Microchipping

It is a legal requirement that all dogs in the UK are microchipped by 8 weeks of age, unless a veterinary surgeon has determined that this should be delayed. Your puppy should have been microchipped by the breeder and you will need to make sure that the contact details on the chip are your own and continue to update them when necessary. We will check that the microchip is present and working at your vaccination appointment. We can also check that the number matches your documents.

If your puppy is not microchipped we can do this for you at the first vaccination appointment.

Flea Treatment

Fleas are small parasites that can live on your dog’s skin and cause them to become itchy and develop skin disease. Fleas can be hard to spot because they only spend time on our pets to feed. They lay eggs in the environment, especially in carpets, furnishings and between floorboards. It is much easier to prevent a flea infestation than it is to treat one, so we recommend regular preventative treatment.

There are a wide variety of products available including flavoured tablets that you can give like a treat and spot-on products. Prescription flea treatment is usually safer and more effective than supermarket or pet shop brands. Frequency of dosing varies by product but in generally monthly. All products work by killing fleas shortly after contact with a treated dog, preventing them from laying eggs.   

Worming

It is important to worm your dog regularly throughout its lifetime and again products supplied by a veterinary surgeon are safer and more effective than pet shop or supermarket brands. It is uncommon for adult worms to be passed in faeces and the eggs can only be seen under a microscope so your dog may have worms without you knowing,

Your dog may become infected with worms from hunting, eating raw meat and soil. Tapeworms can be transmitted by fleas and lungworm is transmitted when dogs ingest slugs or snails. Puppies can pick up worms when they are nursing from their mothers.

The most common worms we see are roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms and whipworms. Lungworm is most common in the south east of the UK but there are only occasional cases locally. Roundworm is of particular concern because it can also infect humans and households in which there are very young children or vulnerable unwell people should take particular care with worming and hygiene.

Puppies should be wormed monthly between 8 weeks and 6 months of age. After this the standard recommendation is to worm every three months, but this can be done more often if your dog is at high risk or there are particular concerns about infection of humans. 

Neutering

Neutering means surgically preventing pets from being able to reproduce, in males the operation is called castration and in females it is known as spaying. Neutering your pet can be an important way of keeping them healthy and preventing unintentional mating. Neutering operations are some of the most common procedures performed by vets and this is done as a day case, so your dog will come home on the day of surgery. There is always a small risk with any anaesthesia and surgery, but neutering is very safe.

The general advice we give depends on whether your puppy is male or female and we can also offer specific advice to help you make an informed decision, please make an appointment to discuss this.  

Bitches

For health reasons, we generally advise that all bitches who are not intended to breed are spayed. This is because neutering prevents pyometra, a common and potentially life threatening infection of the uterus and if done early reduces the risk of mammary (breast) cancers. It will also prevent your dog from coming into season and developing phantom pregnancies.

We advise that this is carried out 12 weeks after she has her first season. Neutering can be done before this, at 6 months of age, but we do not believe there is currently enough evidence to recommend early neutering of female dogs. The operation can also be done 12 weeks after subsequent seasons, but the benefits in terms of reduced risk of mammary tumours decreases and is lost after 3 seasons.  

Dogs

For dogs the benefits of castration include preventing unwanted mating and sexual behaviour, straying and can reduce aggression between males. It can also prevent testicular cancer and some prostate conditions, however castration can be performed to treat these conditions if necessary later in life.

Castration does not help behaviours such as anxiety and fear aggression, in fact in some circumstances castration can make this behaviour worse. We advise that you speak to a qualified behaviourist before making a decision if this is a concern and we can make a referral for this.

Castration can be performed from 6 months of age in small breed dogs. There is some evidence that performing castration early in large breed dogs (>20kg) may lead to a higher risk of orthopaedic problems such as cruciate disease or hip dysplasia so we recommend castration at a minimum age of 12-18 months in these breeds.

