Vaccinations

Your new puppy can start their vaccinations from six weeks of age. They will need two or three doses of vaccines to complete their puppy course, depending on their age at first dose.

For example:

- 1st vaccination DHP/L4 at six weeks of age à 2nd vaccination DHP/L4 at 10 weeks of age.

- 1st vaccination DHP/L4 at eight weeks of age à 2nd vaccination DHP at 10 weeks à 3rd vaccination L4 at 12 weeks

The reason for a different approach is due to the fact that the second vaccination must be completed after the pup is 10 weeks old, as until this point, the pup can have maternally derived antibodies still circulating, leading to an incomplete conversion of vaccination.

We split the dose for marginally older pups in order to protect them against distemper, adenovirus and parvovirus as early as possible.

Pups can start going out in low risk areas one week after receiving their second DHP dose, but full protection may not be achieved until up to three weeks after the final L4 dose.

We offer a puppy pack which includes the cost of these vaccines, as well as microchipping and one month of flea and worming. Please contact us for more information.

Before receiving their first vaccine, we recommend only allowing your pet in your home and garden (providing the garden is secure).

Your four-legged friend will need to receive a booster vaccine every year, which is performed at the same time as a full health check. You will receive a text or email reminder when this is due.

The core vaccination course protects your puppy against the four major, preventable dog diseases, which can be fatal if contracted:

- Distemper

- Adenovirus (Hepatitis)

- Parvovirus

- Leptospirosis

 

Microchips

It has been a legal requirement to microchip all puppies by the age of eight weeks since 2016.

If this has not already been done by the time you collect your puppy, we will microchip your pet at their first vaccination (unless there is a justified medical reason not to).

We will ensure all of your details are correct and these will automatically be registered to the Petlog database. We cannot make changes to any information on this once registered, but you can make updates with them directly.

You can register up to four contact numbers on the microchip so it is worth putting some back up contacts on in case of emergency.

 

Flea & Worming

There is a wide range of products used for flea and worm treatment and it is important to use a safe reputable product, and to dose your puppy correctly.

With most products, we will recommend for you to flea and worm your puppy monthly.

Our nurses can help advise on a regime that suits your puppy and individual requirements.

Please check out our Pet Health Plan which includes the cost of monthly flea and wormers, in addition to other products and services! One of our nurses will be happy to go through what this includes and get you set up.

 

Diet

Like us, what your puppy eats is important for their development. A healthy, complete, well balanced diet means a healthy life for your puppy. There are many different brands of food that include diets for your puppy, as well as further life stage diets, and those specific for different breeds. Our nurses will be happy to direct you towards the right food and stage for your pet.

For the first few months, your puppy should be fed three or four daily, spreading out the recommended daily amount given by the food manufacturer. Remember – feeding a single complete diet is all you need, mixing diets essentially unbalances their nutrition.

We stock the Virbac range in practice which offers all life stage options as well as food to cater for larger/smaller breeds. We also have a supply of veterinary diets for more specific requirements.

 

Weight checks

It is important to monitor weight gain while your puppy is growing. We offer a monthly puppy clinic with the nurse, where we can advise if they are putting on too much weight or too little, and offer guidance on how best to manage this.

As puppies grow so rapidly, we also need this information to be able to dispense the most appropriate dose for flea and worming, which can be provided at the nurse appointment.

Different breeds grow at different rates, please speak to a nurse if you are ever concerned.

 

Dental care

Your puppy will tend to lose their baby teeth around three to six months, depending on breed.

Dental hygiene is just as important for pets as it is for us. Brushing your dog’s teeth is crucial to maintain dental health and should be done daily if possible.

Poor pet oral hygiene leads to plaque build up causing tartar or gingivitis and your pet may require surgery to extract problem teeth. Dental chews can be used as an alternative but remember these can contain a lot of calories so it is important to include these when working out your pets daily food intake.

We stock a range of toothbrushes, toothpaste, chews as well as other solutions suitable for your pet. Please get in touch for more info.

