Does anyone know the initial steps in taking care of a puppy?
I just got a puppy two days ago. He is a Husky/Collie, and LOOKED very healthy. But I have noticed that his stomach is bloated and he is full of tapeworms. He looks to be about 10 weeks old, and he has not received any shots or anything. I need to know how much it should cost to nurse him back to health. Does anyone know how much his puppy shots are going to be? I also need to know how much it costs to get rid of the worms. Is it a pill that I have to give him, or is he going to have to stay at the vet’s office? He runs around and plays, and the worms don’t seem to hurt him. But I know this is something that needs to be taken care of now, he isn’t getting his nutrients. Please help. Any sites you know of with puppy care info, or anything you know would definitely help. I haven’t had a puppy since I was a little kid, and I need to know what to do. Thanks!
Another thing, if Mojo, my puppy, has tapeworms, is there a chance that he has fleas on him still carrying the tapeworm eggs? And if he does still have those fleas, can my boyfriend or I get tapeworms? What about the other puppy that Mojo socializes with?
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Tagged with: Back Health • collie • fleas • health • Husky • Initial Steps • little kid • mojo • nurse • nutrients • Plays • Puppy Care • puppy shots • stomach • Taking Care Of A Puppy • tapeworm eggs • tapeworms • vet • worms
Filed under: Puppy Care
Take the puppy to the vet. He needs to be dewormed, which is usually a two time dose of med. I really can’t estimate how much the visit will be, however, he will need a series of shots, that is not a one time deal. (the wormining medication will most likely be administered in the office the firt time and you will give them the second dose at home about 2 weeks later.) Call local vets for pricing, you can compare. But honestly having dealt with many vets, you should get recommendations from friends like you would if you were picking a doctor for yourself. Not every vet will have the same mannerisms and way with animals. If all else fails check a local animal control center, they may have programs for people who want to keep pets but have $ issues. Our local animal shelter provides food. Maybe that would subsidize cost while you pay for vet bills. good luck!
Just treat it like a baby. Do NEVER feed it with anything sweet, fat or with salt. Biscuit, chips or chocolate are real poisons to dogs. Veterynary packed dog food is the best. But you can make it get used to lean meat with vegetables, rice and pasta. Avoid pork and NEVER add salt to the food. Dogs food could ne raw, but cooking kills microbs. Cooking is restricted to boilling or grilling, No seasoning.
The second best thing for good health after the food, and just like for any leaving creature, like humans, is exercise. Make it run everyday for about one hour and you will have a friend that will live longer, healthier and happier. This, along with good feeding, will make you save on high expenses with veterinaries, treatments and medicines.
Apart from this important care there are other things to do. You must take it to the veterinary for vaccination and irradication of parasites as early as two months old and than twice a year for continued vaccinations. Parasites must be taken care of since the earliest age. Get all advice and a prescription right on the first time you take it to the veterinary. This must go on during all the life of a dog. It also avoids sometimes terrible illnesses. Do not take the dog to an ignorant veterinary, not a very commercial one, but only to a known doctor. A honest veterinary does not tell you to bring the dog to kill the parasites, for instance. There are medicines that he must recomend you to use in order to kill inside and outside parasites. If your dog is healphy you will have to take it to the veterinary only for vaccination twice a year. Do not skeep the scheduled times.
A dog must be taken out often for its physiologic needs. It needs to empty its blader. If it does not, kidney ilnesses may come up. Remember, a dog does not empty its blader all at the first pee, when adult. It has to pee a lot of times. There are ways to make it become a clean animal and not pee all around the house, but the first thing, of course, is giving it the opportunity of doing it outside.
If you want it to become an inteligent dog, talk to it all the time. They do not understand human languages or the meaning of the words, but they do understand their sound. By listeneing they learn what we express. Often give a reward to show and make understand that it did well and you are galad with it. If you never talk to it, it will become what people say, a stupid dog. After all, is it not from the behaviour of children and dogs that we know their owners (or parents) minds? (Adolescents are not children, remember.) In any case, dogs must not be left alone for long periods of time, mostly before becoming adults.
Some races are allways very excited and are impossible to go out in town without a leach, but even so you can teach a dog to walk right on your side.
For veterinary advice, apart from a real veterinary, you can have a look at some sites like http://www.veterinarypartner.com/
Good luck and enjoy a unique friend for life on whom you can always count and trust. You cannot say this about almost any human.
i think it’s a pill to get rid of the worms. it’s probably 10 bucks. the puppy shots are probably 20. good luck with your new dog.
Tapeworms are not harmful to your dog. They may cause debilitation and weight loss when they occur in large numbers. Sometimes, the dog will scoot or drag its anus across the ground or carpet because the segments are irritating to the skin in this area. The adult worm is generally not seen, but the white segments which break away from the tapeworm and pass outside the body rarely fail to get attention.
Occasionally, a tapeworm will release its attachment in the intestines and move into the stomach. This irritates the stomach, causing the dog to vomit the worm. When this happens, a worm several inches in length will be seen.
