DoggedHealth

From the moment you bring your new puppy into your home, you are responsible for keeping her safe and healthy. Puppies, like babies, have unique needs and require special attention. In addition, the routines you develop today can help put your little one on the right track for a long and happy life.

You need to find a vet you are comfortable with to bring your puppy for her first exam and begin her vaccinations. You should keep the vet’s name and number on your refrigerator door as well as a 24 hour emergency number in case your puppy has an emergency in the middle of the night.

Puppies are more prone to certain diseases and conditions than adult dogs because their immune systems are not as fully developed. These diseases and conditions include puppy acne, roundworm, demodectic mange and upper respiratory infections. In addition, almost all new puppies have a bout or two of diarrhea. Diarrhea can be no more than a minor gastrointestinal upset, or it can be a symptom of a more serious problem requiring immediate care. If your puppy begins to have diarrhea that contains a lot of blood or mucous, if her stomach seems bloated or if she seems upset, lethargic, weak, in pain or if her gums are pale, she needs to go to the veterinarian immediately. If your puppy has diarrhea, but seems otherwise normal, you can try a homecare remedy to see if the diarrhea resolves itself. To treat diarrhea at home, first do not give your pup any food at all for about twelve hours, but allow her all the fresh water she wants to drink. It is important that your puppy drink because diarrhea can lead to dehydration. After 12 hours, you can begin feeding her a small portion of three parts plain boiled white rice and one part plain white meat boiled chicken breast. Feed her this plain diet in small quantities four times a day until her diarrhea resolves. If her diarrhea does not disappear after a day or two on this diet, take her to the vet.

Just as your puppy’s immune system is not fully developed, neither are her joints and bones. Thus, you need to be very careful not to stress your puppy’s joints and bones. This is particularly important for large or giant breed puppies. Giant breed puppies should not be overfed nor over-supplemented in the hopes of helping the pup to reach her maximum adult size as this leads to abnormally formed joints and bones and often lifelong lameness. In fact, many veterinarians will recommend that you do not feed your large-breed pup puppy food at all. These dogs tend to suffer from lifelong lameness. In addition, though it is important to give your puppy the opportunity to exercise, it is equally important not to overdo it as this can hurt growing bones and joints. In particular, do not encourage your puppy to jump on and off objects such as your bed.

Also, just like a human baby, be aware of your puppy’s limits. Be careful not too overstimulate her and remember that she cannot yet tolerate hot and cold as well as she will be able to when she is an adult dog. For example, if you give her bath or she otherwise gets wet, you should keep her warm and thoroughly dry her.

Make sure that you paying attention to your puppy’s grooming and dental hygiene. These are not purely cosmetic concerns, but help prevent many conditions and diseases and give you an opportunity to regularly inspect your pup for any emerging problems.

Your puppy’s natural curiosity can also lead her into trouble. Make sure you have safe place to keep your puppy such as a crate when you cannot watch her, and puppy-proof your house and yard to prevent her from ingesting or mouthing inappropriate objects.

• Don’t leave table food where your puppy can get to it
• Put household cleaners and garbage cans in a safe and unreachable place
• Keep electric cords out of reach
• By careful of any objects lying around from children’s toys and clothing to dentures, medications, feminine hygiene products
• Use only pet-friendly fertilizers and avoid poisonous plants.

In general, you should always be attentive to any signs that indicate your puppy isn’t feeling well. In addition to changes in her vital signs such as heart rate and breathing rate, some general things to look for include:

• increase or decrease in urination or defecation
• increase or decrease in appetite
• increase or decrease in energy
• swollen or bloated stomach
• vomiting or diarrhea
• discolored (pale or yellow) eyes or gums
• nasal or eye discharge
• tender or painful joints
• excessive panting
• whining
• weight loss
• genital discharge
• skin irritations

Finally, you should enroll your puppy in a basic obedience class. Learning to be responsive to you and curbing bad behaviors is an important first line of defense in keeping your puppy out of trouble.