Caring for a puppy is a big responsibility. In order to have the best chance at a safe, healthy and long life, proper medical care is needed from an early age for dogs. Preventing or catching possible medical issues in puppies is best done early, and many common problems--including serious ones, like the parvo virus--can be avoided altogether with a basic series of puppy vaccinations.
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Puppy Vet Visits
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When first adopting a puppy, the website Dog Basics recommends taking in your new pooch as soon as possible--ideally within 24 hours. If you get your puppy just after weaning, she will be approximately 6 to 8 weeks old.
On the first visit, the puppy will receive a thorough head-to-toe physical exam. She will be checked for congenital defects, major health problems and general health. Your new dog will be weighed and given her first vaccines, as well as deworming and anti-parasitic medication if necessary. Also consider testing for possible genetic disorders, as many of these can be determined with blood tests. You will need to return to the vet every few weeks for booster vaccines until your puppy is 4 months old.
Common Medical Issues
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Diarrhea is the most common problem in puppies, usually due to bacterial infections, inappropriate diet, intestinal disease and/or ingesting toxins, according to VetInfo.com. Vets at the same site warn if diarrhea is associated with vomiting and refusal to eat, it requires medical attention.
Vomiting is also common in terms of medical issues. Differentiating between vomiting, regurgitating and retching is important, according to VetInfo.com. Vomiting can occur for a variety of reasons and brings up food via stomach contractions. Regurgitating usually occurs when the puppy eats or drinks too fast (no stomach contractions), and retching (coughing and gagging) is most likely due to something stuck in the throat or intestines and may need attention.
Potentially Deadly Diseases
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While any condition can be serious if not treated, some are more likely than others to cause major problems--even death--if not caught early. Infectious tracheobronchitis, or ITB, is a term used to describe a contagious, possibly serious viral condition characterized by a high-pitched kennel cough often accompanied by sneezing and nasal inflammation.
Intestinal parasitic infections at birth or shortly after are common in puppies and can be deadly if not treated. These include roundworms, hookworms and heartworms. Parvo disease, unfortunately, is a fatal and contagious virus puppies are vulnerable to if they have not had the vaccination for it. It is spread through contaminated feces and symptoms include bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting.
Panosteitis
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Panosteitis is a painful inflammation of the bones in large dog breeds. If it is to occur, it will become evident between 5 and 12 months of age, and symptoms include difficulty walking or pain in the legs. Vets can prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce the pain, but it will eventually subside on its own.
Vaccinations
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Puppies can begin vaccinations after weaning (around 6 weeks old) to prevent a host of potentially deadly problems. She will need boosters of those vaccines every few weeks until 4 months old. The four most important vaccines for puppies are the parvovirus vaccine, canine distemper vaccine, rabies vaccine and canine hepatitis vaccine, according to VetInfo.com. All four diseases are deadly, and canine hepatitis can actually kill in a matter of hours.
There is a small chance your pooch may experience adverse reactions to the shots, so owners should ask the vet for possible danger signs to watch for at home. Vets also recommend keeping your dog away from any animals with unknown medical histories or those who have not been vaccinated until your puppy receives all of her own vaccines.
Spaying or Neutering
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The Humane Society of the United States recommends spaying or neutering your pet as early as possible; many vets perform this procedure as early as 8 weeks old. Spaying sterilizes females, while neutering sterilizes males. Only around half of all dogs and cats in animal shelters receive homes; the other half are euthanized, usually due to lack of space. Dogs will also benefit from life-long health advantages from sterilization, according to the Humane Society.
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