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Veterinary Care for New Puppies
Your puppy's early months are a time of incredible growth and development, but they can also be susceptible to various health issues. At Fishers Animal Hospital, we provide comprehensive puppy exams, vaccinations, and personalized guidance to help your puppy grow into a healthy adult.
When Should Puppies Be Dewormed?
When Should Puppies Be Dewormed?
Puppies should be dewormed starting around 2-3 weeks of age, with deworming treatments repeated every 2-4 weeks until they are 12 weeks old. This helps eliminate common intestinal parasites that can be passed from the mother dog to her litter. Your veterinarian will recommend an appropriate deworming schedule and medications based on your puppy's risk factors.
How Often Do Puppies Go to the Vet in the First Year?
How Often Do Puppies Go to the Vet in the First Year?
Puppies require frequent veterinary visits during their first year of life to ensure they are developing properly. We recommend puppy wellness exams every 3-4 weeks from around 6-8 weeks old until they are 16 weeks old. After that, puppies typically go for checkups every few months until they reach one year old and can transition to an annual exam schedule for adult dogs. These regular visits allow the veterinary team to administer vaccinations, perform deworming treatments, and monitor growth to catch any health issues early on.
Should I Spay or Neuter My Puppy?
Should I Spay or Neuter My Puppy?
Yes, we recommend that pet owners spay/neuter their puppies. The procedures are safe, relatively inexpensive, and provide tremendous health and behavioral benefits for dogs. We typically recommend spaying/neutering around 5-6 months old for smaller breeds and around 1 year for larger breeds. Our experienced veterinarians will discuss the best timing for surgery during your puppy’s exams.
Does My Puppy Need to be Microchipped?
Does My Puppy Need to be Microchipped?
Microchipping puppies is highly recommended for tracking your puppy. A microchip is a small, rice-sized chip implanted just under the skin that contains your contact information linked to a national pet recovery database. Should your puppy ever become lost or stolen, this permanent microchip ID can help reunite you with your furry family member.
Puppy Feeding Schedule
Puppy Feeding Schedule
Proper nutrition is essential for your puppy’s growth and development. We recommend meal feeding and measuring each meal to monitor your pet’s intake accurately. This practice not only helps maintain an optimal weight but also helps with house training. Our feeding recommendations for puppies are as follows:
- Puppies under four months: three meals per day.
- Puppies older than four months: at least two meals per day.
- Toy breed or very small puppies: four meals daily until they reach 6 months of age.
