Dogs

At Abbey Veterinary Centre, we feel that one of the most important things we do is to promote preventative care. This begins during your puppy's very first visit.

In fact, in an ideal situation we would like to talk to you before you get your puppy to help you choose a breed which fits your lifestyle. Since this rarely happens in "real life", we feel our guidance can be a crucial part of your puppy's first few months, while he or she is rapidly becoming a cherished part of your family. In most cases, you will be visiting us several times during your puppy's first few months so we would like you to feel comfortable asking questions - just remember, that's why we're here! You'll soon learn there is a lot for us to talk about during your puppy visits.

Settling in

Your home will seem very strange to your new puppy, so give him time to get to know his new surroundings. Remember that although puppies love to play they need a quiet place to retreat to and to sleep.

Food
Water and food bowls
A bed
A puppy playpen
Collar and lead
A brush and comb
Toys

House Rules

Your puppy must know what is and isn't acceptable behaviour. Teach him what he should do rather than simply scolding him when he gets it wrong. If you tell him off, he wont understand why. Its better to make a big fuss of him when he gets it right.

Simple house rules:

No begging at the table or food sharing
No barking at or leaping at people
only special dog chews are for chewing

be consistent. the whole family must follow the rules or the puppy will become confused.

Bedtime

Every puppy needs a bed, but as it's likely to be chewed, don't invest in an expensive bed until he's passed this stage of his development. He'll be just as happy with a small cardboard box lined with a pad of newspaper and a cosy old sweater or piece of blanket.

If you have children, teach them to respect the puppy's bed as a place where he can rest undisturbed.

Socialisation

A well socialised puppy will be able to cope with all of the situations he's likely to encounter in later life, rather than growing up shy or fearful. During the early weeks and months, introduce your puppy to a variety of sights, sounds, people and experiences. Let him meet adults and children, the postman, the milkman and any visitors, approaching them in his own time. Never force the issue if he's not confident.

If you have friends with dogs which have been vaccinated and are good with puppies, let him meet them to help him to build up his canine social skills. Don't take your dog out on to pavements, parks or gardens, which may have been soiled by other animals, until he has completed his initial course of vaccinations.

Meeting other pets

When your puppy has settled in. introduce him to other pets in the house. Keep him on a lead, and never leave them alone together until you're sure that they've accepted each other.

Don't leave your puppy alone with small pets such as rabbits, gerbils and hamsters as he may see them as 'prey' to chase.

Feeding your puppy

Wait until your puppy has settled in before making any changes to his diet, to reduce the risk of stomach upsets. After a few days you can introduce a new food, gradually mixing an increasing proportion of it into the puppy's food over about a week. Initially he'll need 3 or 4 small meals per day of a good quality complete puppy food. Follow the guidelines on the packaging or ask Abbey Vets for advice if you're uncertain. This can then be reduced to fewer meals a day as he gets older. By the time he is about 10-12 months old - unless he's a giant breed, which have special requirements – he should be able to move on to an adult diet. Dog foods are broadly divided into two kinds – dry and moist such as cans and pouches. Provided that you get the correct food for his age, the choice of the food for your puppy is down to you and your pet.

Chewing

If you catch your puppy about to chew something he shouldn't, distract him with a toy, or call him. Always praise him when he obeys.

Although puppies love chewing bones this is not a good idea as it can lead to cut mouths and broken teeth. Fragments of bone can also be swallowed and may cause damage inside him. Give him a nutritious manufactured chew instead.

Remember to wash and rinse your puppies water and food bowls daily.

Basic training

You should begin your puppy's training as soon as you bring him home. When he is older, enrol in a puppy training class to learn how to teach him simple commands. Ask your Abbey Vets for details of local training classes and always ask if you can observe a class before enrolling. When training your puppy at home make sure that everyone in the family uses the same commands. Keep training sessions for young puppies short and fun.

House training

Establish a routine. Take him to a particular spot in the garden immediately when he wakes up, after playing, following a meal or drink and first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Wait with him until he has done what's required and then praise him.

If accidents occur, don't shout at him. Clean up at once with water and biological washing powder to remove the smell so that he doesn't return there. If you see signs that your puppy wants to relieve himself (e.g sniffing the floor in a circle) take him to his 'outside spot' immediately.

