Wormings

Each of our pups is wormed on a schedule starting at the age of 2 to 3 weeks.  We worm them every two weeks thereafter while they remain here at our kennel.  This does not mean that worming your puppy is completed.  Puppies require additional wormings because while the medication kills the adult stage of worms the eggs can still be present and the medicine does not affect the eggs thus repeated wormings are necessary.  Recontamination can occur easily as eggs can live and be present in the soil where your puppy plays.  A product called Heartguard Plus will take care of several types of intestinal worms as well as keeping your puppy protected against the deadly disease of heartworm which is transmitted by the bite of a mosquito.  You should speak to your vet about heartworm protection and I recommend the use of Heartguard with the PLUS added as the straight Heartguard without the PLUS will only take care of heartworm alone.

Fleas and Ticks

There are many different approaches to these pesky critters.  My way of dealing with them is to use the product called Frontline which is a topical liquid that is placed between the shoulder blades on small dogs directly on the skin and on large dogs it is also placed at the base of the tail as well.  This product works by entering the bloodstream and the bite of one of these pesky insects will kill it as it ingests the poison.   Bio-spot which is another product actually prevents further breeding of the insects as it contains an Insect Growth Regulator or IGR as it will say on the package.  There are also oral medications for the prevention of these insects which are very effective.  I have used several and prefer Program.   You can usually purchase the oral products from your vet and they are also available on the internet.

Kennel Cough (bordetella)

There are many different strains of kennel cough (bordetella).  We do not have kennel cough within our kennel and we certainly would never release a puppy that had an active case of it.  Sometimes the mother can pass it on to her pups because she is a carrier and even although she and her pups do not have any symptoms of the disease the stress of moving to a new home or the shipping process can trigger an active case.  Kennel cough is not usually a life threatening condition as long as the puppy is eating and drinking normally.  Your vet will prescribe some medication while it runs its course.  If your puppy develops a cough or any signs of respiratory distress like a runny nose it is important to see the vet immediately.

Coccidia

Coccidia is not a worm.  It is a protozoan which is a microscopic parasite that primarily inhabits’s the intestines of affected dogs.  Mothers can be carriers and pass it on to their pups without exhibiting any symptoms.  It is rarely severe but the resulting diarrhea can rapidly dehydrate a young puppy who although previously had no symptoms, suddenly develops diarrhea from the stress of moving to a new home or shipping.  Eggs are passed in fecal material.  Albon and/or metronidazole are the medications of choice if your puppy has developed diarrhea from an active case of coccidia.  Your vet will prescribe this for you if a stool sample has diagnosed an active case.  We can have the puppy’s stool checked at the time of a health certificate visit and often the coccidia is not seen under microscope at the health check but is later seen by the purchaser’s vet due to the stress and change of circumstances the puppy is experiencing which has triggered an active case.

Hypoglycemia

This condition is normally triggered by stress.  Hypoglycemia can occur without warning when a puppy is placed in a new home, while being shipped, misses a meal, becomes chilled, becomes exhausted from too much playing or has digestive upset.  The blood sugar level drops rapidly and without immediate attention the puppy can go into shock and die.   The addition of honey or white corn syrup to the pups food may help prevent such an attack.  Tiny toy pups are the most susceptible.  We recommend one teaspoon of Karo syrup in one cup of water for a day or two.  A tube of Nutri-cal or other high calorie paste which is available in pet stores is also a remedy for this condition.  It occurs mainly in toy breeds between the ages of 6 and 12  weeks.  It is imperative that the puppy see the vet immediately is she/he is lethargic and you suspect this condition.  The puppy needs immediate attention.  There is a liquid product called Nutri-drops which if placed directly on the tongue can be in the bloodstream in seconds.  This is an excellent product to have on hand when you have a tiny toy puppy.  It is the fastest working product to reverse this condition.  New puppy owners need to be observant of their new pups condition and to make sure that he/she is eating and getting enough rest so as to avoid this condition.

Housebreaking

I have found that the use of a crate along with an exercise pen works best when training pups from 8 weeks to 6 months of age.  An exercise pen is a folding 8 paneled pen without a floor that can be easily be moved from house to yard to car.  They are available in different heights and connect very simply with brass hooks and can be set up in any shape and more than one can be used to make the pups area larger.  They are great because they allow the puppy the freedom of going in and out of his/her crate at will…..thus reinforcing the pups natural instinct to keep his/her (crate) bed clean.  Old stuffed animals and a blanket in the crate will let him know that the crate is his bed.  Newspaper spread on the area outside the crate but inside the exercise pen area serves as the temporary bathroom area.  This does not mean you shouldn’t be bringing the pup outside to the area you have designated to be his bathroom.  You should diligently incorporate both methods and gradually increase the bathroom trips outside as your puppy ages so that he/she will be gradually decreasing the times he/she eliminates in the exercise pen area.  Lavish praise should be given to the pup when he/she eliminates in the outside bathroom.   The exercise pen serves as a small kennel area for the puppy when he/she cannot be watched and eliminates frustration on the new owners part when it comes to accidents happening in the house.  It is serving a valuable function since the puppy is not using different areas of the house as his/her bathroom…..pups will return to the scent of where they have previously eliminated.  They can still smell it even though you think you have cleaned it sufficiently.  Exercise pens can also protect your home and your puppy from damage……pups like to chew on things like electrical cords.  No puppy should ever be kept in a crate for the whole day while you are at work and the kids at school.  This is cruel and abusive.  The exercise pen with the pups toys, food and water make a much better situation for the pup during times of your absence and even when you are at home and too busy to watch the pup.   Your pup will eventually no longer need his/her exercise pen but I recommend the use of it until he/she is too be trusted in the house as far as eliminating and chewing on household items.  The beginning of control over bowel and bladder begins at around 16 weeks of age.  If you are lax about taking your pup outside to eliminate you will end up with a pup who is lax in his/her bathroom habits.  It is your responsibility to make house training a success.  The puppy desires to please you.  Repetition is the key.