What veterinary healthcare should my puppy (up to 1 year) receive?
Part 1 (6-9 weeks old)
- Comprehensive Exam
- Distemper, Adenovirus, Parainfluenza Vaccines
- Parvovirus Vaccine
- Bordetella vaccine
- Fecal Exam
- Routine Deworming for Zoonotic (Can Infect People) Parasites
3 weeks later….
Part 2 (9-12 weeks old)
- Comprehensive Exam
- Distemper, Adenovirus, Parainfluenza Vaccines
- Parvovirus Vaccine
- Influenza vaccine
- Fecal Exam
- Routine Deworming for Zoonotic (Can Infect People) Parasites
Heartworm preventative medication is generally discussed and prescribed during the first or second visit.
3 weeks later….
Part 3 (12-15 weeks old)
- Comprehensive Exam
- Distemper, Adenovirus, Parainfluenza, and Leptospirosis Vaccines
- Parvovirus Vaccine
- Influenza vaccine
- Fecal Exam
- Routine Deworming for Zoonotic (Can Infect People) Parasites
3 weeks later….
Part 4 (15-18 weeks old)
- Comprehensive Exam
- Distemper, Adenovirus, Parainfluenza, and Leptospirosis Vaccines
- Parvovirus Vaccine
- Fecal Exam
- Rabies Vaccine
During this visit, spaying, neutering, or breeding will be discussed with you.
Part 5 (6 months old)
Bordetella (Kennel Cough) Vaccine
Is advised for all dogs which will be exposed to groups of dogs such as those in a boarding kennel, a grooming salon, dog parks or at a dog show. This vaccine is required by most reputable boarding facilities including those within our animal hospitals.
Based on Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Florida Department of Health recommendations, we advise routine deworming for intestinal parasites that can infect people (Roundworms and Hookworms) during three consecutive puppy visits.
Warranty
We proudly stand behind our vaccination program because we use the finest vaccines and administer them properly. If your pet contracts a disease, which it was vaccinated against in our hospital, we will treat your pet in our hospital (up to $1,000.00 at our expense) at no cost to you. This warranty is automatic, provided you follow our vaccination protocol and your pet has a normal physical examination at the time of vaccination. Puppies, kittens and other previously unvaccinated or improperly vaccinated pets are covered three weeks after we administer the final vaccinations in the series. The medical record will be the determinant of a proper vaccination schedule.
Commonly Asked Questions About Puppy Health Care
What is a DHLP Vaccine?
A DA2LP vaccine protects your pet from Distemper, Adenovirus, Leptospirosis and Parainfluenza, all serious, potentially fatal diseases. Distemper, although rarely cured, can cause permanent brain or spinal cord damage if the pet can be saved at all.
What is a Fecal exam?
A sample of your puppy’s stool is examined microscopically for parasites (worms). Only two types of parasites (roundworms and tapeworms) can be seen in the stool with the naked eye. Others, particularly hookworms, can attach themselves to the walls of your puppies intestines and literally suck their life’s blood away. These quick, silent killers can easily be eliminated if detected early by a fecal exam.
Why are some vaccines given to my puppy several times?
Your puppy acquired some immunity from its mother (maternal immunity) at birth. This immunity is important because it protects you pup until we have an opportunity to vaccinate him or her. The only drawback with this immunity is that it blocks the effect of our vaccines as long as it is present in the puppy’s system. It doesn’t hurt to give the vaccinations when the maternal immunity is still in the puppy’s body but the vaccines are not fully effective. Depending on how much immunity the mother had available for transfer to her pups and the amount they nursed during the first few days of life, the maternal immunity will drop off when the pup is somewhere between six and fourteen weeks old. Since it would be difficult and expensive to measure your puppy’s level of immunity for each of the seven (7) diseases we routinely vaccinate for, we have designed a series of vaccinations, which should provide excellent long-term protection for each of the diseases at a reasonable cost.
What if I just bought a 3-month-old puppy with no vaccinations?
We need to get started immediately. We can’t do anything about the past, but we need to examine the pup to assure that it hasn’t already been infected then vaccinate to provide protection for the future. This pup, because of its age, would start out with Part 2 of our vaccination series even though it is the puppy’s first vaccinations. We would then finish the series as scheduled.
Thank You for helping us to keep your puppy happy and healthy.
