce the staggering number of unwanted dogs, and can positively impact your dogs future health. 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. Herbal Remedies for Dogs and Cats, Find all the herbal remedies for pets you need, for everything from cat and dog joint pain to fleas; from pet cancer to pet diabetes and more.
If you want professional, veterinary advice - and you'd like to get it from the comfort of your own home at a price you can afford, check out our Ask A Vet page. Of course, if you think your dog is seriously ill or is injured, take him to a veterinary clinic right away, don't wait for an online veterinarian! Got a question about your puppy's health? You can get the answer fast by using our Puppy Health Questions Page More Puppy Health InformationReturn from Puppy Health to Homepage
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