Puppy and Kitten Care
Why does my puppy/kitten need booster shots?
This question is commonly asked when new pet owners are asked to bring their puppy or kitten back to the veterinarian two, three, or sometimes even four times for "booster" vaccines. What is a "booster" vaccine? How is it decided how many must be given to my pet? The answers to these questions lie in understanding a little about how the immune system of an immune animal works.
When a puppy or kitten is born and nurses for the first time it ingests not milk, but a substance called colostrum. Colostrum contains antibodies that will protect the puppy or kitten form all diseases against which the mother has developed immunity. If the mother has been properly vaccinated the "maternal protection" will protect her young for anywhere from 8 to 16 weeks. This protection begins to decline when the puppy reaches 6 to 8 weeks old. Vaccinations should start as early as 6 weeks for a puppy whose mother was fully vaccinated. However, if maternal immunity is present, it will cause a vaccination to become less effective. This is why we recommend "boosters" to be given every 3 weeks. until 16 weeks of age as the puppy outgrows maternal immunity. So that as maternal immunity wears off, the puppy can develop immunity of its own. At 16 weeks old (or 4 months) we can assume the mother's immunity is no longer active and that after 2 to 3 boosters the puppy is safely immunized. We call this vaccination "final boosters" or "first adult vaccines". This last series of vaccines will include a rabies vaccine and provide immunity for one year, thus leading the puppy into its adult life. If your puppy or kitten does not receive a complete series it is possible that full immunity or protection from the disease will not develop. We recommend vaccinating against distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus, parainfluenza, leptospirosis, and rabies. Some of these diseases are more common than others but all can cause serious sickness or even death. The most important point is that all of these diseases are easily preventable and having your little one properly vaccinated is one of the most important factors in raising a healthy, happy puppy or kitten. Please click here for a detailed description of the Puppy Care Program or the Kitten Care Program.
Puppy and Kitten Dental Care
Good dental care is just as important for your pet as it is for you. Imagine what would happen to your teeth if you never brushed them and never went to the dentist! Bad breath and dirty teeth are not normal for your pet anymore than they are normal for you, and can be avoided with good care. This care includes regular checkups by your veterinarian so serious problems can be avoided, brushing your pet's teeth regularly at home, and professional scaling by your veterinarian when recommended, similar to what your own dentist does for you.
Good home care provides about 90% of pet's dental needs, and a regular dental care routine at home may help avoid gingivitis, periodontal disease, tooth loss, and a miserable pet. It is important to start early when training puppies and kittens to accept oral care. It is often helpful to start training at a time and place where your pet is most at ease, for example on your lap in the evening. Begin by gently manipulating your pet's muzzle until he/she will allow you to handle it without struggling. Do not try to begin any brushing until your pet accepts handling of the mouth, even if this takes many sessions. Remember to keep these sessions short, only 2-3 minutes at a time, and follow with lots of praise. You may find it helpful to wrap kittens in a towel to reduce struggling.
The next step is to wrap an old strip of cloth or gauze pad around your finger and gently wipe one or two teeth at a time until your pet learns to accept the procedure. Try not to be in a hurry to push your pets, remember you are training him/her for a life time of dental care, so it is your advantage to allow enough time now to try and make it an enjoyable experience. Many pets actually learn to look forward to the time spent together.
Once your puppy or kitten learns to accept handling of his/her teeth, you can take advantage of the various products we have, special pet toothpaste's (called "C.E.T" toothpaste; offered in 2 different flavors) and Novadent which helps to remove plaque (soft bacterial deposits on the tooth). You can control 75% of calculus formation by just being able to wipe or brush the outside of the upper teeth. We can help you choose the products that will be best for you to use for your particular pet. We do not recommend using "human" toothpaste as these can cause an upset stomach. Also, do not use a soda paste as this can overload your pet's system with sodium and may lead to kidney problems later in life.
How To Puppy & Kitten Proof Your House
Kittens and puppies are naturally inquisitive, which can often lead to serious inquiry. Here are some tips on how you can make your house safer for the new arrival.
1. Young animals love to chew when they're teething. Keep electrical wires out of reach, or use a pet repellant spray.
2. They would die for some chocolate - Chocolate can be dangerous. It contains theobromide, a powerful stimulant that is toxic to pets. Sweets, cakes, and cookies can also upset a you animals' GI tract and lead to diarrhea and vomiting, which can also be serious.
3. Treats can be threats - never give turkey, chicken, or rib bones as a treat. They can splinter and cause serious injury.
