New Puppy Care

Roseville New Puppy Care

​We want to provide you with some simple and very helpful tips for your first few months with your new puppy. 
  1. We recommend heartworm prevention be given every single month starting at your first visit. We start out with month to month doses as your puppy grows to be sure the right size for weight is dispensed. Heartworm prevention is part of preventative care best practices that we recommend to every pet owner. 
  2. We recommend an effective flea product (and possibly tick depending on where you live and where you will go) given regularly year round. Don’t take the winter off! The fleas can take advantage of you. There are a lot of products around today that the fleas are immune too. Ask us which product might be best for your pet.
  3. Desensitizing. This is very important in the young puppy to get them used to having sensitive areas handled, such as ears, mouth, and toes. When your puppy is very relaxed (not during play time) gently pick up the toes and give them a soft squeeze, only the point that your puppy notices but does not resist. Play with the ears, lift up the lips and check the teeth. The goal hear is NOT to hold the puppy tight and force him/her to do this, be gentle and slow and teach that it is not frightening. This will make for stress free nail trims and ear cleaning down the road!
  4. Brushing teeth is great dental care practice that is best started young, it’s ideal to do daily, but at the minimum 3 times a week. 
  5. Be careful of toys, anything too hard to push your thumb into and make a dent can break teeth (puppies and adults). If you have questions about toys please talk with the doctor.
  6. Risk of disease. Your puppy’s immune system is not at its best until 16-20 weeks of age, this means that even though you are doing vaccines there is still some danger of viruses like Parvo until this age. Parvo virus can be alive in the dirt for 1-2 years. If you have additional questions about what is or is not safe, please talk further with Dr. White.
  7. You should have already discussed your puppy’s personalized vaccine schedule with the doctor. If you have any questions please ask.
  8. There are a lot of things to help get your puppy off to the best start, most importantly, ask us your questions! ​