Chemical Castration

Non-surgical options such as hormone implants are available and may be useful for some animals. These are temporary and so require repeated use and are an ongoing cost. Please speak to a vet if you would like to discuss this further.

Diet

A good diet is essential for the health of your dog. Puppies should be fed puppy food because this is formulated to support healthy growth. You should change to adult food once your puppy reaches maturity and this will be earlier for small dogs (approx 9-12 months) and later for large (12-16 months) and giant breeds (up to 24 months). Initially puppies should be fed small meals often, we suggest four meals a day until 4 months of age, then three meals a day until 6 months of age and then two meals a day. Read the feeding guideline on the food carefully and then divide the total daily amount into the correct number of meals.  Choosing the right diet is a personal choice, we are happy to discuss this with you if you would like advice.

If you change the food your puppy is being fed this should be done slowly because a sudden dietary change can cause an upset stomach. Introduce the new food whilst you still have some of the old food left and mix them together, increasing the proportion of the new food over a few days.

Oral Hygiene

Gum disease in the most common dental problem in dogs and is present in most dogs by the time they are 3 years old. As in humans plaque builds up on the teeth and causes your dog’s immune system to react, so over time the attachment between the gum and the tooth is broken down. Early signs of gum disease include bad breath, tartar on the teeth and a red line along the gum where it meets the tooth.

As this progresses the teeth become loose and painful, bacteria are able to get into your dog’s bloodstream and their immune system has to destroy them and bone is lost from the jaw bone, weakening it. Treatment for gum disease requires a general anaesthetic for a thorough cleaning and often requires extraction of teeth. 

Gum disease is preventable.

The most effective way to prevent gum disease is to brush your dog’s teeth once daily and there is a separate sheet explaining how to do this. You should start to do this from around 5 months of age as your puppy’s permanent teeth start to erupt because this will prevent disease and it is easier to encourage younger dogs to allow this. You can start sooner, getting them used to having their mouth handled and getting used to a toothbrush.  

Socialisation

Socialisation is a process by which puppies learn about the world around them throughout the first year over their lives. It involves meeting people (including children) and other dogs as well as getting used to different environments and situations that your dog will encounter throughout its life. A well socialised puppy is more likely to grow into a happy, confident dog. Poorly socialised puppies may be more anxious and fearful and are more likely to develop behavioural problems in later life.

Puppy classes can be a useful tool for socialising as well as an opportunity to learn skills such as walking on a lead, recall and basic commands.

Very young puppies are likely to approach new situations without fear, but even by 12 weeks they start to become more cautious so it is important to introduce new experiences early. It is important to remember that until a week after their second vaccination your puppy is not protected by their vaccines so meeting unvaccinated dogs or walking in areas where unvaccinated dogs have been, should be avoided. You can still take your puppy outside but please carry them. It is important to introduce your puppy to everyday noises within your home (e.g television, hoover, washing machine) and get them used to being handled. It is important not to overwhelm them, but try to continue as normal. If you have children they are bound to be very excited, but encourage them to be calm when handling the puppy to avoid frightening them and to allow the puppy to move away if they are worried.

Some important things for you to include in your socialisation include:

Humans (adults and children)

Animals (dogs/cats/rabbits)

Public areas & parks

Pavements, streets & traffic

Inspections (eyes, teeth, body, feet) – makes a vets job easier!

Noises

Experiences

Sheep & livestock (if living in the country)

Solitude (prevent separation anxiety)

Some puppies are naturally shy and anxious and it is important to notice the signs that they are unhappy. Be patient and allow them time to get used to a situation. It is important to avoid bad experiences because this is likely to make them anxious.  Pheromone collars are available and these can help your puppy feel more confident and secure as they settle into your family. Please ask about these if you are interested.

Insurance

Pet insurance is available to cover the cost of treatment should your dog have an accident or become unwell. We recommend that you insure your puppy as soon as possible.