Puppy Wellness Program

Our puppy wellness program is designed to offer all of the benefits of veterinary care available for your puppy from the age of 6 to 16 weeks. The program includes a series of examinations, vaccinations, dewormings, and nutritional counselling. At each visit, we perform a complete medical exam to detect any developmental or congenital abnormalities. We also look for parasites, such as fleas or lice, and we evaluate your puppy’s body condition to make sure he/she is growing well.

The vaccinations begin at 6-8 weeks of age and are completed after a series of three vaccines given at 3-4 week intervals. The first vaccine includes protection against distemper, adenovirus, parainfluenza and parvovirus. A booster is needed 3-4 weeks after the initial vaccine, in order to boost the antibodies to these viruses. Also, at this time, vaccines for leptospirosis, bordetella (kennel cough) and/or Lyme disease are given if indicated. Another booster is needed 3-4 weeks later and the rabies vaccine is given at that time. Vaccinations against distemper, adenovirus, parainfluenza, parvovirus, leptospirosis and rabies constitute the core vaccines for all dogs. The bordetella vaccine is recommended if your puppy will be going to a kennel or obedience/training classes. Vaccinating for Lyme disease is indicated if you live in a tick-infested area if your yard is surrounded by tall grass, if you will take your dog hiking or camping, or if you have previously seen a tick on your animals or on yourself.

Our deworming protocol follows the Companion Animal Parasite Council guidelines, which recommends deworming at 2 weeks of age every 2 weeks until 3 months of age, then deworming monthly until 6 months of age. All puppies need to be dewormed. The most common intestinal worm found in puppies is roundworms. Roundworms can cause gastrointestinal signs, such as vomiting and/or diarrhea. Your puppy should also have his/her stool tested for worms and other parasites. Although some worms are visible to the naked eye, most worm burdens are diagnosed by examining the stool of your puppy microscopically to look for worm eggs. There are other parasites that can cause similar symptoms and can even cause your puppy to become anemic (low red blood cell count). Performing a fecal test will allow us to treat your puppy accordingly. We recommend that you bring in a fresh stool sample at your pet’s first visit and annually thereafter.

Good nutrition is essential for your puppy’s growth. Puppy foods are not all created equal as far as quality. It is impossible to judge the quality or compare one food to another by relying only on the list of ingredients. At your appointment, we will help you choose an appropriate diet and answer any questions you may have about available pet food for your puppy.