2 Reasons To Take Your Puppy To The Vet Soon After Adopting It
For many people, adopting a new puppy is an exciting event. However, it is important to make sure that your new canine companion is healthy. Here are a few reasons to take your puppy to the vet soon after you adopt it:
Vaccinations
Often, when you adopt a puppy, many of its shots have not yet been administered. In some cases, when a puppy is offered for free due to its mother's unexpected pregnancy, the puppy may not have received any medical attention. The owners of the puppy's mother may have simply weaned the pups and placed them up for adoption.
Since you can't be certain what types of diseases your puppy may have been exposed to before you came along, it is best to have your puppy vaccinated as soon as possible. Puppies receive antibodies from consuming colostrum from their mother. However, only antibodies for diseases for which the mother has been vaccinated or diseases to which she has been exposed are included in the pre-milk nourishment. Thus, if the puppy's mother has not been properly vaccinated, the puppy may have no protection from life-threatening diseases that are common to dogs.
Several vaccinations that are required for your puppy should be administered before it reaches 12 weeks of age. According to akc.org, these vaccinations should include immunizations for distemper, parainfluenza, measles, parvovirus and hepatitis.
Each disease your puppy receives a vaccination for could cause dire consequences in an unvaccinated animal. For instance, distemper and parvovirus often result in death. In fact, parvovirus can kill your puppy within about 72 hours due to the extreme dehydration associated with the illness.
Health Assessment
It is important for the health of your puppy to be assessed quickly so that any necessary medical treatment can be promptly received. A puppy's health condition can decline if treatment for some issues, such as infections and worm infestations, is not received.
During a puppy's initial visit to the vet, it will be weighed. In addition, the veterinarian will listen to the puppy's lungs and heart using a stethoscope. Also, the puppy's temperature will be taken, and its nose, genitals, ears and eyes will be examined. The veterinarian may also ask you to bring along a sample of your puppy's stools so that the feces can be assessed for worms.
If you have recently adopted a puppy, schedule a veterinary visit with a local vet or animal hospital in your area as soon as possible.
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