When you get a puppy, making sure it gets the right start medically should be at the top of your list of things to do, right along with teaching it not chew shoes and to sit when asked. Martensville Animal Hospital offers wellness plans for every age of cat and dog. This week’s blog will look at the Head Start Puppy Wellness Package.
Physical Exams
- Your puppy will get periodic physical exams. How many will be determined by the age of the puppy when they are first enrolled.
- Most puppies should have an exam at adoption, then monthly for three or four months.
Vaccines and Dewormer
- Puppies can inherit worms from their mother or get them from their environment, and it is normal for all puppies to be dewormed.
- Health threats that puppies face, such as Parvo (parvo virus) and Distemper (distemper virus), are real and can have grave consequences, including death.
- It is imperative that your puppy gets their pet vaccinations (vaccines or ‘puppy shots’)
- all puppies need three or more vaccinations two to four weeks apart- no puppy under 4 months has all of their vaccines, even if that is what the breeder has told you
Microchip
- We implant a microchip in your dog so that they will be able to be identified and returned to you, should they get lost.
Spay or Neuter
- Having your dog spayed or neutered in a timely fashion is an important part of being a responsible dog owner.
- The health of your dog, as well as the health of the community of dogs, benefits from your dog being spayed or neutered.
- Discuss the best timing for your puppy’s surgery with your veterinary team- usually it will be around 6 months
Dental COHAT
- full mouth radiographs, a dental assessment and cleaning are done at the time of your puppy’s spay or neuter
- The more we learn about proper dental care in pets, the more we realize that early detection and correction can prevent a lot of problems
- we can detect and remove baby teeth that will not fall out on their own and can cause infection and difficulty chewing if left in their mouth
- identify problems like over crowding, extra teeth, impacted teeth and un-erupted teeth before they do permanent damage to other teeth or the jaw
Nutrition and Pet Food Counseling
- We offer nutritional counselling- our veterinary team takes extensive education in nutrition, ingredients, and pet food
- This is especially helpful for first-time dog owners, if your puppy has a sensitive stomach, or your dog’s breed is prone to medical issues that we can help prevent with certain nutrients.
Behaviour Education & Puppy Socialization
- We can help you with basics of getting your puppy to blend in with your family and be their best selves by having good behaviour.
- We offer puppy socialization classes on Wednesday nights.
Martensville knows you want to do what is best for your the new addition to your family, and we make it easy with wellness packages for all ages, and for both cats and dogs. Call today for an appointment.