Congratulations on your new puppy! Thank you for choosing us to help protect and care for your new addition to your family.
Our puppy wellness program is designed to help get your puppy started on the right path to a long and healthy life. The first few months are a critical period in your puppy’s development, and we can give you the support and tools necessary to help him or her grow into a well-mannered, healthy dog, including information and advice on nutrition, training, behavior, and socialization.
Schedule your puppy for his or her first exam as soon as possible. Until your puppy has received a series of vaccines, he or she is susceptible to many serious but preventable diseases. We will make sure your new dog is protected against rabies, distemper, and parvovirus, among other diseases. Your puppy will also need to be tested and treated for parasites, which are extremely common in young dogs.
Most puppies have roundworms, which are intestinal worms that can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal signs (although dogs can have worms without showing any symptoms). It is important for puppies to be treated for roundworms, not only to rid them of the infection but also to prevent you and the rest of your family from becoming infected. Roundworms are a zoonotic parasite, which means they can be transmitted from pets to people. By ensuring that your puppy is properly treated, you can keep your entire family safe from these and other parasites.
We recommend starting your puppy on a heartworm prevention program between 8 and 20 weeks of age. We will help you decide the right prevention program for your pet.
Typical Vaccination Schedules for Puppies:
Puppies should receive a series of vaccines beginning at six to eight weeks of age and every three to four weeks until 16 to 20 weeks of age. After one year, annual vaccination is recommended.
- Rabies: All puppies should have a one year Rabies vaccination at approximately 16 weeks of age. All dogs Franklin County are required to be vaccinated against rabies and are required to wear their rabies tag. Most counties in Ohio have a rabies vaccination law. Please check with your county for more information.
- Distemper Combination: This combination vaccine protects against canine distemper, canine adenovirus-2 infection (hepatitis and respiratory disease), canine parvovirus infection, parainfluenza, and leptospirosis. The abbreviation for this vaccine is frequently written as “DA2PP-L”. Almost all researchers agree that for puppies, we need to give at least three combination vaccinations starting between 6-8 weeks of age and repeat these at 3-4 week intervals with the final vaccination administered no earlier than 16 weeks of age.
- Bordetella: Bordetella vaccine may be recommended for puppies whose lifestyle places them at greater risk of contracting the disease commonly referred to as “Kennel Cough”. Puppies that attend puppy classes, visit pet supply stores, are boarded or attend daycare or that regularly visit groomers or dog parks may be vaccinated. This vaccine can be given after 8 weeks of age. It is given as an intra-nasal vaccine and lasts for one year.
We look forward to meeting your new puppy! Schedule your appointment today.
