Dog Preventive Health
Dog Preventive Health
What can I expect during a wellness visit for my dog?
During a wellness visit, your dog will receive a comprehensive examination. Your veterinary team will discuss recommended vaccines, flea tick and heartworm prevention, routine diagnostic testing, behavioral concerns and nutrition and results of exam.
What wellness care is recommended for my puppy?
We recommend that all puppies have a fecal exam performed at each wellness visit to check for intestinal parasites (worms). Most puppies are born with worms as they are passed from their mother during gestation and nursing. The most common intestinal parasites in puppies are roundworms and hookworms, for which they will receive a dewormer during their visit. We may recommend an additional deworming medication if additional worms (such as coccidia or giardia) are found during their fecal examination.
We also recommend that dogs not intended for breeding are spayed or neutered after 6-12 months of age. Owners of large breed dogs may want to wait until they are skeletally mature, however earlier spaying and neutering are recommended if your pet lives primarily outdoors because they are more likely to experience unintended breeding and male dogs who live outdoors are more likely to escape to find intact females. Your veterinarian can help guide you to make a specific decision for your pet.
Learn More about Spay and Neutering
We will also recommend vaccines during your dog’s wellness visit. DHLPP is a vaccine that protects your pup from distemper, lepto, adenovirus, parvo and parainfluenza. This is recommended in a series to all puppies and will be repeated after a year and then annually based on your dog’s risk factors.
The canine bordetella (kennel cough) vaccine helps to protect your dog against two of the most common cause of kennel cough, bordetella and parainfluenza. The bordetella vaccine is recommended for all puppies and for all adult dogs that spend time at boarding or grooming facilities, visit dog parks or travel with their owners outside their home.
The Lyme vaccine protects your dog against Lyme disease. Lyme disease is caused by a spirochete which is transmitted by ticks. If you and your dog spend a lot of time hiking, your veterinarian may recommend this vaccine.
Canine Influenza vaccine is recommended for all puppies and for all adult dogs that spend time at boarding or grooming facilities, visit dog parks or travel with their owners outside their home.
Rabies vaccine is required by law for all dogs 16 weeks and older.
For more information about dog vaccines, Read Here
What diagnostic tests are recommended for my dog during a wellness visit?
Fecal examinations are recommended for your dog to check for intestinal parasites. We routinely offer an in-house examination and we may recommend sending off a fecal PCR test if your pet has chronic diarrhea or other symptoms of intestinal parasites.
Heartworm testing is recommended annually for all dogs over 7 months of age. The American Heartworm Society also recommends testing dogs before changing types of heartworm prevention, and testing if your pet has missed doses in the past 6 months.
Your veterinarian may also recommend annual blood testing for your dog if there are any ongoing health concerns that are being monitored, or once your pet is 7 years or older.
How soon can we take a puppy in public?
Until your puppy has received all of his or her puppy vaccines, we recommend avoiding high traffic areas such as dog parks or rest areas. During this time, you can schedule “puppy play dates” with other dogs that you know are fully vaccinated and free of infection. Puppies are highly susceptible to contagious diseases such as parvoviral enteritis (parvo) which can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and may lead to sepsis if your pet is not promptly treated by a veterinarian.
Once your puppy’s vaccinations have been completed (usually around 16-18 weeks of age), ask your veterinarian if your puppy is ready to visit more high traffic areas. Your veterinarian may recommend waiting an additional 2-3 weeks to allow your puppy to mount an immune response after receiving their final puppy vaccines.
What breed is my dog?
At Springs Road Animal Hospital, we offer genetic health analysis and breed testing by Royal Canin. This test involves us collecting a sample of cheek cells from your dog’s mouth and sending it to the lab. It takes about 3-4 weeks for the results to be completed and sent to our office. The report will show the breed makeup of your pet, as well as any potential genetic health conditions that your dog may be at risk of developing.