He's cute! But is it also healthy?
Canine Health Prevention Series
Part 2: Prevention for puppies and young dogs: when, what, how
U1 to U9: Parents immediately know what we are talking about when they read these abbreviations. They provide preventive examinations for infants and small children. And what is it like when the new addition to the family has fur and four legs? Even then, regular check-ups and treatments are necessary and sensible.
A guest post by Dr. Lena Sotje
Hamburg. When you come to the vet's office with a puppy for the first time – ideally about a week after it has moved in with you – then ideally you have already practiced beforehand and your puppy can be touched everywhere. You can easily look into his mouth and ears, feel his stomach and maybe even hold his paws for a few minutes. It will continue to be important to practice all of this in the future – not only for preventive examinations, but also for emergencies.
Puppies U1: Examination from head to tail, worm treatment
The first vet visit usually takes place at the breeder's home. During the first examination, the puppy's general health is checked, whether the navel has healed well and whether there are any congenital diseases. The veterinarian looks at the ears, eyes, mouth, teeth and skin. The heart and lungs are listened to and the body temperature is measured.
The puppies are given as recommended by ESCCAP (European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites; www.esccap.de) initially a treatment against worms every two weeks. The last time is about two weeks after taking in the last breast milk.
This is important because many dogs are infected with worms from birth. These are already transmitted from the mother animal and the mother's milk to the puppies. The result can be a worm infestation, which in the worst case can be fatal.
The fear of severe side effects is unfounded because every medication is officially tested for effectiveness and tolerability.
ESCCAP advises against the use of herbal mixtures against worm infestation. The effectiveness and safety are not proven here. Examining fecal samples from puppies is also not suitable protection against worms.
Puppies U2 to U4 – the vaccination calendar
- 8th week of life: vaccination against parvovirus, leptospirosis, distemper.
- 12th week of life: vaccination against parvovirus, leptospirosis, distemper.
- 16th week of life: vaccination against parvovirus, distemper.
- 15th month of life: vaccination against parvovirus, leptospirosis, distemper.
At around eight weeks of age, puppies should receive their first vaccination and thus the first part of the basic immunization. This visit to the vet usually takes place at the breeder's home.
Vaccinations are carried out according to the vaccination guidelines of the Standing Vaccination Commission for Veterinary Medicine (StIKo Vet; stiko-vet.fli.de). Vaccinations are necessary and are intended to prevent infectious diseases and their spread. The vaccination includes a health consultation with the vet, a clinical examination and a vaccination discussion. Before each vaccination, the suitability for vaccination must be determined, and since there are different vaccines against several infectious pathogens, an individual vaccination program is drawn up.
At least there is vaccination against distemper, leptospirosis and parvovirus. These are diseases that are often fatal or difficult to treat. It makes sense to also vaccinate against hepatitis contagiosa canis, parainfluenza and rabies.
They are usually combination vaccinations that are done with one prick. Depending on the individual risk, vaccination against other pathogens can also be performed less frequently. The vaccinations must be refreshed several times until full protection is achieved.
The first vet visits with the new family now take place for the second and third vaccinations in the 12th and 16th weeks of life. Now the new family member is checked again and any open questions can be addressed.
1. Nutrition, growth and exercise
The little puppy will grow very quickly. To ensure that he stays healthy and does not suffer from malnutrition, high-quality complete food for puppies is of fundamental importance.
However, too much food can cause the puppy to grow too quickly and this can cause irreparable damage, particularly to the bones and cartilage, affecting him for the rest of his life. Large dogs in particular are at risk and should ideally grow to be very slim.
The best way to help yourself is with a growth curve that you can create on the Internet (e.g. www.napfcheck.de/welpen-wachstumsk urve).
The puppy's weight should be entered regularly into the growth curve and should not deviate from the curve by more than five percent.
A small puppy should not be physically overstrained, especially at first. But that doesn't mean he shouldn't move at all. Light exercise is beneficial for the joints and muscle building.
The topic of BARF/raw feeding is trendy, but also carries risks. Due to the rapid growth, the BARF composition must be regularly adjusted individually by a veterinary nutritional advisor to prevent permanent damage. It is best to only feed dogs raw meat when they are fully grown. However, there is still a risk that the raw meat can transmit pathogens that are not only harmful to the animal, but also to humans.
2. Protection against endo and ectoparasites
An infestation with fleas, ticks or worms should not be taken lightly. On the one hand, some parasites can be transmitted to humans and on the other hand, parasites can transmit life-threatening pathogens. Depending on how and where the dog is kept and fed, the risk of an infestation with these parasites varies and the treatment and prevention is based on the recommendations of ESCCAP (European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites; www.esccap.de) and will be coordinated with the veterinary practice.
3. Dental care
Only very few future dog owners make the effort to learn in advance what they need to know about dog dental care. Unfortunately, many animals pay the price for this. Poor dental care in dogs can lead to problems that extend far beyond the mouth. Bacteria can enter the bloodstream and spread to vital organs such as the heart, liver and kidneys. This makes it all the more important to start dental care early. Even if you still have milk teeth, you should start getting used to toothbrushes etc. now. Best once a day.
When all examinations have been completed and questions have been clarified, the dog is given treats and cuddles at the end. Hopefully these first family visits to the practice will be completed without any negative, frightening experiences.
Puppy U5: An appointment for dental care
At around six months old, your puppy is already a young dog. He is gradually getting his permanent teeth. Now it's time for the next veterinary examination with a focus on changing teeth. If milk teeth are left behind due to incomplete or disrupted tooth change, they are extracted as quickly as possible so that the following teeth have space and the teeth do not become misaligned.
Depending on the breed, the animal slowly enters puberty from the sixth month of life onwards. Male dogs will develop enlarged testicles in the coming period and may show genital discharge, while female dogs may go through their first heat. A veterinary examination can help to identify any abnormalities at an early stage.
The next routine examination is not due until the child is around 15 months old, when the first booster vaccination is given. Depending on the breed, the dog is then already an adult.
In the next part:
Preventative care for adult dogs: How often to go to the vet?
Health prevention series
About Dr. Lena Sotje
Dr. Lena Sötje is the senior veterinarian at the Medivet practices in Hamburg-Stellingen and Pinneberg. She completed her veterinary medicine studies at the Hannover Veterinary University Foundation and received her doctorate from the Free University of Berlin. She is an all-rounder in small animal medicine and is also enthusiastic about bird and pet medicine. Privately, Dr. In addition to chickens, Sötje also has a cat. She has a big heart for animals and a passion for science.