Love And Protection Guidelines For Your Puppy

Whoever said you can’t buy happiness forgot little puppies.
-Gene Hill


There aren’t many things more fun & exciting than a new puppy! We love helping our clients get their new babies started on a preventative care plan to keep them happy and healthy for years to come.

The first part of this plan is to have your puppy examined by a veterinarian as soon as you adopt him. Congenital abnormalities such as heart defects and hernias may be found on physical examination and may need to be addressed immediately or communicated to the breeder or rescue group. The veterinarian and nurse will also discuss housetraining and answer any behavior questions that you may have. See some of our informational handouts below.

Second, we will analyze a stool sample to search for gastrointestinal parasites such as hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, or coccidia. These parasites are extremely common in young animals and eliminating them is imperative for your puppy’s and your family’s health.

Next, vaccines will help to prevent communicable diseases such as Distemper or Parvo- viruses. It is important that your puppy receive all of his vaccines at 1 month intervals in order to provide him with the best protection against these deadly diseases.

Heartworms are deadly parasites that live in the hearts of dogs and are transmitted by mosquitoes. To prevent your puppy from becoming infected, a heartworm preventive tablet should be given every month all year round. If your puppy is growing quickly we may dispense one tablet at a time to be sure he receives his proper dose.

Fleas and ticks are a constant problem in North Texas. We recommend using a monthly topical flea and tick preventive to protect your dog from parasite transmitted diseases such as Ehrlichia and your house from an infestation!

At your puppy’s last visit (around 4 months of age) we will discuss the spay or neuter procedure. We recommend that all puppies be spayed or neutered unless they are to become show dogs. The American Humane Society estimates that 70,000 puppies and kittens are born every day in the United States and 4 to 6 million are euthanized in shelters per year. Our staff is dedicated to helping reduce pet overpopulation and prevent diseases such as cancer that are much more common in intact animals. For more information see our information handout.

Click here to download a full copy of our Love And Protection Guidelines brochure.

Click on one of the links below for additional information:
Sterilize Your Pet
Housetraining & Cratetraining in Puppies
Puppy Socialization