Info

Dr. Doron Neri, Veterinarian

         
Vaccinations                                                                                                         
The first step in taking care of your dog is making sure he/she is healthy. If you vaccinate your dog as required, the chances of it becoming ill with a serious disease are slim. Until the dog is vaccinated, he/she is vulnerable to different diseases, and it's enough for your dog only to come in contact with another dog's feces to become seriously ill. It is strongly recommended to keep him/her indoors until after the third vaccination is given. Here are the instructions to follow in order to keep your puppy healthy and happy.

There are three options according to your dog's age:                                   

1. If the dog is between the ages of 6-8 weeks, it will be given the Parvo vaccine.
Two weeks later, the dog will be given the DHLP vaccine.
After two more weeks, the dog will be given the Booster shot
After two further weeks, the dog will be given the Rabies vaccine and the microchip
The last vaccine is at the age of 4 months and one week and it is the Live Parvo and the spirocerca lupi (the park worm) vaccine.
If the puppy is of pure breed, it is recommended to vaccinate at the age of 5 months with Live Parvo
2. If the dog is between 8 weeks to 5 months of age, it will be given the DHLP vaccine. Two weeks later, it will receive the booster shot. After another two weeks, will receive the Rabies vaccine and the microchip.
The last vaccine at the age of 4 months and one week will be Live Parvo and spiricerca lupi (the park worm) vaccine

3. If the dog is 5 months of age and more, it will be given DHLP vaccine, and after two weeks, will receive the booster shot and the spirocerca lupi (the park worm). Two weeks later, it will receive the Rabies vaccine and the microchip        

Worms

There are two types of worms that exist in dogs: Tape worms and Round worms.  A puppy can get worms from its mother, while in older dogs they usually come from fleas. Round worms can pass on to people, (especially children). The treatment against worms is either by pills or by syrup. We recommend the first treatment against worms to be given at the age of   6-8 weeks and again after two weeks, along with the vaccine.
It is important to keep in mind that tape worms come from fleas, and a regular treatment is necessary for prevention.

Fleas and Ticks.

  Most dogs that go for walks outside and socialize with other dogs will probably get fleas. There are many products to treat your dog against fleas and ticks; here are some we recommend:

 

Bravecto. A new pill, by MSD the American drug company, excellent for the prevention of fleas and ticks, lasts for three months, and can be administered along with any vaccine.

Seresto collar.  An odorless collar by Bayer.  Effective for both fleas and ticks. The collar is good for 7-8 months and is water resistant.

Advocate.  Advocate spot on, also a product of Bayer are drops that are administered on the dog's skin by separating the fur in three different places along the back.

Trifexis.  Trifexis is a pill administered once a month, effective for fleas, it is given with food and has to be separated from the park worm shot by two weeks.

BATHING. 
Dogs have a naturally oily coating on the skin, which is why it recommended to bath them as little as possible. Unless the dog is filthy or has a foul odor, you should not bath more than once every 2 to 3 months. Puppies should not be washed before the age of 3 months. You should only use a special shampoo for dogs; there is also a special shampoo for puppies.
Feeding Good nutrition is very important for the health of your puppy. Canned food is also recommended to give your dog along with the dry food.

Recommended food companies are:

Euknoba
Hill's vet essentials
Hill's science plan
Royal canin
Purina pro-plan

Until the dog is one year old, you should purchase puppy food

FORBIDDEN FOODS: You should never feed your dog: bones, sweets, salty and spicy food, onions, garlic, broccoli, avocado and chocolate, grapes and raisins. It is also forbidden to give human medications to dogs without consulting a veterinarian.

FEEDING TIMES AND QUANTITIES: The number of times a day you should feed your dog depends on his age:
Up to 3 months you should feed 3-4 times a day                                     from 3-6 months you should feed 3 times a day                                      From 6 months to one year you should feed twice a day.                      
The quantities of food you should give your dog, depends on his size and the dog's metabolism and the brand of food you give. (You can see on the food package the quantities your dog needs to eat per day).  There is no need for vitamins and calcium if you keep your dog on a healthy and balanced diet with the dog food.

SEXUAL MATURITY

Dogs usually reach their sexual maturity by the age of six months. There are two options to deal with it.
1. Spay for the female dog and castration for the male dog is the preferable option if you don’t want to breed them. It is recommended to spay the female at the age of 6 months and to castrate the male between six months to one year of age.
2. The natural way: supervision while the female is in heat, which is very difficult to do because the female has a tendency to run away. In addition there is also bleeding and many male dogs barking and waiting day and night near your home. Also, she is more likely to develop cancer in the mammary glands or infection of the uterus.

We hope this information will be useful to you for taking care of your new family member. If you still have questions, don’t hesitate to call us at: 03-5403368. We answer day and night to this number.
You can also visit our web site at: www.vets.co.il