New Puppy Care:

Congratulations on your new puppy! We would like to commend you for making a life-long commitment to your new animal friend. It is our goal to help you and your pet have the longest and happiest life together as possible. To achieve this goal, we recommend the following:

Upon arrival at your home, your new puppy should be isolated from your other dogs for a one-week quarantine period. After this time, your puppy can be gradually introduced to your other pets under supervision.

In general, we strongly encourage you to have your puppy examined by a veterinarian within 1-2 days of ownership. The following is an example of a good puppy health care program:
v 6-8 weeks: Physical examination; 1st DHLPP (Canine distemper virus, hepatitis, parainfluenza, parvovirus, +/- leptospirosis); fecal examination for intestinal parasites; deworming.

• 10-12 weeks: Physical examination; 2nd DHLPP; Kennel cough; deworming; begin heartworm prevention; begin flea and tick prevention. An optional vaccine at this time would be the 1st Lyme vaccine.
  
  
• 14-16 weeks: Physical examination; 3rd DHLPP; 2nd Lyme vaccine; Rabies vaccine; deworming.
  
  
• 5-6 months: Spay or neuter.
  
  
• 1 year: Physical examination; Rabies booster; DHLPP booster; Kennel cough; Lyme booster; Heartworm/Lyme/Ehrlichia test.

Because this protocol may not be appropriate for all puppies, there must be good communication between you and your veterinarian so that your puppy can have the most complete preventive health care plan possible.

Good nutrition is also vital for a healthy puppy. In general, any pet food approved by A.A.F.C.O. should be adequate, but it may be better to stick with higher quality foods such as Iams, Eukanuba, Hill's, Purina Pro-Plan, and Nutro. Your veterinarian should be
able help you make an appropriate diet decision for your pet. Your puppy should stay on puppy food for the first year of his or her life. After this time, you can transition him or her to adult food gradually over 1-2 weeks. Large breed dogs should be kept on a large-
breed growth formula for the first 9-12 months of life.

The rest of your puppy kit includes several brochures that will help to educate you regarding veterinary pet insurance, intestinal parasites, canine heartworm disease, tick borne diseases, flea and tick control, dental care, and training resources. Please peruse this information at your leisure and let us know if you have any questions.

Thank you again for committing yourself to providing a forever home for your new puppy! The human-animal bond is very precious and we look forward to watching it grow over years to come!

~ The Doctors and Staff of Leesburg Veterinary Hospital