Exercise and play

Young puppies generally get all the exercise they need by racing around the garden and playing, but once your puppy is fully vaccinated you can take him for short walks away from home. This will help to familiarise him with different environments. The age at which ‘real' exercise should begin varies from breed to breed, as does the amount. Abbey Vets will be able to advise you. Make exercise fun by taking along a ball or a Kong toy, so that you can play games. Avoid small balls which he could swallow, or sticks which could lodge in his throat and injure him.

Play time

Your puppy doesn't need expensive toys but make sure that anything you do give him to play with is safe. If any toys become worn or damaged, replace them. Don't give him an old slipper to play with or he'll think that all shoes and slippers are fair game. Puppies' minds need exercise as well as their bodies, so play games that make him think. He'll enjoy Hide and Seek, and "retrieve" games.

Grooming

Establish a grooming routine as soon as you bring your puppy home. Not only will it give you the opportunity to remove dead hairs from his coat, grooming also reinforces the bond between you. Grooming sessions also give you the chance to check for fleas and ticks, and to examine your puppy's coat, paws, eyes, ears and mouth for anything that might require a trip to Abbey Vets. Make grooming sessions short at first as puppies will soon become bored. The amount of time you will need to spend on grooming depends on his type of coat and how dirty he gets while he is being exercised. For bathing your puppy, use only a puppy shampoo as our shampoo can irritate their skin.

Dental care

Your puppy needs your help to keep his teeth in good condition. Puppies' baby teeth (deciduous teeth) appear at around 4-6 weeks of age, and are replaced by the adult teeth by 6–7 months. If any deciduous teeth don't fall out naturally, Abbey Vets will need to extract them to prevent the adult teeth from coming through crooked. If your dog needs a dental procedure he will need a general anaesthetic. His teeth will be scaled and polished, and any problem teeth will be removed. Don't be concerned that he won't be able to eat if teeth are extracted - dogs' gums are very hard and he will still be able to munch dry food without problems. If your dog is having difficulty eating, has smelly breath, appears to be chewing on one side of his mouth, or paws at his mouth, he could have a dental problem, so make an appointment to see one of our Vets as soon as possible.

Vaccinations

Vaccination protects your puppy from a number of serious and highly infectious diseases. It works by priming his immune system so that if he comes into contact with the disease later, his body is better able to ‘fight back'. All puppies and dogs should be vaccinated against:

Canine Parvovirus
Canine Distemper virus
Infectious Canine Hepatitis (ICH)
Canine Leptospirosis
and Parainfluenza virus.

These vaccinations are given at approximately 8 weeks with a follow-up injection around 2 weeks later. Your puppy will be protected a week after second vaccination. After this he'll need annual booster vaccinations, to maintain his protection. Annual vaccinations also provide an opportunity for Abbey Vets to give your pet a thorough health check to spot any possible problems early on.

Other Vaccinations

Your vet may also advice vaccinating your puppy against:

kennel cough - your puppy will need this vaccination 1-2 weeks before going into boarding kennels, to a show, or anywhere else he could mingle with other dogs.
Rabies - if he needs to travel abroad.

Fleas and other external parasites

Most puppies pick up fleas at some time. Abbey Vets can advise you on products to treat your pet and your home (to kill eggs and larvae in the puppy's bedding, the carpets, and soft furnishings). Fleas cause discomfort, and may also spread disease and cause allergies. Severe infestation can also cause anaemia, particularly in very young puppies. Many people choose to apply regular anti-flea treatment to their dogs (e.g. every 2 months), to prevent fleas rather than waiting until there is an unpleasant flea problem to tackle in their homes.

Other external Parasites

If untreated, external parasites can lead to skin infections, and scabies mites can be passed to humans. So if you see creepy crawlies, or if your puppy is itchy, seek veterinary advice.

Lice - pale brown and resemble fleas but are much smaller. They cause itching and irritation.
Mites - can cause intense irritation and itching but are often invisible to the naked eye. Examination of a sample with a microscope maybe needed for diagnosis.
Mange Mites - burrow into the skin
Cheyletilla Mites - don't burrow into the skin
Ear mites - cause irritation and the production of dark brown wax with an unpleasant smell if the ear becomes infected.
Harvest mites - small orange mites which tend to attach themselves in the folds of the ear or between the toes. Seen in late summer. Cause some irritation.
Ticks - round and can swell to the size of a pea. Never try to remove a tick without being shown how to do this first - ask your vet for advice.

