Category: Puppy

Puppy Care Guide

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Whether you are exploring the options of adding a furry companion to your family, or have recently purchased a new puppy, this guide will help you with some health and behaviour tips for all this puppy care! There is nothing better than bringing your new bundle of fluff home and witnessing all those crazy puppy antics. It is exciting shopping for bowls and bed and collars and toy, but what else may your pup need? Fear not, we will help with advice about health care and parasite preventatives, pet insurance and how to avoid separation anxiety.

Bringing them home

Firstly, you want to set up a living space where you puppy can safely stay and settle into their new environment. This may be a puppy pen or small room with anything dangerous that they may like to try and chew removed from sight. Puppies are curious creatures and like to explore and discover the world with multiple senses including smell and taste and therefore they do enjoy putting things in their mouths!

They should have a cosy sleeping area where they can sleep and rest with some safe puppy toys to entertain and comfort them. You may want to consider crate training your new pup as this can have many advantages! Crate training can assist with toilet training, help them settle in and feel secure in their new home. It can prevent some unwanted behaviour problems such as separation anxiety and it allows a safe place for them to stay when they are unsupervised. It can contain their bed and allow them space to move around but not be too large that they use it as their toilet!

Pet Insurance

This is an ideal time to consider the need for pet insurance. There are a few reasons that puppyhood is a great time to take out a pet insurance policy which you can tailor to your needs.

  1. Pet insurance will exclude any pre-existing conditions. For example, if your pet has been diagnosed with a problem before taking out pet insurance such as hip dysplasia, then you will not be able to claim for this when you purchase a policy. Therefore, taking out pet insurance when your pet is a young puppy before any accident or illness has occurred is likely to be most financially beneficial. Pre-existing condition can also be an illness that has not yet been diagnosed, so please see the PDS for more details about pre-existing conditions.
  2. Puppies can be accident and illness prone such as eating things they shouldn’t which may get stuck in their gut and requiring surgery which may cost thousands of dollars. They can also get injured due to their naivety; getting hit by cars or bitten by other dogs, bitten by snakes, and stung by bees, just to name a few! This again can prove costly especially if not budgeted for, so pet insurance will give you peace of mind that your pup can have the lifesaving treatment they require.
  3. Some dogs are going to acquire costly medical conditions that are not preventable, such as allergic skin disease or diabetes, both of which can involve multiple ongoing medications and treatments, and again having pet insurance before this occurs is likely to be highly financially valuable.

Nutrition – What should I feed my pup?

There are so many great options out there that it can be very overwhelming on what to choose to feed your puppy.

You need to feed something formulated for growth (a puppy food) and one that is complete and balanced. I like to recommend premium diets as they are designed to be nutrient-dense, highly digestible and also contain antioxidants which help to strengthen your pup’s immunity.

Higher-end premium pet food brands conduct laboratory analyses and feeding studies to determine the optimum levels of nutrients in their food, as well as regular batch testing to ensure consistency. My favourite recommendations are Royal Canin, Hills and Advance.

Natural diets are great because they often focus on diets free of artificial colours, flavours and preservatives. Some provide options for quality limited ingredients, single/novel proteins and grain free. Premium natural dog food brands are complete and balanced as they still utilise the scientific knowledge gathered about pet nutrition to manufacture their diet.

For a home-made diet, it is recommended that a veterinary nutritionist is consulted. Many popular home-made diet recipes have been shown to be imbalanced. Commercially available diets are not perfect, however it is often the best and most practical option we have at the moment.

You can also discuss this with your vet when you take your pup for their vaccination if you are unsure or overwhelmed by all the wonderful options available!

Toilet Training

Toilet training can be quite a daunting and frustrating time for new puppy owners but having some plans in place can make for a more successful time.

I would recommend considering crate training your puppy, like I mentioned above, as this will provide a safe haven for them and prevents accidents when you are unable to supervise them.

Dogs prefer not to toilet near where they sleep and so they will likely not toilet in their crate if it is the correct size for their breed. They need enough space to be able to be able to stand up and turn around in but not too large that they can toilet in it! First thing in the morning you should take your puppy out and place them where you want them to toilet and you can give them a command such as the word “toilet” and them praise them with pats, lots of positive talk and even treats when they go in the correct place. Positive reinforcement, repetition and time is the key!

Tip: Take your puppy out to toilet every few hours and especially once they have woken up, recently eaten or drank some water.

Don’t scold or tell off your puppy if they go to the toilet in the wrong place as this can cause fear and anxiety for them. Ideally clean it up as quickly as possible and use an enzymatic cleaner to avoid the urine or faeces scent from attracting your puppy back to that spot next time they need to go.

