Your puppy should see their VCA care team at least 3 to 4 times from 6 to 8 weeks of age until they’re at least 16 weeks old. And it’s not just because we want to see their adorable face, although that’s certainly a benefit for us!
The health care needs of puppies can be difficult to keep track of, so we’ll break it down for you a bit here. Make sure to reach out to your VCA care team with any questions about your new puppy’s needs!
Puppy wellness exams: Going beyond vaccines
Your puppy is developing their own immune system at this age, so they’re more susceptible to disease than most adult dogs. This is also the age at which your veterinarian might notice congenital abnormalities (conditions they were born with).
Between 6 to 8 weeks and 4 months of age, we recommend an examination every 3 to 4 weeks to ensure your puppy is growing well, to manage any disease concerns and to make sure your puppy is getting appropriate preventive care.
During wellness exams, your veterinarian will ask you about how your puppy is eating and drinking, their bathroom patterns, any behavioral concerns and their general lifestyle. Gathering your pet’s “history” allows your veterinarian to help you make any necessary adjustments to keep them on track!
Your veterinarian will also perform a full physical examination. This means they’ll look the puppy over for any external abnormalities, check in on their oral health, listen to their heart and lungs and palpate (examine by touch) their abdomen for any concerns. With a physical exam, your veterinarian could pick up on a wide range of health concerns, such as:
- Skin or ear infections
- Heart murmurs
- Dental abnormalities
- Bone or joint pain
- Abdominal pain
Before your wellness exam, make sure to check with your VCA care team about whether fresh urine or fecal samples are required for the appointment.
To learn more about physical exams in dogs, read: Wellness Examination in Dogs.
Making sense of vaccine protocols
You may have heard that dogs get yearly vaccines, so you might be pretty confused as to why your veterinarian is recommending shots every 3 to 4 weeks.
Vaccines your veterinarian will discuss with you at your initial puppy appointment include the DAPPV vaccine, CIRDC vaccine and leptospirosis vaccine. The rabies vaccine will come a couple of months later into puppyhood, so we’ll focus in on the other three here.
DAPPV
The DAPPV vaccine protects your pup against distemper virus, hepatitis (adenovirus), parvovirus and parainfluenza. In puppies who are 6 to 8 weeks old at their first visit, it’s recommended between 6 and 8 weeks of age, again at 12 to 14 weeks, and again at 16 to 18 weeks.
The protocol is based on a puppy’s developing immune system. When your puppy was born and nursed by their mother, they received temporary immunity from their mother’s first milk (colostrum). Colostrum has high levels of antibodies, which allow puppies to have some protection against diseases the mom has been exposed to.
At some point, your puppy will lose the immunity they got from their mother and must develop their own long-lasting immunity. This is where vaccines come in.
The problem is that the DAPPV vaccine will not stimulate a puppy’s immune system while their mother’s antibodies are still present in their system. Because we don’t know when exactly your puppy will lose the immunity they got from their mother (anytime from 6 to 8 weeks until your puppy is 16 weeks old), a series of vaccines is given to stimulate your puppy’s own active immunity as early as possible. This is especially important because the diseases covered by the DAPPV vaccine are common in puppies and are quite dangerous if contracted!
CIRDC
Maybe you’ve heard of kennel cough in dogs (or maybe not, and that’s okay!). In the veterinary world, kennel cough is called canine infectious respiratory disease complex (CIRDC) or infectious tracheobronchitis.
Signs of CIRDC in dogs include:
- Coughing (sometimes they cough stuff up)
- Sneezing
- Discharge from the eyes and/or nose
- Acting tired or weak
- A poor appetite
Pet owners usually describe a hacking cough, and it’s not uncommon for them to report the dog coughing or vomiting up white foamy liquid.
CIRDC is basically a catch-all name for most causes of contagious respiratory illnesses in dogs, including bacterial and viral causes. For example, parainfluenza virus, coronavirus (not the same as COVID-19), a bacteria called Bordetella bronchiseptica and canine influenza all fall under the CIRDC umbrella.
Vaccines are important for preventing upper respiratory disease in dogs, especially the CIRDC vaccine (kennel cough vaccine).
The CIRDC vaccine includes Bordetella, parainfluenza (CPIV), and adenovirus (CAV-2) and is administered in your puppy’s nose once between 8 and 18 weeks of age.
Neither the CIRDC vaccine nor canine influenza vaccine will completely prevent your puppy from getting upper respiratory disease. However, they may decrease how bad the symptoms get or how long your pup is sick for.
Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is a potentially fatal bacterial disease in dogs which affects the liver and/or kidneys. These bacteria are mostly carried by rodents, but almost any mammal (including us!) can carry Leptospira bacteria.
Pups most commonly get infected when they drink water that has been contaminated by infected urine, though your puppy could also get it by swimming in contaminated water if there’s a wound or other break in their skin. Consuming rodent-contaminated garbage is another potential source of infection.
Signs of leptospirosis include:
- Jaundice or yellowing of the eyes, gums and skin
- Vomiting and diarrhea
- Lack of energy and appetite
- Drinking and urinating a lot
- Blood in the urine
The leptospirosis vaccine covers the four main types of Leptospira bacteria that cause leptospirosis in dogs.
The vaccine is administered under the skin, usually at the last two appointments in the puppy vaccine series. If the second dose isn’t given on time, you run the risk of having to restart the series. After the initial two doses, leptospirosis becomes an annual vaccine.