Treatment is simple and, fortunately, very effective. A drug which kills tapeworms is given, either in tablets or by injection. It causes the tapeworm to dissolve within the intestines. Since the worm is usually digested before it passes, it is not visible in your dog’s stool. These drugs will not cause vomiting, diarrhea, or any other things.
Control of fleas is very important in the management and prevention of tapeworm infection. Flea control involves treatment of your dog, the indoor environment and the outdoor environment where the dog resides.
GOOD LUCK!!!
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As you have said, it is necessary to rid the puppy of the parasites. Taking a puppy to the vet for deworming is the best choice. It is done at the vet’s office and doesn’t require the puppy to stay. He should have his puppy shots at the same time, which is equally important for his health.
There are many email lists at YahooGroups devoted to puppy care and I suggest that you join a few as they are very valuable for a new puppy owner.
Meanwhile, take the puppy to the vet and get him a good start in making sure he is healthy. He will bring you years of friendship and joy.
Your puppy needs to see a vet! As far as the cost,- all vets charge differently. You can call the vets in your area and get quotes. No, he won’t need to stay at the vets, unless they feel he needs to stay. But, usually with worms, they will give him some pills. Purina has a good site.
Worms are very common in puppies, they get them from mom when they nurse. I live in Canada and this is the prices I will give. Check up and first shots are around $70 at this time they will give a pill or shot and tell you to give a second pill 1 month later this is 20. Also a booster shot will be needed about a month later as well another $70. By 6 months the last shots will be needed this will include rabies $80 and this also the recommended time to neuter this depends on the size of dog put it’s about 100-150 it gets higher the older bigger the dog gets so do it early. Worms if treated right away are easy to get ride of so get him in now. He wont gain weight until there gone.
well, if your puppy is seeming to get angry or depressed about not having a toy that he/she normally plays with, then give him/her alot of gentle attention and visit a local vet. worms are part o puppy/kitten childhood and are not really something to worry about yet. though if the dog goes off its food, as i said, visit a local vet, i have a dog myself but she is past the PUPPY stage now. don’t worry alot but make sure you keep a close eye on your dog. good luck with him/her!
Here’s a great web site regarding puppies.
http://www.perfectpaws.com/pup17.html
Puppies can be a great addition to a family. You must remember though that puppies are not unlike infants. They are unable to learn in the early weeks (7-8 weeks) and should not be trained at this time. When training does begin it should always be done in a positive way. You literally should put yourself in their shoes (paws?!?) and realize that learning is hard, but they are very eager to do so!
Puppies that are 7 to 20 weeks old are in their developmental stage. This is the time when the environment and treatment of the puppy will have a great impact on their personality and social skills later in life. Although another dog for companionship is a very positive thing, too much time with the other dog and not enough with the family will cause the puppy to be more dog oriented than people oriented. Treat the additional dog as a part time baby sitter only! If the puppy does not have another pet to play with, be sure not to leave the puppy alone for long periods. Critical interaction and training of his actions is necessary at this point.
Housebreaking
Puppies should be consistently trained in a positive way. One of the best ways to housebreak a puppy is to take it out very often, especially after each meal. Most puppies will, after a while, "hold it" to the best of their abilities and you will be surprised that they will "go" immediately when you let them out. Once they are in the habit of going outside, they will prefer it to going indoors. Your puppy should be in sight as much as possible so you can catch then as they start to "go" indoors. A firm "no" followed by great praise when they finish outdoors will teach your puppy very quickly. If you do not catch the puppy within 30 seconds of "going" indoors, do not bother scolding him, it is too late. Never spank the puppy or rub their nose in their waste. This only serves to confuse them. Remember, do not let your anger of puppy waste on your floor show to the dog. He doesn’t understand the frustration of cleaning up waste in our nice homes. Lots of newspaper avoids unnecessary frustration!
Feeding
Puppies are bundles of energy and need proper nutrition. There are many high quality puppy foods on the market that can help your puppy to be healthy and happy. Check with your veterinarian for their recommendation.
Puppies 8 to 12 weeks old need to be fed three to four times a day.
Puppies 3 to 6 months old need to be fed three times a day.
Puppies 6 to 12 months old need to be fed twice a day.
Remember that your puppy counts on you for a happy, healthy life. A uncooperative, misbehaved dog is the fault of a bad owner, there are no bad dogs!
Proper Identification and Containment
Teach your new dog early the boundaries of its environment. Teach him which rooms he can and can not go into, and what the boundaries of the yard are. Do not let him run into the neighbor’s yard or in the street, ever. If you will be visiting a neighbor, carry the puppy over the boundary line, both ways.
The number one way you will permanently loose your pet is by another person finding and keeping them. Puppies are at about twice the risk of this. Don’t wait, get ID for your pet now. Consider the Guardian Collar Tag program, or Guardian VIP.
Be sure to prepare your yard with good containment system. Underground, or "invisible" fences are a good choice, as well as traditional fencing. Predict the needs for your puppy now, for when it is older.