Getting a new puppy is exciting and nerve-racking all at the same time. You’ve been planning for weeks, months, and even years and now it’s finally time to bring home your new family member and best friend!
First up on your list of things to do should always be to bring your new pup to your preferred veterinarian for a wellness checkup. Even if their next vaccine booster is not due yet, and no matter what their background is (from a shelter, pet adoption/rescue group, or straight from the breeder), it is important to make sure that your pup is given a clean bill of health by your trusted and licensed veterinarian.
This is an excellent time to have all your questions answered, start a deworming schedule, apply flea prevention medications, and plan out your puppy’s next few vaccination visits. Often, reputable breeders will include a veterinary examination, usually within three days, on their contracts and should always be taken advantage of.
Not only are you making sure your puppy is well, you are also building a Client-Patient-Veterinarian relationship. Having your vet get to know your puppy well is the first step in making sure your pet receives the best healthcare possible. When your veterinarian knows what is normal behaviour for your dog, this helps them identify abnormal signs which could indicate illness. These wellness visits will continue throughout your dog’s life, in much the same way as many humans go in for annual checkups, even if they are feeling fine.
Lucy's 1st Visit
Meet Lucy! She is an 8 week old Rottweiler puppy who just became apart of our staff member Janessa’s family! Follow her on her very 1st puppy appointment with her new mom.
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The first step of every puppy visit is attention and cuddles from the staff! It’s important that your puppy finds his or her experience at the clinic to be a PAW-sitive one! Not only does this make future visits as an adult a lot easier and reduces anxiety for your dog, it also is key for socialization and behavior training.
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Next, it’s time to pop on the scale! An accurate weight is just as important as the rest of the physical exam as this lets your veterinarian keep track of your puppy’s growth. We also require an accurate weight to calculate any prescriptions needed such as dewormer, flea and tick medications, etc.
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Your puppy will get a thorough health examination at every vaccination visit. It is important to make sure your puppy is nice and healthy prior to vaccination. Here Lucy is getting her teeth checked.
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Here Lucy is getting her heart listened to. The vet is checking not only the rate at which it beats, but also to make sure there are no murmurs. -
Here the vet is checking Lucy’s ear for abnormal discharge, odour, or polyps. Squeaky clean! -
We will make sure our puppies get put on a deworming schedule at their first visit. Lucy’s breeder made sure she got her first dose of dewormer at 6 weeks of age, now it’s up to her new mom to make sure she gets a dose every 2 weeks until Lucy is 16 weeks of age. This will ensure any internal parasites commonly found in puppies are taken care of, it also tastes good so it is easily given orally by the owners at home!
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Lastly, you may choose to have your puppy microchipped in case they run off or get lost. Microchipping is the most effective way of getting your furry family members back home. Lucy received her microchip at this visit and she was very brave! Click the link to read more on the importance of microchipping. https://mildmayvet.com/2017/08/15/check-the-chip/
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Lucy just passed her first vet visit with flying colours! We finished off with a complimentary nail trim (our puppy clients can additionally recieve one complimentary nail trim per month for the 1st year of life), and lots of treats and cuddles! We can’t wait to watch Lucy grow up into a beautiful and well mannered dog!
Only after receiving a clean bill of health will your puppy be able to be vaccinated. It is not ideal to introduce a vaccination into the body if there is an illness or infection as your puppy’s immune system is already working over-time! Lucy here was healthy but her next round of vaccines were not due just yet. Mom can have ease of mind now knowing her new fur baby is healthy and well. You can click the link here to read more about our Puppy Wellness Visits: https://mildmayvet.com/services/puppy-wellness/