4. Common household killers such as, bleach, ammonia, disinfectants, drain cleaner, oven cleaner, paint, gasoline, and rat poison need to be kept locked up.
5. Check the antifreeze - Pets are attracted to the odor and sweet taste to antifreeze. Store it high and tightly sealed, wiping any spills on the garage floor or ground. Window washing solution also contains antifreeze. Remember, engine warmth promotes catnaps, so honk your horn to wake pets under the hood.
6. Killer house plants - Poisonous plants include lilies, philodendron, dieffenbachia, elephant ear, eucalyptus, spider plants, azalea, ivy amaryllis, pyracantha, oleander, boxwood, Jerusalem Cherry, and plant bulbs.
7. Keep your pets off of the grass if you treat your lawn with chemicals. Read and follow directions carefully.
8. Puppies and kittens grow rapidly and because of this you need to be careful of outgrowing their collars and harnesses which can lead to serious wounds.
9. Take care of personal items and medications - Cosmetics, shampoos, skin cream, hair "perm" solution, depilatories, suntan lotions, sleeping pills, antihistamines, aspirin, and acetaminophen (Tylenol) can all be lethal to pets.
10. Do not leave plastic bags out. Inquisitive young animals may think that it is a toy and will suffocate, especially kittens.
11. Watch out for hot irons, coffeepots, and space heaters. Kittens and puppies will suddenly be able to jump to new heights.
12. Keep covers on hot tubs and swimming pools because kittens and even young puppies can fall in and not be able to get out.
13. Keep holly, mistletoe, and especially Christmas tree tinsel out of reach.
14. Always use a fireplace screen.
15. If any or all of something will fit in a mouth, it's dangerous. Watch out for cigarette butts, rubber bands, balloons, sewing needles, thread, string, ribbon, and even pantyhose. What goes in must come out, often via surgery.
Preparedness For Pets
As a pet owner, it's your responsibility to provide for the safety, shelter, and well-being of your animals in times of disaster.
Before Disaster Strikes:
1. Keep your pet's vaccination current.
2. Take photos of each animal, including any distinguishing marks.
3. Store photos and medical records in resoluble plastic bags with other important papers, including your pet's microchip number.
4. Familiarize your pet with it's carrier before an emergency.
5. Start a neighborhood "buddy system" to check on one another's pets during disasters. Exchange veterinary information and file a permission slip with your veterinarian authorizing your buddy to get necessary emergency treatment for your pet if you cannot be located.
6. Determine the best place to leave your pet in case of a disaster. Identify a place in your home as well as an off-site location for evacuations.
During Disaster:
1. Take your pet with you!! Evacuate as early as possible and know where you can safely leave your pet or take it with you to a hotel. Take medical records, two week supply of food and water, non-spill water and food bowls, cat litter and litter pan, medications, toys, and treats, and a carrier or cage for each animal.
2. If you cannot evacuate with it, bring your pet indoors. Do not leave pets chained outdoors. Avoid windows. Use easy to clean places like bathrooms or kitchens. Keep dogs and cats separately, even if they normally get along.
3. Prepare a pre-selected site indoors for your pet. Leave only dry foods and fresh water in non-spill containers. If possible, open a faucet to let water drip into a large container. Partially fill a bathtub with water. Do not leave vitamins, treats, which could be fatal if over-eaten.
4. Keep birdcages covered with a sheet, away from windows and other pets, and where the cage will not flip over.
After the Disaster:
1. Pet behavior may change after and emergency; monitor it closely. Keep pets leashed and maintain close contact. Familiar scents and landmarks my be altered, causing confusion and abnormal behavior.
2. If your pet was lost, or if you find one, contact animal control, boarding kennels, humane shelters, and veterinary hospitals.
Chewing
When the owner is home, confine the puppy as much as possible to it's crate with a variety of chew toys. A chew toy is an appropriate item to chew that the dog can neither destroy or consume. Confining a dog to a crate with a chew toy is like confining a child to his room with a Nintendo. This is called passive training. All the owner has to do is set up the situation and the dog is auto shaped via self-reinforcement (successive munchies on a chew toy will progressively reinforce chewing the toy). As the dog becomes hooked on its chew toy habit, regular chew toy sessions soon will become an everyday thing. Making chew toys attractive may augment the passive learning process. If the dog does not destroy the rawhide, it may be soaked in a variety of soups and then dried. This way the dog may have a unique rawhide flavor-of-the-day treat. Fairly indestructible toys may also be stuffed with tasty treats. A dog biscuit forced inside a Kong or some freeze-dried liver squished into the cavity of a redi-bone will make an irresistible toy. The dog knows the treats are there, and will chew on the toy forever trying to get it out. This will give the puppy/dog hours of enjoyment.
