Dogs
If you have just got a new puppy or dog here are a few important things you need to know to keep him happy and healthy throughout his life. If you have any other questions please don’t hesitate to call us at any one of our branches for more information.
Vaccinations and why they are important
One easy way in which you can help to ensure that your dog is protected from infectious diseases is to ensure that he is vaccinated as a puppy and regularly throughout his adult life. Dogs can, and do become seriously ill or die from infectious diseases that could have been prevented through vaccination every year.
Regular vaccination can protect your dog from infectious diseases such as canine parvovirus, canine distemper, canine hepatitis, leptospirosis, and canine parainfluenza.
For the first few weeks of life, puppies are usually protected against disease from the immunity they receive in their mother´s milk. However, this maternal immunity may also neutralise any vaccine given at this time. Gradually this protection decreases, and the maternal immunity declines to a sufficiently low level for the animal to no longer be protected. This also allows the animal to respond to vaccination and so at this stage it is possible to start the vaccination programme.
Here at the Oaks, the earliest we vaccinate puppies is at 9 weeks old. A second injection is given three weeks, later, usually at 12 weeks old.
A week after the puppy’s first injection they can attend puppy parties. Puppy parties take place in most of our surgeries once a week and are a time where puppies of the same age can meet and play with other puppies and people in the safety of the vet surgery. This is a great opportunity for puppies to learn how to socialise with other puppies properly before they are able to go out for walks.
A full week after the second injection is when the puppy’s immune system will be at peak levels and is ready to go out for walks and meet other dogs. Up until this time, your puppy should be kept away from dogs who you are not sure if they have been vaccinated, other dog’s mess, and should be let out only in a secure garden away from other animals.
Booster vaccinations
Many people believe that if they have their pet vaccinated when they are puppies the immunity they receive will protect them for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately this is not the case.
After the puppy’s second injection, the immune level reaches a peak and then begins to decline. After a year, the level of protection offered to your pet may no longer be sufficient.
Revaccination stimulates the immune response so that protection is maintained for another year. Without these yearly booster vaccinations, your pet´s immune system may not be able to protect it from serious, often fatal diseases.
You will receive a letter in the post a year after your puppy’s second vaccination to let you know that your dog is due a booster vaccination. This can be booked in at any one of our surgeries.
We also have appointments available on Saturdays in our Largs and Saltcoats branches and on Sundays in our Largs surgery.
Feeding
Puppies need to be fed on puppy food to support them as they develop and grow. They should be fed 4 meals a day from weaning to around 4 months old. This can then be reduced to 3 meals a day then at 6 months down to two. This is just a rough guide and your puppy may differ from this. Depending on the food they are being fed on, they can start adult food from 6 months but larger breed dogs should stay on puppy food until 12 months old or so. We recommend dry dog food. This type of food is a balanced dog food with all the nutrition your dog needs in one food. The dry biscuits help keep dog’s teeth clean by breaking away the plaque on the teeth.
Adult dogs should have 2 meals a day, one in the morning and one at night time. This evens out the food intake so that they don’t get too hungry towards either end of the day. This also means that they have a routine and are less likely to look for food in between meals. The amount of food required is different for every individual dog. It is very much dependent on the composition of the food they are fed, how active they are and how many treats they get in a day. Try not to feed too many treats as this can lead to weight gain. If you are to feed your dog a treat, read the labels on the back to see what exactly you are giving your dog as some packaging can be misleading. A lot of dog treats are high in salt, sugar and fat so if you are feeding a treat, take the equivalent amount of dog food out of their next meal to balance their intake out. Overfeeding your dog can lead to an overweight dog. Many owners will say “but he’s happy” regarding their overweight dog. They may think this is the case but carrying this extra weight around can lead to bone and joint disorders, heart problems, diabetes and can shorten the life of your beloved pet.
To keep your dog healthy, you have the responsibility of supplying the correct food for your dog, attending to its specific needs. There is a huge variety of dog food to choose from. Our team of staff at the Oaks is educated on some of the best dog foods for your dog and will be very happy to help you choose the best suited food for your dog.
Some dogs have more specific needs than others, whether it be that your dog is overweight and needs to diet, has a sensitive stomach or has problems with flaky skin, we will help you find a dog food that will help ease these problems for him or her.
Clean, fresh water should be available at all times for your dog. Water requirements vary greatly with food, weight and climate. For instance a dog fed on dry food will drink more than a dog fed on wet food, and may drink more on hot days or when the heating is turned up. However, if your dog is drinking more or less than normal this could be a sign of something wrong so a check up from the vet is advised.
Sexual maturity is reached at an age which varies across breeds and according to the size of the dog. It generally happens at between 6 and 12 months.
Male dogs will begin to change in behaviour and appearance, for example cocking a leg to urinate.
Female dogs will begin to have “seasons” at around 6-9 months old. During the season you will see the vulva become swollen and there will be some blood spotting. They may also become fussy over food around this time and their behaviour may change. This may last for around 3 weeks and then will occur roughly every 6 months throughout the dog’s life.
Here at the Oaks we offer a free 6 month check up for puppies reaching 6 months old. This is a free, routine check up with the vet or nurse who will give him or her a general health check and will also cover various topics including dental management, nutrition, parasite control, neutering, behaviour & training etc.
Neutering
A dog, male or female, has no need to reproduce during its life in order to be happy and in good physical and mental health. Neutering, in most cases is beneficial to the dog.
In males it is called castration and involves surgical removal of the testicles. This can help reduce straying, mounting, aggression and other unwanted behaviours in males. It will also eliminate the risk of prostate and testicular cancer.
In females it is called “spaying” and this involves surgical removal of the ovaries, womb and uterine horns. This
Walking
Your dog will need plenty of exercise, especially if it is young. As a general rule, puppies should be walked for 1 minute for every week of their lives twice or three times a day. For example a 14 week old puppy will need roughly 14mins of exercise at a time, probably twice a day.
Dogs like a routine so should be taken out at roughly the same time each day. Dogs that aren’t exercised sufficiently may develop behaviour problems or become destructive in the house due to boredom.
It is your responsibility as a dog owner to exercise your dog appropriately, have it under control whilst out on a walk and to clean up after it.
