Puppies and Dogs
There are many different breeds of dog and choosing the correct dog for your
situation should not be based on appearance alone. The dog’s personality,
temperament, exercise and grooming requirements all need to be taken into
account in your dog’s selection.
Vaccinations
Puppies need to have a course of vaccinations to protect them against the
serious viral diseases of dogs – this includes parvovirus, distemper and
hepatitis. The first vaccination is given at 6-8 weeks of age with a follow up
vaccination at 12 weeks of age, then annual boosters.
Parvovirus is a viral disease which can affect dogs of any age group but is more
serious in young pups. Death may occur without warning in very young pups as the
virus can attack the heart muscle. Older pups and dogs may show signs of severe
vomiting, bloody diarrhoea and abdominal pain as the virus affects the
intestinal tract and may cause death in a short period of time. The virus is
capable of surviving in the environment for very long periods of time and is
resistant to most household disinfectants. Distemper is a serious contagious
viral disease affecting dogs of all ages and can cause symptoms of fever,
coughing, nasal discharge, vomiting, diarrhoea and depression. Central nervous
symptoms may occur later on in the disease and may cause continued problems in
dogs which happen to survive. Survival rates are low and the treatment is
usually ineffective. Hepatitis is also very contagious and mainly affects dogs
less than two years of age. It can cause fever, abdominal pain and
gastrointestinal changes. Dogs which survive may develop long term liver and
kidney problems.
Until a puppy has had it’s initial course of vaccinations, it is
recommended that public areas be avoided to reduce the risk of infection,
especially with parvovirus.
Vaccinations against canine cough are also available and are recommended for any
dog which may come into contact with a large number of other dogs, for example
in kennels or obedience school. Following vaccination, some dogs may feel off
colour for a day or two and may have a slight swelling and tenderness around the
injection site. If you are concerned about your pet following vaccination –
please contact your Vet.
Worming
Puppies require regular worming to remove intestinal parasites. Roundworm and
hookworm can cause severe illness in young pups and these parasites can also
potentially affect humans. Pups need to be wormed every two weeks up until three
months of age, then once a month until six months of age. After this, continue
worming every three months. After 3 months of age, it is recommended that an
all-wormer such as Drontal be used for worming as this will remove roundworm,
hookworm, whipworm and tapeworm (including hydatid which can also cause disease
in humans). Ensure that your dog is dosed according to its weight.
Other Parasites
Heartworm is a parasite which will not be prevented by routine treatment for
intestinal worms. It is transmitted by mosquitoes and is capable of causing
illness and death in infected dogs. Although there is only a low risk of
heartworm in the Ballarat area, this risk increases once outside Ballarat and
heartworm prevention is recommended for any dog that may be travelling. Young
pups may be started on heartworm prevention from eight weeks of age. For any dog
over the age of six months, a heartworm test is recommended prior to starting
heartworm prevention. There are several options for heartworm prevention
available including monthly tablets and yearly injections – contact the Vet for
further information.
Dogs and puppies may be infected with fleas, which can cause skin irritation
and, in large numbers also cause blood loss anaemia. You not only need to treat
the adult fleas which are visible but also the flea larvae and eggs. There are a
large range of products available from your Vet to treat fleas on dogs which are
easy to use and safe for both your pet and the family. Ensure that the label
instructions are read and, in the case of young puppies, that the product used
is suitable for the age of your pup. If you live in an area where ticks are a
problem, then your dog should be checked daily and if you find a tick you should
contact the Vet immediately.
Dogs, and especially puppies, may also be infested with ear mites. These
parasites cause irritation in and around the ears, and are often associated with
a black discharge in the ear canal. If you suspect ear mites in your pets,
please contact your Vet.
Desexing
It is recommended that any dog not intended for breeding be desexed at 3-6
months of age. As well as preventing unwanted pregnancies, desexing can also
benefit the health of your dog. Spaying in female dogs reduces the risk of
mammary cancer and infections in the uterus. Desexed males have a reduced risk
of prostatic disease, and are less likely to wander and mark their territory.
Feeding
Up until three weeks of age, a puppy satisfies all its nutritional requirements
from its mother’s milk. After this time, puppies start to be weaned onto solid
foods. These need to be highly palatable, easy to eat and contain a high
concentration of vitamins and minerals in a balanced formulation.
How often you feed your puppy depends on age, breed and individual
characteristics but in general, until they are about four months old, your puppy
will need to be fed three times a day. You can then reduce the feeding to two
times a day and at six months of age you can then reduce it to one to two feeds
a day depending on the individual characteristics of your dog.
Allow your puppy 10-15 minutes to eat at each meal. After this time remove any
uneaten food and serve fresh food at the next meal. Your pup should always have
its own feed and water bowl and these should be cleaned daily. Always ensure
fresh clean water is available.
Puppies may develop stomach upsets with sudden changes in diet. To help reduce
this, gradually change to a new diet over several days to give the puppy time to
adapt. If diarrhoea develops and persists for longer than 24 hours or if it is
severe or accompanied by other symptoms, consult the Vet for advice.
Training
House training can be started as soon as your puppy arrives home. Choose a
suitable place in the garden which is away from the general traffic area. Take
your puppy to this area after waking, after eating, any time it circles, whines
or stands anxiously near the door and every couple of hours. Accidents will
occur initially – do not punish your puppy if this happens as it will not
understand. If your puppy does make a mistake inside, take it immediately
outside to its toileting area and offer praise when it does it correctly.
Dogs are social animals and need firm discipline in order to feel secure and
understand their place in the ‘family pack’. When learning to respond to sit,
drop, stay, heel and come, you must reinforce the fact that you are the leader
and are to be obeyed. A dog’s aim is to please its owner, so a positive attitude
to training is best. Keep training sessions short and always end them on a happy
note.
We have puppy pre-school classes to help you with early training and
socialisation. These are suitable for puppies from 8 weeks to 16 weeks of age
and both you and your puppy can learn a lot from these classes. Adult obedience
classes are available for dogs over 4 months of age.
Identification
All dogs should be identified with a collar and tag with the pet’s name and your
phone number to assist in reuniting lost dogs with their owners. For permanent
identification, a microchip can be implanted under the skin by your Vet. All new
council registrations must be microchipped from 1st May 2007. If your dog is
lost – contact the local RSPCA and vets.