ALSAGER ANIMAL CARE CENTER

ALSAGER ANIMAL CARE CENTER

Preventative Care: Puppies and Dogs

    A happy healthy puppy or dog is what everyone wishes for. The sweet smell of puppy breath or the lavish kisses with dog breath are always welcome for a dog lover. To keep your tail wagging, slipper fetching friend healthy, they require routine veterinary care.
    Our goal is to provide the necessary care for your dog, and educate you on how to properly care for your companion from the puppy to the golden years.
   On your first visit with your new puppy/dog please bring a fresh stool sample and any previous records you may have. Also remember to keep your dog on a leash or in your lap to prevent any problems. Even if your dog is friendly, other dogs may not think so.

Puppies: Usually the first visit to the veterinarian is around 8 weeks of age. At this time your puppy will begin a series of vaccines to help boost its immune system. The vaccines are given at 3 week intervals until the puppy reaches the age of approximately 16 weeks.

Dogs: Adult dogs need routine veterinary care, too. They need yearly vaccines to protect them from certain diseases. Dogs who are socially active, travel, board, or see the groomer also need certain vaccines to lower their risk of exposure to disease. Most dogs only require annual visits to the veterinarian. However, some may need to be seen more often if there are health concerns.

Below is a list of vaccines and procedures we routinely recommend for our canine patients.

Physical Examination: A yearly physical is very important for your dog's health. During the physical the doctor will examine your dog from its wet nose to its wagging tail. The doctor will share any abnormal physical findings and address any of your concerns at this time.

Heartworm Test: We recommend testing any dog over the age of 6 months annually for heartworm disease. We simply draw a small amount of blood for this test. Heartworm disease is transmitted by mosquitoes. Even dogs who spend a majority of their time indoors are at risk.

Fecal Test: We recommend testing a fecal sample yearly to look for intestinal parasites. Puppies sometimes have intestinal parasites at birth. Adult dogs can get intestinal parasites from infected feces from another dog. Intestinal parasites are easily treated with medication.

Canine Distemper Vaccine: The distemper vaccine we currently give is actually a five-in-one vaccine. It protects your pet against distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parainfluenza, and parvo. Many of these diseases can be life threatening if your dog is infected. Puppies and dogs with poor immune systems are at a higher risk of infection.

Corona Vaccine: Corona is the adult dog version of parvo. It can be serious. We recommend that socially active dogs who are around other dogs, i.e.: dog parks, boarding, groomers-be vaccinated for this disease.

Bordetella: There are many strains of canine bordetella. We vaccinate for the most common strains. Bordetella is an air borne disease that is quite infectious. It causes upper respiratory symptoms sometimes accompanied by a cough. Dogs who go to a kennel or board are at the highest risk for exposure.

Rabies: Michigan State law requires that all dogs over 4 months of age be vaccinated against rabies. Puppies receive a 1 year vaccine for their first series. After that the next rabies vaccine given is good for 3 years. Please note- some states where rabies is prevalent require the rabies vaccine to be given yearly.

Lymes: Lymes disease has become more prevalent in the past few years. There is currently a vaccine that will help protect your dog against this disease. If you travel out of state, or into areas where deer ticks are prevalent your dog is at risk.

Heartworm Preventative: Our practice currently recommends year round heartworm preventative. Not only does this protect dogs against heartworm during mosquito season, but it also prevents several intestinal parasites year round. There are many different types of preventatives on t e market today. Our staff will discuss which preventative fits your needs.

Flea Preventative: Flea control is a very important part of maintaining a healthy pet. Not only can fleas spread to other pets, but they can also cause severe skin problems for your dog. Some dogs are also very allergic to even just one flea bite, thus making them quite miserable. Ask our staff which flea control is best for your pet's lifestyle.