Crate Training
The dog crate is a wonderful training tool. Apart from its obvious uses for transporting dogs by car or plane, the crate may be used for short-term confinement to keep the dog out of mischief at times when the owner is not able to supervise. Confining the dog to the crate prevents it from developing bad habits. In addition, the crate my be used specifically to create good household habits: to house train dogs, to establish a chew toy habit, and to reduce hyperactivity and barking. However sometimes crate training backfires and misuse of the crate by novice owners may produce a dog that is more difficult to housetrain, more active and unruly, more vocal and destructive, and maybe aggressive.
The acceptance of the crate within the dog fancy makes its use almost second nature. However, what may be routine and accepted practice for a breeder or trainer may be unpleasant or difficult for the novice owner. Explaining that a crate is the dog's den is all fine and dandy. More convincing though is for a prospective owner to see a young pup to run happily into its crate and settle down for a nap.
Misuse = Abuse
Crate training problems usually arise because owners fail to teach the dog to like the crate and leave untrained dogs confined for too long. If the owners have not accustomed the dog to the crate, it will not enjoy confinement and might run from the owners when called and/or resist and resent being manhandled into the crate. Once confined, the dog might bark out of frustration and try to destroy the crate in an attempt to escape. If confined for too long the dog will soil the crate.
Whether or not an adult dog likes its crate depends on when the crate was initially introduced and how. If the dog was taught to enjoy the crate during puppyhood, it will prefer resting in its doggy den as an adult (this is easily tested by leaving the crate door open).
However, and adolescent dog, allowed complete freedom of the house and garden since puppy-hood, might object to lengthy confinement unless previously trained to enjoy the crate.
Introducing the Crate
No matter how much the dog enjoys its crate, there will be occasions when the owner wants to confine the dog but the dog does not want to be confined. Therefore, never call the dog and put it in the crate or else it will soon become wary of approaching its owner when called. Instead, use a place command; "go to your crate". It is possible to enforce a place command without ruining the dog's recall. Tell the puppy/dog to "go to your crate", lure it towards the crate with a food treat (kibble from dinner) and give the lure as a reward when the pup settles down inside. Praise the pup and periodically hand feed kibble while the pup is inside, but ignore the pup the moment it leaves the crate. Feed the pup in the crate. Place pieces of kibble in the crate so the pup will develop the habit of visiting the crate on its own. Whatever it does, praise the pup and offer especially tasty food treats, ignoring the pup when it leaves the crate. The pup will soon learn it gets lots of attention, affection, and goodies inside the crate, but very little outside.
Now accustom the pup to short term confinement. Throw a treat in the crate and close the doors long enough to give the pup two or three tasty treats through the gate then open the crate. Repeat this many times over. It is important that the pup learns confinement does not necessarily mean "for the duration". But rather, for a short time - and a good time.
Place Training
A dog crate is a marvelous place to send the dog when the house gets busy or when owners just want a little peace and quiet. It is important to familiarize the dog with the crate as early as possible so that the controlled quiet periods set the precedent for adult life. Learning to "turn the dog off" to frequently instruct the puppy to settle down and shush - is a priority obedience exercise for owners. The length of time a dog may be confined to a crate depends on whether it enjoys the crate and whether it is house trained. To confine an a puppy/dog that is not house trained to a crate for a lengthy period of time is courting disaster. If the dog is forced to soil its sleeping area, the crate may no longer be effective in inhibiting elimination, and therefore cannot be used as a predicting tool in house training.
House Training
A dog crate may be extremely affective when used as a house training tool. House soiling is a special problem, and confinement is the solution. the dog is eliminating in the wrong place, and if confined and not allowed free access to the living rooms and bedrooms, it cannot soil the carpets. However, long term confinement of a small area to prevent house soiling should not be confused with short term confinement to a crate during house breaking.
The purpose of long term confinement to a small area (with both sleeping and eating quarters and toilet zone) is to confine the problem at times when the owner cannot supervise the dog. Acknowledging the puppy/dog will have to eliminate during the course of the day, the owner confines the dog to an area where it is acceptable for the dog to eliminate.
Confining the dog outdoors is fine, since from the beginning the dog develops the good habit of eliminating outside. Confining the dog to a room indoors is sometimes temporary necessity until the dog is house trained.
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