Puppy Care
Puppy Care
Caring for a Puppy
You are ready to welcome a new puppy in to your home. You are looking forward to many years with a loyal pet that will bring lots of joy to your family. Remember that you also have to make sure you offer your new pet the best start when it comes to their health.
Vaccinations
Vaccinations are very important when your puppy is young to prevent against a variety of diseases that can cause major health problems and even be fatal. Vaccinations that are recommended include: canine parvovirus, infectious canine hepatitis, canine distemper virus and infectious canine tracheobronchitis (kennel cough).
Vaccination Schedule for Puppies
First vaccination should be done at 6-8 weeks old
Second vaccination should be done at 10-12 weeks old
Third booster vaccination at 14 to 16 weeks.
Full protection from the diseases being vaccinated against only kicks in completely around 2 weeks after the final booster vaccination. Thereafter you need to vaccinate annually against infectious canine tracheobronchitis and have a core vaccine every three years. In some areas, vets may recommend the core on an annual basis instead to reduce the risk of parvo. If your puppy is not vaccinated, it is highly susceptible to these very contagious diseases which can be fatal if contracted. Due to the diseases being contagious, they can also be passed to other unvaccinated dogs and young puppies as well, resulting in a high death rate. Protect your puppy by following the suggested vaccinated schedule.
Worming
Most puppies are born with worms and if left untreated, they may become quite ill and can even die from a severe infestation. Puppies should be de-wormed regularly, every 2 weeks until they are 12 weeks old. Thereafter they should be wormed once a month until they are 6 months old. After this they should be de-wormed every 3 months if they are around small children or every six months for life.
De-Wormers are available as tablets or chews; some are for specific worm types or a combination tablet.
Ticks and Fleas
Fleas and ticks can cause a number of diseases in pets as well as skin irritations and allergic reactions. You may not notice the fleas but only see the results of the bites. Check the tick and flea treatments purchased to ensure they are safe for your pet. Some treatments can be used for dogs but not for cats. Ask your vet for advice if you are unsure. Treatments can include oral chews, tick and flea collars, sprays, rinses and spot on products.
Even if you have used preventatives, you should still check your pet often to make sure there is no infestation. This is important especially during tick season. Run your hand over the skin and feel for lumps. Ticks are usually found around the neck, head and ears but can be anywhere on the body.
Desexing
Desexing helps reduce a lot of inappropriate behaviour as well as the risk of illness in dogs. Desexing reduces urination as territorial marking, less wandering and fighting with other dogs, no unwanted litters of puppies and may also prevent the development of other behavioural problems. Desexing also helps reduce the risk of infections such as pyometra as well as certain cancers. The age of desexing should be a discussion between yourself and your vet as to what is best for your situation and the pets health.
Your puppy would be brought in on the morning of the surgery (should not have eaten since the night before) and will be desexed under general anaesthetic. They will usually be released the afternoon of the same day or perhaps the day after depending on their health and general condition after surgery.
Microchipping
Microchipping involves a tiny chip being placed under the skin of the neck, between the shoulder blades. Puppies should be microchipped on or before change of ownership. If your puppy is lost and found for any reason, a vet or animal shelter will scan the puppy to get the unique code which will link back to you as the owner. There is an New Zealand-wide registry so your puppy would be linked back to you no matter where he or she is found. If you are not sure about whether or not your puppy is chipped, ask the vet to scan and check for you. Remember to change your details on the registry if you happen to move or change your phone number. You may also need to register your pet with the local council at 3 months old. The fee is usually cheaper for a desexed puppy. Update your details with the local council as well so you can be reunited with your puppy.
Diet and Nutrition
There are many commercial brands of puppy and dog food on the market today. Most of the premium-grade brands are designed to meet the exact nutritional requirements of your pet. Quality may vary from brand to brand, but most of the premium brands are made from high quality ingredients. Use a premium brand for your puppy at least until six months old. For puppies that are likely to grow to 25kg or more, you should use a “large breed” formulation to reduce the risk of problems with skeletal development and issues later in life.
Your puppy will initially be eating 3 small meals every day. At around 3 to 4 months, you can change this to 2 meals per day. Once your pup reaches 6 months of age, you can go to one meal a day if preferred though most people stay on 2 meals a day until the puppy reaches its first birthday. The quantity to feed will differ from breed to breed and brand to brand. Check the recommended allowance according to the choice of food you are feeding. If you change brands of food, you need to replace the foods gradually over 4 to 5 days to prevent intestinal problems.
Training and Socialisation
A puppy is greatly influenced by its experiences during the first 16 weeks of life. This shapes the personality of your dog and will affect the behaviour of your pet once it is adult. This is why it is very important that your puppy is socialised with people and other dogs during this time. This will help prevent antisocial behaviour later on. Puppy preschools help your puppy socialise and learn manners and discipline in a controlled environment. The pups that attend all have to be vaccinated, which means there is less chance of the spread of contagious diseases than meeting random pets in public areas. The dog trainer is also there to ensure that pups interact in a positive way. Recommended basic training is from 12 to 16 weeks so your pet can finish the 4 weeks of training before 16 weeks of age. It is however, never too late to do some socialisation and training to improve general behaviour.
Toilet training your pet takes patience and positive reinforcement. Take your puppy outside after eating, sleeping and playing and at least every two hours when they are small as they need to urinate frequently. Take them to the designated area for them to do their eliminations and praise them once they have done so. You do not have to be overly enthusiastic with the praise, but have them associate this process with being good. Punishment for accidents does not work as they will generally not associate the punishment with the misdeed.
