Puppy Love
BoosterPet’s own Lindsey Bell, LVT will walk you through some of the basic wellness care involved in having a puppy;)
Puppies are very fun; they come in all types of shapes and sizes! They may be unique in their own way, but for the majority of wellness care, they all need the same treatment.
Vaccines. There are many different vaccines for dogs. Below are just the vaccines considered “core vaccinations” in the PNW. However, depending upon your location and lifestyle, vaccine recommendations may vary.
DHPP - Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvo. This is an extremely important vaccine that we want all puppies to have. Protecting against 4 different viruses, puppies are extremely vulnerable, especially to Parvo in this area. For full protection, they need boosters at 8, 12, and 16 weeks old. Afterwards, every 3 years if done on time.
Leptospirosis. Can be in combination with the DHPP (so no added poke!) A bacterial infection from the urine of wildlife. Will they be outdoors at all? Any puddles around? This vaccine will need to be done at 12 and 16 weeks old, then annually.
Bordetella - AKA Kennel Cough. Groomers and doggy daycares will almost always require it. If your pup is around any infected dogs, they can easily pick up this nasty cold! Only one vaccine that will be done annually.
Rabies. This vaccination is required by law in Washington state as Rabies is both zoonotic and fatal. Rabies vaccinations are usually administered around 16 weeks of age, and then every 3 years afterward.
Training. Get your puppy used to EVERYTHING! Play with their cute little paws, get them used to brushing their teeth, socialize them as best and safely as you can! Dogs are extremely moldable during their adolescent stage, so what you teach them now will stick so well in the future, making things like people coming over, boarding them, and visits to the vet so much easier.
Flea/Tick/Heartworm/Intestinal Parasites....are no fun! Puppies are very susceptible to everything due to their growing immune system. We recommended putting them on these preventatives, and keeping them on them throughout their adult lives. Preventing sickness is so much easier than treating illness.
Spay/Neuter. We recommend spaying/neutering to help eliminate the unnecessary growth of the pet population - there are so many helpless animals left in shelters due to overbreeding. Please be responsible. The age is rising when we recommend this due to maturity faults we have begun to notice in early fixing. Large breeds, we recommend somewhere around 1-2 years of age for full maturity, and smaller breeds around 8-12 months.