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PUPPY CARE

Congratulations on your new puppy!

All of us at Blue Ridge Animal Clinic are excited to meet your new puppy! We are here to be sure your new puppy is healthy and to give your puppy the best healthy start in life. Please bring your puppy to us for a check-up as soon as possible for a puppy exam with one of our veterinarians.

Puppy Wellness Exams

Puppies require more frequent exams so that we can fully vaccinate your puppy and to be sure your puppy is healthy as he or she grows. At each puppy visit, our veterinarian will perform a comprehensive puppy exam, address any concerns you may have, and provide the information you need about your puppy’s development. Included in your puppy’s wellness exams:

• Vaccinations necessary for your puppy’s health and safety
• Heartworm prevention
• Internal and external parasite screening
• Deworming for internal parasites if needed
• Protection from external parasites such as fleas and ticks
• Behavior and housetraining recommendations
• Nutritional counseling
• Microchipping

What to bring to your first puppy visit

Please bring your puppy and any health documentation provided to you when you received your puppy. The health documentation should include a list of all vaccines, “deworming medication,” and other medications given to date. Please bring a fresh stool sample; the equivalent of 1 heaping teaspoon is a sufficient amount.

Watch Your Puppy’s Behavior Carefully!

Puppies are vulnerable and are prone to accidental injury. Please be alert to the following symptoms, which may be signs that your puppy needs immediate care:

• Respiratory problems: persistent coughing, shortness of breath, labored breathing, shallow breathing, or excessively rapid or slow breathing
• Signs of pain: panting, labored breathing, increased body temperature, lethargy, hiding, restlessness, loss of appetite, reacting aggressively when touched or approached, crying
• Persistent vomiting or diarrhea
• A wound or laceration that's open and bleeding
• Animal bites
• Allergic reactions, such as swelling around the face, hives, or severe itchiness
• An eye injury, no matter how mild
• Seizure, fainting, or collapse, difficulty standing or getting up, "blank stare", disorientation
• Exposure to extreme cold or heat, even if the dog seems to have recovered
• Trauma such as getting hit by a vehicle or falling, even if the dog does not appear to have been physically harmed
• Suspected poisoning, including ingestion of antifreeze, rodent or snail bait, or human medication