Checklist for your dog's care

Vaccination

a. 2 months old = basic shot, bordetella
b. 3 months old = basic shot, leptospirosis, lyme
c. 4 months old = basic shot, leptospirosis,lyme, rabies

If your dog walks in forests and/or swims in lakes, a vaccination against lyme disease and giardia may be added. Before vaccinating your pet, a thorough physical exam must be performed by a veterinarian.

Deworming

We deworm the dog once a month between the age of 2 and 6 months. After that, we will only do so during the summer season (from May to October). A coprology (stool analysis) might be in order, depending on the veterinarian’s recommendations.

Sterilization

We recommend spaying femelles about 2-3 months after their first heat. As for males, neutering is recommended around 8-10 months for small breeds, around 10-12 months for medium sized breeds and around 12-14 months for tall breeds.

This surgery prevents reproduction, masturbation as well as marking.

Before any general anesthesia, a blood test is recommended to check your pet’s renal and hepatic functions to see if they can tolerate the anesthesia.

Installing a venous catheter and administering intravenous fluids can also increase the safety of the procedure.

Using a laser beam, instead of a scalpel blade, will decrease pain, swelling and bleeding during and after the surgery.

Preventing hip dysplasia

An X-ray of the hips done under general anesthesia is recommended for large dogs (Labrador, Golden Retriever, German Shepherd, with dysplasia tendencies to be done at the same time as the sterilization. This will allow the veterinarian to detect any malformation that might be an indicator that your animal may be at risk for hip dysplasia. If anomalies are detected early, there is still time to react accordingly. After the sterilization, your dog’s food will switch from puppy to adult. It will be important to monitor the food intake to insure that no extra weight is gained as obesity is an important factor for hip dysplasia.

Laser

We offer the possibility of sterilizing your pet with laser. This prevents excessive bleeding during the operation and is less painful for the animal post-op.

Teeth

There are many ways to help your dog maintain healthy teeth: daily brushing with a toothbrush and enzymatic toothpaste, gel applied on the gums, enzymatic treats and more importantly the food Hill’s t/d diet (teeth diet). Notwithstanding all these efforts, some dogs may end up getting tarter which will require a DETARTERING. This requires general anesthesia. When the animal is under, a thorough dental exam will be performed.

Fleas

Many treatments exist to be rid fleas. These treatments need to be done from May to November (even if your dog only goes out on a balcony). We recommend the following products: ADVANTAGE if you only want to protect your dog against fleas or REVOLUTION if you wish to protect your dog against fleas, mites, ticks and other intestinal parasites. Avoid collars, shampoos and sprays, as they are less efficient and toxic.

Heartworm

Your dog is at risk of becoming infected by a mosquito carrying heartworm. Every spring, a blood test is done at our hospital and takes only 8 minutes. A prevention program will then be prescribed for your dog between May-June and November. Many products are suggested: REVOLUTION medication treats preventively against heartworm but undesirable also treats all sorts of intestinal parasites that may inhabit your pet. HEARTGUARD medication, however only specializes in heartworm prevention.

Bathing

A bath should not be given more than once a month for puppies and once a year for adult dogs. When washing your dog, use the proper product, rinse well and dry well but do not use a hairdryer as it might cause burns.

Ears, eyes and skin

Check those regularly. Those areas should always remain dry and clean. You may ask a technician on how to properly groom those areas. Ideally, dog’s ears must be cleaned every two weeks using the proper product.

Claw Trimming

We groom your pet’s claws once a month. With puppies, it is recommended to trim one claw per day to get him accustomed.

Meals

The bowls used for your pet’s food and water should always be in stainless steal because they are hypoallergenic. You must give meals 2 or 3 times a day, and leave the food with your pet for a maximum of 20 minutes. Thirty minutes after their meals, you must bring your dog out for him to defecate. With adult dogs, the amount of food needs to be calculated according to the weight. Usually a puppies’ diet is given up to 6 months for small breeds and 1 year for large breeds. The switch needs to be done gradually. We usually recommend Veterinary Diet or Hill’s T/D.

Food transitioning

There is a proper way to switch your dog’s food. A gradual transition is done as follow: first by giving ¾ of the previous food and ¼ of the new food for 2-3 days, ½-1/2 for the next 2-3 days and finally ¼ of the old food mixed with ¾ of the new food for 2-3 days.

Cleanliness

When not at home, dogs need to be put in a small cage without a blanket or food. One might leave water and some toys. Your dog will be able to hold himself better and it will be easier to train him.

Training and behavior

As to properly train your puppy, classes might be of great help. You need to set clear and strict rules for your puppy, in order for every members of your family to treat him the same way. Consistency is important. It would be fruitful and insightful to meet with a specialist.