Parasite Preventatives – all things worms, fleas and ticks

Intestinal worms

Due to their smaller size and immature immune system, puppies are particularly sensitive to parasite infestations. It is therefore recommended to worm your puppy every 2 weeks until 12 weeks of age and then monthly for life. Monthly deworming is for roundworm, hookworm and whipworm. Deworming your puppy is imperative as heavy worm burdens can be life threatening and some intestinal worms are zoonotic meaning your pup can spread the parasite to you! For adult dogs we recommend 3 monthly tapeworm protection unless dogs are exposed to offal, raw meat, carcasses and hunting and if this is the case, they should then have a tapewormer every 6 weeks.

Heartworm

Heartworm is a parasite that is spread by infected mosquitos and prevention of this parasite is much less risky than treatment which can be costly and even deadly. It is more prevalent in the tropical and warmer climates and even indoor pets can be affected due to mosquitos finding their way inside. Prevention is in the form of an annual heartworm injection by your vet or a monthly spot on or tablet.

Fleas

This dreaded parasite can cause a lot of problems for your puppy and again prevention is easier and more efficient than trying to treat and control a flea burden in your house! Fleas suck blood and in puppies who have a heavy flea burden this blood loss can even lead to anaemia. It can also be challenging to control fleas when they are in your environment as a female flea lays up to 50 eggs a day meaning that 1 flea can become one million fleas in as little as 6 weeks! We therefore recommend flea prevention is used year-round and can be combined with tick prevention and worming or separate products. It is available in tablet form or a spot on preparation.

Ticks

There are 3 main tick species that can affect puppies in Australia, namely the brown dog tick (which can transmit the tick-borne disease Ehrlichiosis), the bush tick and deadly paralysis tick. Paralysis ticks are mainly found along the East Coast of Australia, from North Queensland to East Victoria. Again prevention is better than the cure and there are many products available that can kill or repel ticks and some are safe to use on puppies from 8 weeks of age.

Dental Health

Now is a great time to introduce a dental care plan for your puppy!

If you can get your pup used to assessing and touching their mouth at this early stage, this will help with them accepting toothbrushing and enjoying the time with you!

I recommend to start off with having them lick some flavoured toothpaste off your finger and once they are comfortable with this you can get them to lick some off a fingerbrush. After a week of doing this touch the fingerbrush to their top front teeth for them to lick off and slowly start brushing their teeth. Take things very slow and do be aware that their gums can be sensitive during teething (which happens in puppies from about 4-6 months of age). Chewing on safe puppy dental toys and chews is also useful.

Dental disease is one of the most common health issue I see in clinical practice, formulating a plan of how to best prevent and treat this is both beneficial for any future pain and discomfort for your pup and has financial benefits for you in the longer-term!

Socialisation

This is SUPER important for puppies especially in the first few weeks of owning them.

Puppies need vaccinations starting at 6-8 weeks so socialisation may need to happen at puppy classes. Puppy pre-school offers a safe and supervised environment where your puppy can meet different breeds of puppies, other people and learn some basic obedience too! Puppies have a “critical socialisation period” at about 3-17 weeks of age and experiences during this time can help to shape and influence their behaviour into adulthood. It is also important to expose them to different people as well as sounds and noises in a safe and calm environment and provide plenty of positivity and praise.

We recommend training using positive reinforcement and reward-based training as this helps set your puppy up to succeed, it is enjoyable for them (what puppy doesn’t enjoy a tasty liver treat?) and enhances the bond between yourself and your puppy.

Leaving your puppy alone and preventing separation anxiety

There will be times when you need to leave your puppy alone – this is perfectly okay and good for them.

Initially you should start with short periods of time, gradually increasing over time. You can leave your pup with some puppy safe toys that they can play with, ideally have a play with some exercise before you leave so they are worn out and want to rest while you are away.

This system of slowly increasing time alone will set them up to realise that time away from you is okay, and that you will return, and it can help prevent separation anxiety later in life.

Vaccination and Microchipping

Puppies are prone to several infectious diseases, so vaccinations are imperative to keep them safe. Speak to your vet about your puppy’s vaccination schedule but usually puppies require a course of 3 vaccinations, a month apart starting at 6-8 weeks of age. In Australia puppies are usually vaccinated against Parvovirus, Distemper, Hepatitis and Canine Cough.

Your puppy will likely already have a microchip when you bring them home, but do check that this is the case. You also need to have the microchip registered on the relevant microchip register. Don’t forget to update your contact details if you move! This will ensure if they get accidentally lost that they are identifiable and you will be contacted.

