The most important thing that you can do for your dog is to see your veterinarian regularly to provide good dog health care. It is so important to establish a good
working relationship with your vet. The veterinarian and staff can be a wealth of information and have access to many resources for you and your pet.

So the first thing you want to do when you bring a puppy or dog home is to take them to the veterinarian for an exam. Part of that care will be a complete exam and then your dog will need to be vaccinated regularly.

Vaccinations

Puppies start with a series of vaccinations beginning at 6 to 8 weeks of age, then again at 10 to 12 weeks of age, and the final series is given between 14 to 16 weeks of age. Then your dog will need annual boosters as recommended by your veterinarian thereafter.

Vaccinations protect your dog from very serious diseases. All dogs will be required by law to have a rabies vaccination and to be registered with their state. They may also need to have a state license. Your veterinarian can advise you on this.

Heartworm Disease

Heartworm disease is transmitted by mosquitoes. So your dog will need to be treated with a heartworm preventive medicine. They are also at risk of getting
Hookworms and Roundworms. These two parasites are also transmittable to people. Prevention of these diseases can be easy if you follow the advice of veterinarian. I give my dogs Heartgard monthly to prevent heartworms, hookworms and roundworms because this is what my vet recommended.

Fleas and Ticks

Fleas and ticks can be a nuisance but also carry dangerous diseases. These dangerous diseases can also be transmitted to you. It is very important to prevent and rid your dog of these nasty pests. There are many products on the market to prevent and rid your dog of fleas and ticks.

Frontline is what I use for my dogs it has the dual protection of killing both fleas and ticks. Plus, I also use a collar that kills ticks. I’m in a heavily wooded area that
has tons of ticks so I need extra protection.

Before I added the Preventic collar my dogs would come in with 10 to 20 ticks on them including the little deer ticks that cause Lyme disease. The collar works for
three months and gives me the added protection that I need.

Spay and Neutering

As a responsible dog owner you will need to have your pet spayed or neutered. Your veterinarian will advise you of the best time to do this for your dog.

Microchipping

Another thing you may consider is having your pet mircochipped. This can be the best way to find you’re pet if they ever get lost. The number one cause of pet
death is getting lost. So the $50 or $60 this costs is well worth it. Also at many pet events they offer reduced fees for mircochipping.


Being a dog owner you take on the responsibility of the care and health of your new pet. Your dog is dependent on you to keep them healthy. It is important to
see a veterinarian regularly even if you think your dog is fine.

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