New Puppy Health Tips: Here are 5 things every owner of an adorable new puppy should know 🐶

These tips will ensure your puppy is happy and healthy.

Getting a new puppy can feel daunting at first.

If you’re about to welcome a new puppy into your home it’s likely you’re feeling a little apprehensive - it’s a big commitment and we always want to the do the best for our beloved pets.

Welcoming a new addition to the home can be an exciting time, especially when it comes to prepping your puppy’s space, buying the cosiest bed, or picking the best toys. However, it’s important to also consider your new puppy’s healthcare essentials.

To help out Sarah Page-Jones, Lead Consultant Veterinary Surgeon at Pet Drugs Online, has shared her advice on how you can prepare fully for the arrival of a new puppy.

Here’s what she had to say.

 

Parasite Prevention

Puppies are susceptible to parasites from birth, both from their environment and even their mothers. Without proper treatments, these parasites can spread like wildfire, infesting your home, other pets, and local areas, putting other pets at risk and sometimes affecting family members.

It’s important to protect your puppy against fleas, ticks and other parasites with treatments such as spot-ons, sprays, tablets or collars. Be sure to check product information for age and weight restrictions and ask your vet about choosing the best product for your puppy.

In the first 12 weeks, your puppy should be wormed every two weeks, and then once per month until they are six months old. After that you should be worming them at least once every three months. Some young dogs need worming more regularly so check with your vet to plan the best regime for you, your puppy and your family. They will also be able to advise on the best flea treatment and how regular this needs to be.

Picking the Perfect Diet

With the amount of variety on the market, finding the perfect pet food can be a struggle.

The nutritional needs of dogs alter as they age, so the first step for finding a food is ensuring the recipe is age appropriate. Next, make sure the food is high in protein and packed full of the essential nutrients a puppy needs. Whether you are planning to feed a wet, dry, or mixed diet, ensure the food is appropriate for your puppy’s size and is easy to chew and swallow to avoid unnecessary risks of choking or teeth and jaw damage.

Your puppy’s breed should also be considered as it will affect things like their energy levels, rate of growth, and where they may need more support such as with their digestive health or to prevent common breed related health problems in the future.

Routine Grooming

There is more to grooming than just how your dog looks. All dogs, regardless of age, need routine maintenance to ensure the health of their teeth, eyes, ears, nails, and coat.

Introducing your puppy to routine grooming early not only provides continued care, but it allows you to check your puppy over, assess their body condition and notice anything out of the ordinary as early as possible to report to your vet. Plus, introducing your puppy to a toothbrush, nail clippers and brush early on allows them to acclimatise to the feel of being groomed, makings things far easier down the road.

Start by just touching the areas you will be grooming with your fingers. Once your puppy is accepting of having their teeth, gums, and feet touched, it will be much easier for them to accept the feel of toothbrushes and clippers. Make sure to reward their good behaviour with treats and praise so they will associate grooming with positive things.

Vet Visits

Aim to take your puppy to meet your vet as soon as possible after bringing them home for a thorough health check. This not only gives you peace of mind that your dog’s in perfect shape but also allows them the chance to associate the vets as a positive experience as early as possible.

On the first visit, your veterinarian will need information like: vaccination records, records of weight gain (if attainable), history of worming treatment, microchip details, veterinary records, the food your puppy is eating, and any other records of treatment they may have had. The more you give them, the better they can understand your puppy and their needs.

Time and Patience

There is no argument that raising your dog from an excitable puppy to a healthy, well-adjusted adult is a rewarding experience, but that does not mean it should be taken lightly. They need time and patience to adjust to new things, learn good behaviours, and find their place in your family. It takes time, training, socialisation and continued support from you as their owner to help them do all these things.

As your puppy grows and adapts to life in your world, you need to do the same for them. Make the space, make the time, and remember that every puppy is different. If you dedicate the time to them when they are young, you can watch with pride as your puppy lives the healthy and - most importantly - happy life they deserve.