Finding fleas

Stand your puppy on a piece of white paper and comb his fur with a fine comb. Dab any dark specs falling on to the paper with a dampened tissue - if they turn a reddish brown colour, they are flea droppings, which contain dried blood.

Worms and worming

Any dog can pick up worms, and puppies may even be born with them or pick them up from their mother's milk. Puppies should be regularly wormed and our vets and nurses will be able to discuss a programme for treatment and prevention. A heavy infestation of worms can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, weight loss, constipation and a dull coat. Some worms can be passed to humans, especially young children. The main types of worms are:

Roundworms - they look like tiny strands of fine spaghetti and are the most common type of worm. They may be seen in the faeces of infected animals.
Tapeworms - these are made up of segments which form long chains up to half a metre long. The segments look like grains of rice. Tapeworm segments may be spotted around the dog's bottom.
Lungworms (Angiostrongylus vasorum) - can be picked if your dog catches and eats small prey such as slugs, snails or amphibians. Some dogs are symptomless; others may be lethargic, fits, blood clotting problems and have a dry cough.

Neutering

If you don't plan to breed from your dog, having him or her neutered is the responsible thing to do. As well as preventing unwanted litters, neutering reduces the risk of a number of health problems, removes the dog's sexual urges and can also resolve or prevent some behaviour problems. Puppies are generally neutered between 6 and 9 months old. The procedure in male puppies is called castration and involves removing the testicles, which produce sperm and the male hormone, testosterone. It is a straightforward operation performed under general anaesthetic. The operation for female dogs is called spaying or "ovariohysterectomy". During the operation, the vet makes an incision into the dog's abdomen and removes the ovaries and the uterus (womb). Spaying is a longer operation than castration and the puppy or dog will need a couple of days' rest. She may need to wear an ‘Elizabethan collar' to prevent her from licking her wound excessively.

Microchipping

Your puppy needs to have a means of identification in case he becomes lost - it's the law. Get him used to wearing a collar with an engraved identification tag on it and also think about having him microchipped. Microchipping is an efficient and irreversible means of identification and your vet will be able to carry this out for you. The cost of this procedure is around £15 and this can be performed by a nurse or vet. A tiny microchip -the size of a grain of rice- is injected under the skin at the back of the neck in a simple procedure. Each chip has a unique number which is stored on a central computer database. If your dog is found, his chip can be quickly read with a hand held scanner and the number checked against the database. Microchipping is an important part of the Pets Passport scheme, which can allow you to take your pet abroad.

Dogs and the law

As dog owners you have a responsibility to see that you and your pet keep on the right side of the law.

Your dog must always wear a collar bearing a tag with your name and address on it.
You must keep him on a lead and under control at all times when you are around livestock. If your dog worries farm animals you may be prosecuted and your dog could be destroyed.
You can be held liable if your dog causes an accident. It is the responsibility of a car driver who hits a dog to stop and report the accident to the police.
Most local authorities have bylaws banning dogs from fouling certain areas. You could be prosecuted if your dog messes in a public place so always take a plastic bag or a poop scoop with you when walking your pet.
If your dog is dangerously out of control in a public place you could be prosecuted.
Anyone found mistreating a dog and causing suffering to the animal can be prosecuted and if convicted may be fined or jailed. They can also be disqualified from keeping an animal for a period of time.

Pet insurance

It's a good idea to take out pet insurance so that you won't need to worry about vet's bills if your puppy has an accident or becomes ill. In return for small monthly or annual payments the insurance company will pay for most of your veterinary fees - including the cost of operations, medicines, laboratory tests and x-rays. Routine procedures like vaccination, teeth cleaning and neutering are not covered by insurance, nor are preventive measures such as worming or flea treatments. Shop around before deciding on a policy because policies vary and different levels of cover are available. More expensive policies generally provide increased cover and some cover a wider variety of treatments such as homoeopathy and acupuncture. Check on the exclusion clauses before buying an insurance policy. You will find that conditions (and possibly related conditions) which existed before taking out the policy will not be covered. You may also find that some policies will cover a condition for only 12 months, while others continue paying year after year up to a maximum amount in any year. Ensure you understand these policy details before taking the policy out. Most insurance policies include third party insurance in case your dog injures someone or causes an accident.