Puppy Health Care in Yorktown, VA

The examinations and procedures listed below can drastically reduce your puppy’s risk of developing serious and sometimes fatal diseases. Puppies should be seen every 3 weeks starting at 5-6 weeks and extending to 14 weeks. The number of vaccines given is not as important as the age when the last vaccine is given. The last vaccine should be given when the puppy is 14 weeks of age or older.

Contact us online or call (757) 384-9399 to learn more about how we can help treat your canine partner.

Vaccinations

Vaccinations are an important part of your puppy’s health care program. Puppies, which are allowed to nurse, absorb antibodies from their mother’s colostrum (the first secretions from the mammary gland). These antibodies defend against disease until the puppy’s immune system is able to do so. Puppies need vaccinations to stimulate their immune system as soon as the protective level of their maternal antibody diminishes (starting at approximately 6 weeks of age). Your puppy needs to be vaccinated against the following potentially fatal and contagious diseases:

• D– Canine Distemper Virus – a viral disease that affects the respiratory system, brain and intestines.
• H– Infectious Canine Hepatitis – a viral disease affecting the liver, kidneys and eyes.
• P– Parainfluenza – a viral disease that affects the respiratory tract and a component of “K9 Cough”.
• P– Parvovirus – a viral disease affecting the intestine, bone marrow, lymph tissues, and heart muscle.
• Rabies– a virus affecting the brain of all warm-blooded animals – fatal, and state law requires that the first vaccine be given between 12 and 16 weeks of age.
• Bordetella – a bacterial component of “K9 Cough” or Infectious Canine Tracheobronchitis.

Other Health Care

• Heartworm Disease is transmitted to a dog through a bite from an infected mosquito. The larvae are deposited under the dog’s skin and travels through the blood stream to the heart where the larvae mature into adult worms. The adults reproduce and release microfilariae (baby heartworms) into the dog’s circulation after about 6 months from the time of infection. Therefore, testing puppies less than 6 months of age is unnecessary. Oral prevention is needed year round in Virginia to avoid infection. Prevention should be started at 6-8 weeks of age.
• Intestinal Parasites are very common in puppies. Some of these parasites can be transmitted to humans. Puppies should be checked and de-wormed on every visit for intestinal parasites such as round and hookworms. This is achieved by microscopic examination of a fresh stool sample.
• Ovariohysterectomy (spaying) of females should be performed after 4 months of age. Spaying is extremely important in preventing serious diseases such as breast cancer (the most common cancer in unspayed dogs), uterine cancers, and life threatening uterine infections.
• Castration (neutering) of males should be performed after 4 months of age. These procedures will prevent common, serious diseases associated with the reproductive system, and may prevent behavior problems.

Adult Canine Health Care

The examinations and procedures listed below can drastically reduce your dog’s risk of developing serious and sometimes fatal diseases.

Vaccinations

Vaccinations are an important part of your dog’s health care program. Your dog’s immune system responds to the vaccine as if it were the disease-causing organism and produces specific antibodies against it. These antibodies protect your pet if it encounters the active organism, thus helping prevent illness. Your dog needs to be vaccinated against the following potentially fatal and contagious diseases:

• D – Canine Distemper Virus – a viral disease that affects the respiratory system, brain, and intestines.
• H – Infectious Canine Hepatitis – a viral disease affecting the liver, kidney and eyes.
• P – Parainfluenza – a viral disease that affects the respiratory tract.
• P – Parvovirus – a viral disease affecting the intestine, bone marrow, lymph tissue, and heart muscle.
• Rabies– a virus affecting the brain of all warm-blooded animals – fatal – vaccines are required by state law (every 3 years after the first annual vaccine).
• Bordetella – also known as kennel cough: A highly contagious respiratory infection.

Other Health Care

• Heartworm Disease is transmitted to a dog through a bite from an infected mosquito. The larvae is deposited under the dog’s skin and travels through the blood stream to the heart where the larvae mature into adult worms. The adults reproduce and release microfilariae (baby heartworms) into the dogs circulation 6-7 months after infection. Therefore, testing puppies less than 6 months of age is unnecessary. Oral prevention is needed year round in Virginia to avoid infection.
• Wellness Bloodwork and Urinalysis Screening – annually for pets under 7 years; every 6 months when 7 years and over. Remember that one year of our pets life is equivalent to 5 to 15 of our years. That means that disease can seem to develop very fast. The earlier we detect problems, the better the prognosis. Since our pets can’t tell us when they do not feel well, laboratory screening becomes very important.
• Intestinal Parasites are very common in dogs. Some of these parasites can be transmitted to humans. Dogs should be checked and de-wormed on each visit for intestinal parasites such as round and hookworms. This is achieved by microscopic examination of a fresh stool sample.
• Ovariohysterectomy (spaying) of females should be performed after 4 months of age. Spaying is extremely important in preventing serious diseases such as breast cancer (the most common cancer in unspayed dogs), uterine cancers, and life threatening uterine infections.
• Castration (neutering) of males should be performed after 4 months of age. These procedures will prevent common and serious diseases associated with the reproductive system. These procedures will prevent common, serious diseases associated with the reproductive system, and may prevent behavior problems.