Recommended Puppy Care

Core Vaccinations

A series of three "Distemper Group" vaccines (DHPP) is recommended for all puppies. This vaccination helps to prevent distemper virus, parvo virus, parainfluenza, and canine hepatitis. These vaccinations are given typically at 2, 3, and 4 months of age. This vaccine is repeated annually.

An intranasal vaccine against Kennel Cough (Bordatella/Parainfluenza) is recommended at either the 3 or 4-month visit. This vaccine is repeated annually.

A Rabies vaccine is given at 4 months of age. This vaccination is repeated in one year and then every 3 years after.

Additional Vaccinations

A Leptospira vaccine can be added to the Distemper Group of vaccines for dogs that hunt, live on a farm, or have other risk factors for Leptospira.

A Lyme disease vaccination is available. Because Lyme disease is  transmitted by deer ticks, our first recommendation is to prevent ticks from spreading Lyme's to your dog by applying flea and tick prevention on the skin monthly. We are recommending the use of flea and tick prevention year-round. See Parasite Prevention for more information.

Spaying and Neutering

If you are not planning to breed your dog, an ovariohysterectomy (spay) is recommended at about 6 months of age. Neutering of males is also recommended at approximately 6 months of age.

Permanent Identification/Lifetime Licensing

At the time your puppy is under anesthesia for the spay or neuter procedure, it is a good time to have some form of permanent identification placed on your pet. Nationally, fewer than half of lost dogs in animal shelters are ever reunited with their families. Collars and identification tags with names and phone numbers are a good first step, but collars can be lost or fall off.

A tattoo or microchip can be used to permanently identify your dog. A microchip is inserted under your puppy's skin. This microchip has a unique number, which can be read by a scanner at almost any veterinary clinic or animal shelter nationwide. Alternatively, your dog can receive a tattoo on the inside of the thigh, with a tattoo number issued by the county treasurer.

Licensing

All dogs over 12 weeks of age are required to have a county dog license. You may purchase annual Centre County dog licenses here at the hospital. The microchip can be used for Pennsylvania lifetime licenses. Lifetime Licenses can be purchased at the office of the county treasurer (for Centre County this is located at the Willowbank Building in Bellefonte). Fees for the license will vary.

Intestinal Parasites

A fecal sample should be checked on every new pet. Intestinal parasites are a very common problem among young animals. Therefore, it is recommended that a fecal sample be checked for the presence of parasites. See Parasite Prevention for more information.

External Parasites

The most commonly found external parasite in this area is the flea. There are a variety of products available for flea control. Other parasites to be watchful for include ticks, lice, and mites. See Parasite Prevention for more information. We recommend using flea/tick and heartworm preventives year-round to ensure full protection for your pet.

Heartworm Prevention

Heartworm Prevention should be started once your dog is older than 2 months of age. The preventative is given year-round to prevent hookworms and roundworms as well as heartworm disease. See Parasite Prevention for more information.

Nutrition

The following feeding schedule is recommended for puppies:

Age                                                        Number of feedings per day

<3 months                                                          4

3-6 months                                                         3

7-12 months                                                       2

>12 months                                                        1 (or 2)

A high quality puppy food (Growth Formula) is recommended for this time period (giant breeds should receive a high quality adult dog food or Iams Large Breed puppy food, or Hill's Large Breed puppy food). If table scraps and other treats are fed at all, they should be kept to a minimum (less than 5% of the diet). Extra vitamins and other supplements are not necessary if a good quality diet is fed.

Obedience Training

It is our recommendation that all dogs benefit from some form of obedience training. The best time to begin training your new puppy is right now! Socialization skills and good manners can be easily taught to most young puppies with positive reinforcement and gentle praise. Puppy Kindergarten classes are one of the best ways to start your new puppy off in the right direction.