Based on your geographic location and your pet’s lifestyle, your veterinarian may discuss other optional vaccines with you, such as the Lyme vaccine. A canine influenza vaccine is recommended for pups who will be traveling, kenneling or interacting with other dogs frequently. For this vaccine, puppies usually get one dose, then a booster 2 to 4 weeks after, and then annually after that.
On the lookout for parvovirus symptoms
Canine parvovirus is a highly contagious and severe viral disease that most commonly affects puppies and unvaccinated adult dogs. This disease is mostly spread in the feces of infected dogs and can last in the environment for months.
This hardy virus is resistant to heat, detergents, alcohol and many disinfectants, making it easy for the virus to hang around and contaminate the hair or feet of other dogs, shoes or other objects. From there, the virus easily infects new hosts.
Parvovirus may be severe, but with early intervention and treatment, it has a high survival rate of over 80%. This means that aside from vaccines, you’re your puppy’s best protection. Knowing the symptoms of parvo could save your new best friend’s life.
Symptoms of parvovirus in puppies include:
- Diarrhea, which is often foul-smelling, contains mucus and may contain blood
- Vomiting
- Lack of appetite
- Acting depressed or having low energy
- Fever
While vomiting and diarrhea can be associated with parvovirus, it could also be due to other reasons.
If you notice any of these symptoms, contact your VCA Animal Hospital for an evaluation as soon as possible. You can also speak with a licensed veterinary professional after hours using free Live Chat* on the myVCA™ app.
Don’t skimp on dewormer
An important part of caring for your new best friend is protecting them from parasites, including intestinal worms. Puppies commonly get worms from their mother. They’re also more likely to get fecal matter in their mouths, which carries the risk of intestinal worms.
Deworming is a routine part of your puppy wellness visits. You’ll want to bring a fresh fecal sample to test for worms. The fecal sample is examined under a microscope for worm eggs.
Even without a stool sample, the veterinarian will use a deworming medication that’s effective against the common worms that affect dogs (roundworms and hookworms). Deworming only kills the adult worms, so as they get older, repeat deworming during puppy visits is recommended to catch the larval stages.
Aside from being gross, worms carry health risks for your puppy. Intestinal worms steal energy from your growing puppy, which can stunt their growth. Hookworms feed on blood, and a lot of hookworms in your puppy’s intestines can make your puppy anemic. If your puppy has a lot of roundworms, they can develop a blockage in their intestinal tract.
Hookworms and roundworms can be transmitted to people. We always recommend washing your hands after handling dog feces or cleaning up after your pet.
Routinely checking for worms and having your puppy dewormed against the most common parasites is so important! Getting your pup started on parasite preventives will also help prevent reinfection with worms.
A quick side note on tapeworms: Tapeworms are not treated by the main dewormer given at puppy visits. Puppies usually get tapeworms from eating infected fleas, but they can get them from rodents as well. If you’re noticing small, rice-like segments around your puppy’s rear end or in their bedding, make sure to discuss this with your veterinarian.
Getting a head start on heartworms
Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal disease that affects dogs. Heartworm larvae (microfilariae) are transmitted to dogs via mosquito bites. Adult heartworms live in the dog’s heart and pulmonary artery (large vessel that carries blood from the heart to the lungs). Heartworms can be over a foot long, and one dog can have over 100 adult heartworms! Unfortunately, heartworms can cause a lot of damage to the heart and lungs.
The American Heartworm Society recommends starting your puppy on heartworm preventives as early as the product label allows and by the time they’re 8 weeks old. Because heartworms take 6 months to mature and heartworm tests only detect adult female heartworms, you can start your puppy on heartworm preventives without testing them as long as the puppy is under 7 months old.
The dose of heartworm preventive is based on your puppy’s weight. While they’re still growing, they may need a new dose size each month! Your veterinarian can help you pick the correct size every month.
For puppies, heartworm preventive options include a monthly oral tablet or chew, or a monthly topical applied between the shoulder blades. Your VCA care team will work with you to choose the best option for you and your puppy.
Keeping track of your pet’s needs: Get some peace of mind
That’s a lot to keep track of! Make sure to download the myVCA app to keep track of your pet’s medical records and upcoming medical needs. To help with budgeting for your puppy’s care, we recommend joining VCA CareClub® is a personalized care plan that can save you up to 25%¹ on your puppy’s health care while distributing the cost over the year with a simple monthly fee, allowing you to budget for your pet’s care. Annual exams, rechecks and sick appointments are all included,² along with doctor-recommended vaccines³ and deworming. We even have optional add-on services like spay/neuter and a dental cleaning.
CareClub Memberships are preventive pet health care plans and not pet insurance. CareClub Membership covers only the selected health care services and products which are specifically identified in the applicable CareClub Membership agreement.
- Annual savings assumes that all included CareClub Membership services and products are consumed during the membership year.
- Unlimited exams are any exams during regular business hours, excluding specialty, emergency, telemedicine or urgent care exams.
- Vaccines may include rabies, distemper, parvovirus, canine upper respiratory disease, canine influenza, leptospirosis and Lyme disease, depending on your location. Lab work checks for issues like diabetes, liver and kidney disease, parasites and general infections.
*Live Chat with a licensed veterinary professional is free for VCA clients through the myVCA™ mobile app, available at Apple’s App Store and Google Play.
