Pet Topics

Now that you have a new dog, you’ll need to find a veterinarian for the dog’s health care. Choose your veterinarian carefully and schedule an appointment soon after you’ve brought your dog home.

You will want good care for your pet so ask around for a good veterinary surgery in your neighborhood. Make sure it is a clean facility and find out if appointments are necessary.

You might like to visit it first to get a feel for the place – the size, amount of staff, are there separate areas for dogs and cats, is the staff friendly and caring, what are the surgery’s hours etc. Once you have chosen your veterinarian you can go ahead and arrange your dog’s first visit.

If you have a puppy, ring the surgery and tell them you want to make an appointment for a ‘new puppy visit’. You should take your puppy for an examination early in the first week you have him.

Take with you any medical records your new dog might have, including any vaccination information. If your dog is on medication, take these along too. Tell the veterinarian what the puppy is being fed.

You may also be asked about where the puppy was born and need to give information about its parents. The veterinarian may also ask you to bring along a fresh stool sample.

Here are some of the things the veterinarian will examine your puppy for:

* Congenital defects; many dog breeds have specific health issues and these need to be checked for and monitored.
* Internal and external parasites; dogs are born with these so need to be treated as puppies. Worming your dog is something you will need to do regularly
* Ear and mouth health
* Healthy paws
* Correct temperature

If you have any questions about your dog’s care, now is the time to ask them. The veterinarian may also give you information on vaccinations, worm treatment, nutrition, spaying and neutering.

Vaccinations for distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, rabies and parvovirus may need to be scheduled for your dog, depending on what vaccinations he already has and what is required by your state. Your veterinarian should be able to discuss these with you on your first visit.

You should keep a vaccination card as a record of all shots your dog has had. This card will also have information about your dog’s breed and where it was born and your contact details on it. It is a useful record for your dog’s identity.

Hopefully your first visit to the veterinarian will be a positive one, so as your dog will not be adverse to any subsequent trips he may have to make.

Here’s a short video that tells you what to look for when choosing a vet for your dog (or any pet).