Summary

Enjoy this time of them being a puppy as they grow up and change so quickly!

Document it with lots of photos to look back on to remember all of the memories of them being so small.

My top advice would be to ensure you adequately socialise them with other people and dogs when they are young, teach them basic obedience, how to walk well on a lead and consider taking out pet insurance for peace of mind 🙂

Dr Angie with Axel

Written by Dr. Angie, the brilliant veterinary mind behind Pet Circle Insurance. With over 15 years of experience in the veterinary field and hands-on experience in handling insurance claims, Angie is a trusted and reliable source of truth when it comes to all things pet-related. Her passion for small animal medicine, nutrition, and the human-animal bond shines through in her work with the Pet Circle Veterinary Squad, where she provides top-notch advice and support to pet owners.

Puppy Vaccination Guide

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It is such an exciting time welcoming a puppy into your life and there is nothing better than bonding with your new bundle of fluff! It can also be quite overwhelming in acquiring all the necessities to keep them happy and healthy. Fear not, this guide is designed to give you a helping hand with all things concerning puppy vaccination, how frequently they need them and how much they will cost.

Why does my puppy need vaccinations?

Vaccinations are a very important part of health care for your puppy as they help protect against and prevent some potentially fatal diseases. Initially your pup will acquire their antibodies to some diseases from their mum, but eventually these maternal antibodies will decrease and your pup will need to produce some of their own. Vaccinations will stimulate an immune response in your pup and their own antibodies against the diseases will be produced.

We don’t know exactly when mum’s antibodies will stop offering protection, hence we need to give a course of vaccinations to make sure all puppies are protected. Puppies are given a series of vaccinations not to “boost” the vaccine, but to ensure that a puppy’s Maternally Derived Antibodies (MDAs) do not override the vaccine.

A puppy’s mother will have antibodies against a variety of diseases that she would have been exposed to or have been vaccinated against. She passes these antibodies onto her puppy, but over a period of weeks these antibody levels drop and the puppy is no longer protected.

What are the different dog vaccines?

The core vaccine (which all dogs should receive) is known as the C3 vaccination and protects against Parvovirus, Distemper and Adenovirus. These diseases are still out there, and can be deadly and that is why it is so important to vaccinate your pup.

Non-core vaccines are administered depending on the risk (based on the dog’s lifestyle, location and risk of exposure to infection). A common non-core vaccine in Australia is one that protects against kennel cough (Canine parainfluenza virus and Bordetella bronchiseptica). The kennel cough vaccine together with the core C3 vaccine make up the C5 vaccination which is recommended for dogs who come into contact with other dogs.

The Leptospirosis vaccination is recommended for dogs who are in at-risk areas (speak to your vet if you are not sure about this).

There are different forms of vaccines such as injectable (usually given subcutaneously under the skin), intranasal (given into the nostrils) and oral (given into the mouth). Some vaccines are also longer-lasting than others meaning you only need to give one every 3 years as apposed to yearly. But the kennel cough vaccine needs to be given annually.

Vaccination Schedule

Puppies require a course of 3 vaccinations a month apart and these usually start at 6-8 weeks of age.

Puppy Vaccination Schedule*

6-8 weeks First Vaccination c3 vaccination
10-12 weeks Booster Vaccinationc5 vaccination
14-16 weeks Final puppy vaccinationc5 vaccination (depending on brand may just require c3)
Every year after Annual booster vaccinationDependant on brand
*Depending on the brand of vaccine your vet will tailor a vaccine program for your pup

Puppy vaccinations and socialisation

Puppies should have had all of their routine puppy vaccinations before going to public places like parks, as this will reduce their risk of coming into contact with other dogs or an environment that could harbour a source of infectious disease. The exception to this is puppy preschool, as it is conducted in a clean environment and all the puppies will have had at least their first vaccination.

Those first few weeks of bringing your puppy home is the prime period for socialisation. It is important to expose them to different humans, pets and novel situations (all in a positive way) to set them up to be a confident dog for life! This is when they do a lot of their learning and the more positive encounters with people and other dogs and pets will help them to have a well rounded approach to life.

Vaccine Preventable Diseases

Parvovirus

Canine Parvovirus causes a life-threatening diarrhoea. The virus destroys the lining of the intestinal tract, which leads to blood loss. The damage to the lining of the gastrointestinal tract also allows bacteria from the gastrointestinal tract to enter the general bloodstream, causing sepsis. Many dogs who contract parvovirus will die or become extremely unwell.
Furthermore Parvovirus is HIGHLY contagious. It is spread by exposure to contaminated faeces or grass and footpaths on which contaminated faeces have been deposited. It survives in the environment for years! Vaccination is critical for the prevention of Parvovirus in puppies.

