Dogs
Vaccinations
An initial course of vaccinations is advised for your puppy to protect against the following infectious diseases: Canine Distemper, Canine Parvovirus, Infectious Canine Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Canine Parainfluenza virus. Proof that your dog has received these vaccinations will be required if you wish to take your dog to puppy training classes or to boarding kennels. Your dog is not fully protected until ten days after the second vaccine dose.
One year later, a full “booster” vaccination is recommended to ensure that immunity to the above vaccinations is maintained.
Following this, your dog should return for booster vaccinations every year.
Other Vaccinations
It is also possible to vaccinate your dog against kennel cough. This is a vaccine which is administered by squirting it up the dog’s nose! The kennel cough vaccine is particularly recommended for situations where lots of dogs are gathered together – for example in boarding kennels, dog shows, agility competitions.
The kennel cough vaccine requires annual boosters to maintain immunity. However it must not be administered within two weeks of the standard booster vaccination. Although the vaccine is very effective at reducing the risk of a dog contracting kennel cough, it does not guarantee protection, especially in the face of a severe outbreak. However, the small number of vaccinated dogs that do catch kennel cough tend to have milder symptoms than unvaccinated dogs.
It is possible to vaccinate your dog against rabies, if you are considering taking your dog abroad. Please ask any of our staff if you require further information about the PETS Travel Scheme. (Link to pets travel scheme)
Worming
Almost all puppies are infected with roundworms as they are passed on from mother to pup. We recommend regular worming against roundworms between 2 and 12 weeks of age. There are a variety of different products available (pastes and granules to mix with food, tablets, “spot-on” preparations) and your vet will advise you as to which is most suitable for your puppy.
Your puppy should also receive treatment for tapeworms - this is usually given at 12 weeks of age. We usually recommend a single tablet that treats both roundworms and tapeworms in one goFlea Treatment
Fleas commonly cause itchiness and annoyance to dogs (and can also bite people!). Some dogs become allergic to flea bites and this can lead to very severe skin damage, even if only one or two fleas are present. It is quite unusual to find live fleas on your pet as fleas only spend 5% of their time on the dog, and the other 95% in the house. However, it is common to find flea dirts in the coat of a dog with fleas – these are tiny, dark, crumbly particles that may fall out of your dog’s coat as you brush it. The faeces contain dried blood that has passed through the flea and will produce a red streak if dropped onto a sheet of wet paper.
Fleas are usually caught from grass/vegetation, carpets/furniture, and from other animals (dogs, cats, hedgehogs, rabbits). If you find fleas on your dog we recommend a good flea product such as Frontline (available as a spot-on or a spray) or Stronghold (spot-on). Frontline is also effective against ticks, and Stronghold treats roundworms (see above). Pet shop flea products are not very effective and we do not recommend their use. Frontline and Stronghold are only available from veterinary surgeries but registered clients can purchase them at Reception without seeing the vet each time. If you have seen fleas on your dog then it is very likely that there are fleas in the house. In these situations we recommend that you purchase a house spray to treat the carpets and furniture.
However, we strongly believe that prevention is better than cure, and recommend the regular use of flea control products to prevent your dog ever picking up fleas and bringing them into the house. Again, Frontline and Stronghold are the most popular products to use. Frontline requires application every two months, and Stronghold every month.Microchipping
It is possible to inject a tiny microchip into the scruff of your dog’s neck. This can be done at any age. Microchipped dogs are given a collar tag to show that they have been microchipped - this acts as a deterrent to thieves. If your dog goes missing and is taken to a veterinary surgery, police station or rehoming centre, staff will scan the dog and read the unique microchip code. This identifies your dog on a central database so that you can be contacted and your pet returned. See this page also.
Teeth
Dog’s teeth accumulate tartar and become infected and/or loose just like people’s teeth. To some extent it is possible to slow down the development of these problems by feeding dogs on dried food, and providing specially shaped chewy toys available from veterinary surgeries and pet shops.
However, the best way to protect your dog’s teeth is by brushing them every day. Most dogs will accept this if you start tooth brushing whilst the dog is still young. You can purchase special doggy toothbrushes that fit over the end of your finger, or use a soft, child’s toothbrush. Do not use human toothpaste as the minty taste and foaming effect are not suitable for dogs! Non-foaming, poultry and meat-flavoured toothpastes are available at Reception and in pet shops. Any of the vets or nurses will be happy to demonstrate how to brush your dog’s teeth, please ask for further information.
Neutering
See this page for more information.
Diet
We are fortunate in the UK in that there are very strict regulations regarding the manufacture of pet foods – only human grade meat is allowed to go into dog food and there has been a lot of research into developing foods which are nutritionally balanced for dogs. For this reason, any commercial complete dog food should be suitable for your dog. You should not need to supplement this with vitamin or mineral supplements, and in some cases this can create its own problems. It is extremely difficult to achieve the correct balance of calories, vitamins and minerals in a home-made diet, so we do not recommend that you attempt this either. Raw meat can be a source of salmonella and e.coli infection and is not recommended. Some individual dogs can develop digestive or skin complaints which mean that some foods are more appropriate than others – your vet will advise you if this is the case.
Puppies should be fed 3 or 4 times daily up until 6 months of age when 2 meals daily are appropriate. In general we recommend that most dogs are fed twice daily throughout adult life. Every dog is different in the amount of food they require. We recommend that you start off by following the feeding guide on the food label and weigh your dog regularly. Adjust the amount of food up or down as necessary after weighing. It is usually best not to feed your dog on titbits or table scraps. If you do provide treats throughout the day, remember to reduce the amount of dog food given in the evening meal to compensate!
Puppies can suffer from diarrhoea and/or colitis if they are suddenly changed from one diet to another. Try to find out what your puppy was fed by the breeder and either continue with this diet or change it very gradually over a week or so.
Training
Puppies are very accepting and adaptable! The best period to introduce them to new situations, animals and people is between 7 and 13 weeks. Waiting for your puppy to be fully vaccinated will limit what you can do during this time, however providing that you carry your puppy when outside it will still be safe to get him or her used to traffic noise, car journeys, etc. Invite visitors to the house to play with your puppy, particularly those with children if there are no children at home. Small or medium-sized, friendly dogs can mix with your puppy as long as they are fully vaccinated themselves.
Once your puppy is fully vaccinated he or she can be enrolled at a local training class. These classes will help you to train your puppy and are also good for puppies to get used to mixing with other dogs in a controlled environment.
Kennels
It may become necessary for your dog to stay at a boarding kennels at some point. Local kennels are listed in the Yellow Pages. We recommend that you visit the kennels and speak to the owner/manager before booking your dog in.
It is sensible to check the sizes of the kennels and runs, the frequency and type of exercise provided, feeding arrangements, and what the arrangements would be if your pet became ill whilst in kennels (do the kennels have insurance to cover the vet bills or would you be liable? Would the kennels bring the animal to the veterinary surgery or would you have to pay for a veterinary visit out to the kennels? Are the kennels willing and able to administer any medication that your dog may require?).
Boarding kennels require that your dog’s booster vaccinations are kept up to date. Some kennels may also suggest that your dog receives a separate kennel cough vaccine before coming to stay.