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New Puppy
Old Stoneywood Church • Bankhead Road • Bucksburn • Aberdeen • AB21 9HQ • Tel: 01224 716848
There is a lot of variation in the diseases which different breeds are susceptible to and many breeds have programmes in place to reduce the incidence of particular conditions. Examples of genetic diseases are hip dysplasia in Labradors, eye problems in collies, heart problems in Cavalier Spaniels and skin disease in West Highland Terriers.
Once you have decided on a particular breed the internet is a good source of information or you can give us a call or email and we can advise if there are any conditions to be aware of.
When screening tests have been performed on the parents, for example hip x-rays, the breeder should be able to show you a certificate and ideally you should get a photocopy of this. Highland Terriers, but the list is almost endless.
Ideally you should visit the breeder before purchase so you can see the puppy and get an idea of the temperament of the mother and satisfy yourself about the conditions that the puppy has been raised in.Ask the breeder for information on whether the puppy has received any vaccinations, worm treatments or flea products.
Most pups are not vaccinated until they are 8 weeks old and flea treatments are usually only used if fleas are seen, but all pups should have been wormed , usually twice at around 2 and 5 weeks. Try and get dates of treatment and the name of any products used.
Usually pups arrive at their new home at around 7 weeks of age and this is a big upheaval for a young dog as the bonds with its mother and littermates are abruptly broken and it has to adapt to a new environment and new rules. A lot of pups will settle in relatively easily but a significant proportion will find it more difficult and show stress behaviours such as crying at night and destructive behaviour when left alone. A good way to try and help is a DAP collar which is impregnated with a pheromone that mimics the scent that a bitch secretes to reassure her puppies.
A blanket can be left with the litter before you take your puppy home. When you collect your puppy his/her blanket will smell of the litter and help to comfort him/her once you arrive home. This should help your new puppy to settle and feel more secure in his/her new environment.
Once you have your new puppy, then the next thing is to bring it in for a thorough check over by the vet. If it is 8 weeks or older, this can be done along with the first vaccination or alternatively if it is not due a vaccination you can book it in for a free health check.
The normal puppy vaccination course consists of 2 injections , 2 weeks apart, and covers them for five diseases – distemper, leptospirosis, parvovirus, parainfluenza and hepatitis. Full immunity is not gained until 2 weeks after the second injection so until this time they should be kept isolated from dogs of unknown vaccination status and places where they go to the toilet.
The first injection can be given from 8 weeks of age.
Other vaccines to consider are kennel cough if the pup is going to be going into kennels during the year and rabies if there are any plans to go abroad.Some clients prefer a more individualistic approach to vaccination based on risk assessment and we are very happy to discuss this further.
After the initial vaccination course we normally check puppies once a month to monitor things like weight , teeth, diet and discuss any problems that may be arising.
Normally we worm puppies every 2 weeks until they are 12 weeks old, then every month until they are 6 months old, and then they go onto their adult regime which is usually a treatment every 3 months.
The most important two are fleas and ticks but lice and mange mites can also be a problem. The majority of puppies don’t need anything initially but if there are any doubts we would usually give them a treatment at their first appointment. Longer term some people prefer to treat once a month as a preventative, whereas others prefer to treat only when necessary.
This is optional but the majority of our puppies are done, often at their second vaccination or first puppy check. The microchip is implanted under the skin in between the shoulder blades just like a normal injection. The chip will then remain there for the rest of the pet’s life. The microchip holds a unique fourteen digit number which is registered with all your contact details and held on a national computer database. The microchip’s details can be kept up to date if you move house or change your contact details.
This is optional - once we have done the initial health check we can issue 6 weeks free insurance which is active immediately and can be useful cover while a longer term policy is sorted out.
This obviously varies depending on what is needed but as a rough guide the full primary vaccination course , microchip, and all worm treatments and monthly puppy checks up to 6 months old will cost around £70-£80.