Start them young – introducing tooth brushing at a young age means they are used to it as part of their daily routine. There are some excellent guidance videos available on YouTube for best ways to encourage tooth brushing, but remember our nursing team is always available to offer advice too.

 

Insurance

Having a good pet insurance policy helps cover the cost of vet bills, which can be very expensive! A lifelong policy is gold-standard and will cover your pet for illness and injury throughout its life. It’s very important to check your level of cover – always read the small print, to ensure you don’t get caught out if you ever come to need it. It is best to get a cover arranged as early as possible to avoid any possible exclusions later in life.

We can help you access four weeks free, no obligation insurance with Petplan which can be set up for you when you come in for your first vaccination and health check.

There are many different types of pet insurance policy available: please see our insurance advice page for more detail. Committing to a policy should not be a quick decision. Make sure the policy and its benefits are suitable for your needs and the future needs of your pet.

Lifetime policies cover your pet year in, year out, so are ideal for any long-term conditions, e.g. epilepsy, heart disease, diabetes etc.

Lifetime policies cover your pet year in, year out, so are ideal for any long-term conditions, e.g. epilepsy, heart disease, diabetes etc.

 

Neutering

Neutering means surgically preventing pets from reproducing.

In males the surgery is called castration and involves removing both testicles.

In females the surgery is called spaying and involves removing the uterus and ovaries. When it comes to neutering your dog, there is no one size fits all approach. Each dog is an individual and there can be vast differences in development between different breeds. For this reason, our vets work with you on an individual basis to ensure your dog is neutered at a time which is right for them. We can book your pet in for a pre-neuter check with our vets who will discuss the best options with you.

Neutering is recommended for a range of health and behaviour benefits, as well as removing the risk of unwanted pregnancies and straying.

Neutering requires your pet to be with us for the day. You will be asked to come in first thing in the morning, and the vet or nurse will call you after surgery to arrange a discharge appointment time. We then require to see your pet three days and 10 days after surgery to check on the surgical site and ensure your pet is recovering well.

 

Socialisation and Training

Establishing a routine is important for your pets behaviour and toilet training. You should take every opportunity to praise your puppy for good manners and ignore or divert it from any undesirable behaviours.

Everyone in the household should agree to a set of rules, which everyone must follow consistently. Lots of treats (food or toy based) and fuss is good for praising your puppy and reinforcing a connection with good behaviour and rewards.

It is important to allow your puppy time alone, to get used to their own company and not be completely dependent on you. They also need some undisturbed rest time. An excellent tip when you are getting them used to being away from you is to place some stair gates around the house, to stop them being able to always follow you, and particularly if you have any glass doors (so they can still see you), close these behind you.

Over time you can build to closing non transparent doors and leaving the house, once your pet is used to you leaving the room, safe in the knowledge that you will return.

Socialising your puppy is extremely important. Early experiences before 13 weeks of age will set them up for life – whether to find new experiences exciting or frightening. Gentle introductions to the world, visiting new places and meeting new people, getting used to traffic and loud noises, as well as meeting other animals is crucial early on.

Training can be hard, but it is important to keep at it and discourage your pet from puppy actions such as:

- Jumping up

- Mouthing

- Play biting

- Stealing

- Chewing

- Barking

- Pawing

- Begging

 

Never chastise your puppy as this can instil fear and worsen behaviours.

Instead, they usually perform an action because they get some positive reinforcement from it – usually in the form of interaction from us. So the best way to stop a behaviour, is to stop giving your puppy the attention from it.

Remove yourself or your puppy from the situation and repeat the action as many times as necessary for your pup to make the connection with cause and effect.

 

Contact us

We are always on hand for additional questions or to discuss any concerns.

The best way to contact us is via the phone for urgent issues or via email for non-emergency enquiries.

 

Phone: 02920 869928

Email: reception@caerphillyvets.com

Please allow up to three working days for a response to an email.