Canine Distemper Virus

Canine Distemper Virus is contracted through contact with the respiratory secretions of infected animals. The virus spreads through the respiratory tract, and then through the bloodstream and to the central nervous system. This results in neurological abnormalities such as problems with movement and balance, twitching, and ultimately seizures, blindness and often death.
While Distemper was common in Australian domestic dogs in the 1960s and 1970s, rates of infection have dropped significantly due to effective vaccination programs. It is still, however, a serious threat to our domestic dogs because the disease persists in the wild canids such as foxes, wild dogs and dingoes.

Adenovirus

The virus is contracted through respiratory secretions from infected dogs. It localises in the tonsils from where it enters the bloodstream and travels to the liver, kidneys and eyes. The virus then replicates in the liver causing necrosis, which basically means that the liver tissue dies. Like Canine Distemper Virus, this virus has been almost eliminated from domestic dog populations through effective vaccination programs, but the virus is very resistant in the environment and may still be present in local wild dog populations.

Bordetella Bronchiseptica and Canine Parainfluenza Virus.

(These organisms are responsible for what is commonly referred to as “kennel cough”)

Bordetella bronchiseptica

This is a bacterial respiratory infection responsible for most of the clinical signs associated with “kennel cough.” It is caught the same way that we catch a cold, through airborne respiratory secretions. Dogs will pass it to each other at the dog parks when they sniff and lick each other.

Bordetella bronchiseptica is not life threatening, but it will cause a persistent honking cough, which many pet parents will confuse with choking. It also produces a mucus in the trachea which will be coughed up as a liquid froth, often giving the appearance of vomiting.

Vaccinated dogs can still become infected with Bordetella bronchiseptica, but the clinical signs will be milder than in unvaccinated dogs, your dog should still be bright and alert despite the presence of a cough. Unvaccinated dogs who become infected with Bordetella are susceptible to infection with secondary bacteria that can lead to serious pneumonia.

Canine Parainfluenza Virus

Like BordetelIa bronchiseptica, Parainfluenza is caught via airborne respiratory secretions. The virus replicates in the nasal passages, the pharynx, trachea and lungs, causing a persistent cough similar to that in patients with bronchitis.
Infections are generally not life-threatening, but vaccination is essential for dogs who socialise as they often touch noses or lick each other.

How much do vaccinations cost?

This can be very variable depending on the vaccine you are getting for your pup but expect to pay anywhere from $100-$150. This will include the coat of the vaccine as well as an examination of your puppy by the veterinarian.

Your puppy will likely have had their first vaccination and health check by a vet before you purchase them. But they will still require further vaccinations so don’t forget to check their vaccination card or health record to see when this is due.

Can puppies and dogs have adverse reactions to vaccinations?

Your pup or dog may experience a reaction to a vaccine as it causes immune stimulation. Extreme and potentially dangerous reactions are very rare with the advanced technology of the newer vaccines. Although an anaphylactic reaction is still possible and usually occurs very soon after the vaccine is given.

The most common reaction would be pain at the injection site, so refrain from touching your pup in this area for a day or two. Occasionally you may witness lethargy, a reduced appetite and a mild fever but treatment is often not required. If you are concerned about any potential side effects, do contact your vet for advice.

Tips for your first vet consult with your puppy

As mentioned vaccinations are both important to prevent diseases as well as decreasing the severity of some diseases. Another extremely important aspect is that your puppy will also receive a physical health examination with your vet. This gives your vet the opportunity to look for any developmental or congenital abnormalities and provides you with the opportunity to ask any questions you may have about caring for your puppy. We want this to be a very positive first experience for you and your puppy and there are some tips that can help achieve this goal.

  • Give your puppy the opportunity to toilet before travelling to the vet appointment
  • Place them in a suitable carrier or device that keeps them safe and secure
  • Take some treats with you to the consult to help associate the vet visit with positive rewards
  • Take all paperwork you may have including vaccine records and microchip information
  • Enquire what parasite preventative your puppy will require in your specific location
  • Discuss with your vet about puppy insurance

Dr Angie with Axel

Written by Dr. Angie, the brilliant veterinary mind behind Pet Circle Insurance. With over 15 years of experience in the veterinary field and hands-on experience in handling insurance claims, Angie is a trusted and reliable source of truth when it comes to all things pet-related. Her passion for small animal medicine, nutrition, and the human-animal bond shines through in her work with the Pet Circle Veterinary Squad, where she provides top-notch advice and support to pet owners.