Puppy Health Check

We give a full health check and a series of vaccines as part of the vaccination course for puppies. This involves a course of vaccinations that can start at about 8-10 weeks of age. The course usually takes 2-4 weeks to complete. Your puppy may have started the vaccine course before they come to you, this will need to be completed as per your vet’s recommendation. We will advise you on when it is safe for your puppy to go outside but this may be from as young as 11 weeks. Vaccines against rabies and leishmaniosis are also available, but really only needed for dogs who travel abroad.

Your puppy will then need annual boosters to keep them protected. We will send you reminders when your puppy’s boosters are due.

We keep a complete record of all the vaccinations and any treatment your puppy has, so we have a full history and can make sure your puppy is not over-vaccinated. (For more information on the data we keep and what we do with it, please see Terms & Conditions.)

If you expect your puppy to have lots of nose to nose contact with other doggie friends, an intranasal vaccine can protect them against kennel cough. This is a single treatment that can be done at the same time as the other vaccinations. Socialising is an important part of training so, speak to the team to see if you need this vaccine too.

Worming your new puppy is essential to protect their health and also your family’s health too. Some worms such as Toxocara can cause illness in people. Children are especially at risk when they play in the soil and put their fingers in their mouth. The two main types of worms that can live in your pet’s gut are roundworms and tapeworms. Tapeworms look like grains of rice and roundworms can look like spaghetti!

Puppies should be wormed at 2, 5 and 8 weeks old, every month until they are 6 months old and then followed up every three months for life.

No one likes fleas and preventing an infestation before one takes hold is much easier than treating your pet and house afterwards. 95% of a flea population during an infestation is not on the pet but in your home! Not only that but the skin conditions that are be caused by fleas can be very sore and expensive to treat. Prevention is better than cure!

Did you know that routine vaccines, flea treatments and worming, as well as lots of other things your puppy needs, are included in our Pet Health Club membership?

Speak to a member of the team to see how we can help you keep on top of all your puppy’s preventative care and spread the costs.

Just like humans, puppies and dogs need a good, balanced diet to promote good health, healthier teeth, better growth and regular, well-formed motions. We recommend a dry, complete puppy food with the added benefit that the dry food will help with keeping their teeth clean. We keep a choice in stock.

Starting to brush your puppy’s teeth from an early age has clear benefits and can quickly become part of their daily routine. This will help keep their teeth and gums healthy and, hopefully, reduce the need for dental treatment later in life. We stock a range of toothpaste, brushes, oral care food and dental chews. Please speak to one of our knowledgeable staff for helpful tips on looking after your pet’s teeth.

There are benefits to the health and behaviour of your pet if they are neutered. We aim to invite you back when your puppy is approaching adolescence for a check-up. One of our trained nurses can go through the procedure and discuss whether it’s the right course of action for your puppy at this appointment.

We are able to offer you membership to our Pet Health Club, which covers your new puppy for all routine treatments such as vaccinations, worming and flea control. This is set up as a monthly direct debit, spreading the cost over the year. This is a preventative healthcare scheme which we would definitely recommend. Not only does it provide the best possible preventative treatment for your pet, it saves you money too.

Speak to a member of the team for more information and to sign up, or you can sign up online at www.thepethealthclub.co.uk

We sell a variety of identification tags and collars. It is a legal requirement for your dog to wear a collar with an identification tag on it. However, please make sure you aren’t tempted to add your dog’s name to the tag. We hope you never have to worry about this but, if your dog’s name is visible, it makes it easier for someone to call them and take them without your permission.

It is now law in the UK for all dogs to be microchipped. Legally they must be microchipped before they are 8 weeks of age and to be done by the breeder. This is where a tiny microchip is implanted under the skin in the scruff of the neck. It can be detected by a special scanner, generally used by Vets, Dog Wardens and Rescue
Centres. All the owners’ details are recorded on a national computer database, meaning you and your pet can be reunited as quickly as possible if they get lost.