Puppy Care Package
Are you the proud owner of a new puppy? If so, you are probably looking forward to learning about the best ways to assure your new friend has a good start to a long and healthy life. Our puppy package was created with your puppy’s best interest in mind.
At Boulevard, we offer an affordable and complete puppy package. At each visit our package includes a fecal check for intestinal parasites, deworming, nail trim, and vaccinations. Our veterinarian will also conduct a full physical examination and consultation guiding nutrition, house training, and any other questions you may have about your new family member. Puppies can be born with heart murmurs, hernias, or cleft palates which can all be diagnosed upon physical examination. After examination our veterinarian will discuss any necessary treatment.
When puppies are born they can have intestinal parasites like hookworms, roundworms that can be passed on from their mom. Because puppies can be born with intestinal parasites we recommend deworming them every three weeks until they are fourteen to sixteen weeks old, starting as early as six to eight weeks of age. A fecal examination allows our veterinarian to diagnose intestinal parasites by looking for microscopic eggs or spores in your puppies stool. Our puppy package includes a fecal floatation in house to check for any intestinal parasites including giardia and coccidia. Having intestinal parasites can cause lethargy, diarrhea, vomiting, and stunted growth which is why we deworm at each puppy visit, and always stress the importance of parasite prevention.
Puppy immune systems are not well developed, therefore we must booster their vaccinations every three weeks to stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies. Our puppy package will make it easy and affordable to protect against disease and infections with a series of recommended vaccines. Puppies receive a series of vaccines given three to four weeks apart beginning six to eight weeks of age. From the first puppy visit to the last, our puppy package includes initial vaccinations and any necessary boosters for:
- Distemper/Parvo
o Combination vaccine protecting against four different viruses: Distemper, CanineAdenovirus Type 2, Parvovirus, and Parainfluenza virus.
▪ Canine Distemper is a highly contagious and life threatening disease in puppies and adult dogs which has no cure. This disease is caused by a virus which affects the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and nervous system.
▪ Parvovirus is a highly contagious and life threatening virus in puppies affecting the gastrointestinal system causing fever, vomiting, often bloody diarrhea, and dehydration.
▪ Canine Adenovirus Type 2 is a highly contagious disease in puppies and adult dogs which affects the liver and respiratory system.
▪ Canine Parainfluenza is a virus in puppies and adult dogs which can lead to pneumonia and causes symptoms like fever, runny eyes, lethargy, and loss of appetite.
- Bordetella
o Protects against Kennel Cough which is a highly contagious respiratory virus that causes inflammation of the upper respiratory system.
- Leptospirosis
o Leptospirosis is a contagious disease caused by a bacteria that can be found in water and soil, and can cause kidney and liver failure. Leptospirosis is zoonotic disease ,which means it can be spread from animals to humans.
- Rabies
o Rabies is one of the most fatal viruses that attacks the central nervous system. Rabies is a zoonotic disease which means it can be spread from animals to humans. There is no cure for Rabies which is why it is required by law in most states.
Lyme and Canine Influenza vaccine are not included in the puppy package, but we do recommend these vaccines based on your pet’s lifestyle and geographic location.
At your puppies first visit you will receive a free sample of heartworm prevention, flea and tick prevention. Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal disease that is caused by a parasitic worm that infects the major blood vessels, lungs, and heart. These worms are transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. Fleas and ticks can cause many problems for your puppy as well. Using a flea and tick preventative can help your puppy avoid a flea infestation which can cause anemia, hot spots, skin infections, tapeworms, and tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease, Ehrlicia, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. These diseases can all be easily prevented by getting your puppy vaccinated, bringing your adult dog in annually for vaccine boosters, and making sure they stay on heartworm and flea/tick preventative. We believe prevention is always better than treatment which is why our focus is to provide a full spectrum of preventative care for our patients.
We also include nail trims at each visit in our package. We clip the nails at each visit so that your puppy will get used to the sensation of our staff handling their feet. Acclimating your puppy to nail trims early in life is important to help them learn to cooperate and enjoy their regular pedicures!
Once your puppy is an appropriate age we highly recommend to have them spayed or neutered. Every year, approximately 1.2 million dogs are euthanized in the U.S. due to overpopulation, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). You can make a difference by being a responsible pet owner. Spaying or neutering your puppy can prevent unwanted pregnancies. Spaying will stop female dogs from going into heat while also helping to prevent uterine infections like pyometra, and mammary gland cancer. Male dogs benefit from neutering as they will be less likely to commit territorial behavior such as urinating/marking in the house. Neutering also reduces the risk of testicular tumors and prostate hyperplasia which causes difficulty urinating and blood in the urine. A decline in aggressive behavior post neuter surgery is also often observed.
Puppies are at a delicate life stage that requires a little extra attention. We look forward to helping you set up a solid foundation for lifelong preventative care for your new family member.