Have you ever wondered how often you should take your dog to the vet? Don’t worry, this question is quite normal, even for experienced dog owners.
Introduction
If our four-legged friend is healthy and happy, we are tempted to leave them alone and not take them to the vet for a routine check-up or a preventive vaccine for a disease that, maybe our puppy will never get. However, this approach does not take into account an important aspect: what is best for our dog.
Let’s find out together how often we should take our dogs to the vet and for what.
Dewormings
The first deworming is done at the age of 3 weeks. If the puppy eliminates worms (you’ll notice them in the stool), the deworming is repeated every 2 weeks until the age of 2 months. For adult dogs (>1 year old) a routine deworming is usually done every 5 months. Always check in with your vet to find out what’s the best deworming scheme for your dog.
Vaccinations
Vaccines are mandatory, and the routine vaccination scheme protects your dog against life-threatening diseases such as rabies and parvovirus. A vet can determine the best possible scheme for your dog and provide an appropriate explanation regarding each individual vaccine. On top of those mandatory vaccines, you can also opt for “extras” such as a viral respiratory infections vaccine (for puppies over the age of 2 months) or a Lyme disease vaccine, both of which need to be repeated annually. A local vet can inform you about the infectious diseases present in your area and provide advice regarding what additional vaccines would be beneficial for your pup.
Delousing
Until the age of 2 months, a puppy can be deloused (if necessary) with the use of sprays or powders. Ask your veterinarian how long the puppy will be protected from external parasites and write it down in your personal calendar, so you know when you need to come back for another preventive treatment.
Grooming
Here we can include cleaning the ears, trimming the nails, and emptying the perianal glands. Ideally, the puppy’s ears should be cleaned weekly to keep them clean and avoid ear infections. With a little guidance from your vet, you can learn how to clean your dog’s ears yourself or you can go to dog salons that offer ear grooming as part of the cleaning package.
Bone and joint developement
Medium, large and giant dog breeds usually need vitamins (A, B, C, and D) and mineral supplements (calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, etc.) to ensure the normal development of their bones and joints. Weak joints can cause pain and mobility issues.
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Terms & Conditions
The information, guidance and recommendations contained on website or printable materials (in brief, “info”) are based on ROLDA understanding of good practice for animal welfare emergency planning.
ROLDA uses all reasonable efforts to ensure that the info is accurate at the time it is published.However, ROLDA makes no guarantees as to the accuracy, completeness or reliability of the Information and does not commit to keeping the Information updated.
ROLDA excludes all liability of any kind whatsoever (including negligence) for loss, injury or damage (whether direct, indirect, or consequential, and whether foreseeable or not) suffered by any person or animal resulting in any way from the use of or reliance on the info.
The info is of a general nature only and is not intended to cover every emergency situation. In no way should the info be seen as a replacement for specialist advice. Please contact your vet for specific advice regarding your pet(s).