Jumping to get your attention is quite common and may be acceptable during play with other dogs. This is a behaviour that should be discouraged and is usually part of basic behavioural training. Digging is part of a puppy’s normal responses as it promotes thermoregulation and also provides comfort and shelter in some cases. Excessive barking can also be a problem. Barking is normal but it becomes a problem when the puppy barks all day. Check that the puppy is not in pain, anxious or bored as this can be a reason for excessive barking. Do not provide positive reinforcement by going to the puppy if it barks at night to soothe it. Talk to your trainer about the best way to combat annoying or destructive behaviour.
Pet Insurance
Pet care has become quite advanced over the years and there are generally many options available when it comes to treating pets that are injured or suffering from various illnesses. While the care has improved, there is no subsidised system available to pay for the treatments. A pet insurance may be an option to help you when it comes to paying for the cost of treatment. Most of these insurances reimburse up to 80% of the cost of treatment. Have a look at policy options to suit your requirements.
Kitten Care
Caring for a Kitten
Kittens are furry, friendly little balls of fluff and it is wonderful welcoming a new kitten in to your home. It is however, very important that you look at the best care for your new addition.
Vaccinations
The first step in protecting your kitty from dangerous diseases is to vaccinate. The minimum vaccinations should include feline calicivirus, feline herpes virus and feline panleukopenia virus. This helps protect them against potentially fatal diseases. Vaccinations should be done at 8 weeks, 12 weeks and 16 weeks. Then a vaccine a 1 year of age after this, adult cats should also be vaccinated every 3 years against calicivirus, feline herpes virus and panleukopenia.
Worming
Kittens can become sick and even die due to intestinal worms. Kittens should be dewormed every 2 weeks until they are 12 weeks old, then every month until 6 months of age. Thereafter they should be dewormed every 3 to 6 months for the rest of their life. There are different methods of treating worms either a tablet, or flea control drops that contain a partial wormer.
Desexing
Desexing reduces the instances of spraying, wandering and fighting in cats. It also prevents unwanted litters and often the development of behavioural problems in adult cats. Desexing also helps reduce the incidence of infections such as pyometra and certain cancers. Cats that are desexed are likely to live longer than those that aren’t. It is recommended that cats are desexed around 6 months of age.
The cat would be brought in on the morning of the surgery, having not eaten since the previous evening. The procedure is completed under general anaesthesia. The cat will usually be allowed to go home the same day or the following day depending on its general health after surgery.
Fleas and ticks
Fleas can cause allergic reactions and dermatitis in cats without you ever actually seeing the fleas. Flea treatments should be used every month to control and prevent flea infestations. Use a flea treatment specially formulated for cats as dog medications may be toxic in some cases. Rather prevent ticks through the use of spot-on treatments and sprays formulated for use on cats. Check your cat regularly for lumps on the skin which may be ticks, especially if they are exploring in long grass on farms. Ticks are usually found on the ears, head and neck but could be anywhere on the body.
Microchipping
Cats and kittens can be microchipped, both as a permanent form of identification, and to allow use of microchip-controlled cat doors and feeders. The chip is placed between the shoulder blades and under the skin of the neck. Vets and shelters scan this area when animals are brought in to obtain a serial number which is linked back to the owner of the cat. The serial number is registered in a nationwide database to help your pet be reunited with you no matter where it is found. You need to ensure that you keep your details up to date so you can be called if your pet is found. If you are not sure of whether your kitten is chipped or not, you can ask your vet to scan and check.
Behaviour and Training
Cats are far less responsive to behavioural training than dogs and generally prefer to do their own thing. You will however, with some perseverance, be able to teach your cat to use a litter tray, not use the couch as a scratching post and even to stay off the counters. Cats should not be punished for natural behaviour. Provide alternatives such as environmental enrichment and toys to encourage your cat to explore and enjoy the home while reducing unwanted behaviour. That being said, not all cats are the same and some may need professional advice to reduce unacceptable behaviours.
Toilet training is usually uneventful with kittens often training themselves. Start off by using the same litter as was used by the pet shop, breeder or shelter. You can mix in your preferred litter gradually if you want to change it, so you kitten gets used to the new textures and smells. There should always be 1 litter tray per cat plus 1 extra in the house. Keep them away from sleeping and feeding areas. Clean the trays at least once or twice per day. If trays are badly situated or not cleaned often enough, the kitten may end up eliminating in inappropriate places in the house.
Nutrition and diet
Premium kitten foods are made from quality ingredients and contain all the necessary nutrients for a growing kitten. Brands do vary in quality, but the premium brands usually offer the best all round nutrition to meet the pet’s dietary requirements. The label of the food purchased should advise on the size of the serving based on age and size. If you change brands, make the change gradually over 4-5 days to prevent intestinal issues. A lean, muscular physique is optimal for your cat. Speak to your vet about how to maintain the best possible body weight and condition for your cat.
Boarding
If you go away on holiday, it is important to ensure your kittens comfort and safety while you are away. Some solutions include a pet sitter that can care for your cat in your home or have a family member or friend check in on your cat and do the day to day cleaning, feeding and so forth. You can also research catteries in your area that may be suitable to take care of your furball while you are gone.
Pet Insurance
There is a vast improvement in the choices for the care and treatment of injured or sick cats but they cost can be quite high. There is no government funding for pet care and you have to foot the entire bill. A pet insurance can help alleviate some of the stress by reimbursing up to 80% of the cost of the care. There are a number of different policies available. Choose one that suits your needs and your pocket.
