The first few months of a puppy’s life are crucial in terms of their physical, social and psychological development. As the owner of a new puppy, this early part of your new pet’s life can seem a little overwhelming with things like socialisation, basic training, vaccinations and nutrition to consider. Vets on Balwyn are here to help set your puppy up to live a long and happy life by providing you with support and guidance in addition to state of the art veterinary services. On this page, you’ll find our new puppy health checklist which lists all your puppy’s major healthcare requirements during the first six months of its life.
Vaccinations
Getting your puppy vaccinated is perhaps the most important thing you can do to protect them from viral infections that can have a devastating impact on their health and quality of life. At Vets on Balwyn we start vaccination courses when your puppy is between 6-8 weeks old, then booster shots are administered every 4-6 weeks until the puppy is between 18-20 weeks of age. From this age, annual booster shots are administered to ensure your pet’s antibody levels remain high.
Intestinal worming
Puppies are often born with worms and as some of these intestinal parasites can cause illness in humans, we recommend you start worming your puppy early. A fortnightly worming schedule should be implemented whilst your puppy is between 2-12 weeks of age. From 12 weeks to 6 months, the worming treatments are administered monthly and then once every three months thereafter.
Heartworm
There are several different ways you can protect your puppy from heartworm including monthly topical application, monthly chewable, and annual injections. Heartworm prevention treatment should start when your puppy is three months old and it’s best to consult with your vet about the right treatment option for your animal.
Fleas
Fleas and the tapeworm eggs they carry can have a serious impact on your puppy’s health and development so prevention needs to start early. However, not all flea control methods are suitable for puppies so you need to consult with your vet about the right treatment course.
Nutrition
Your puppy grows quickly in the first six months of its life, and it’s important to support them with good nutrition during this period. We recommend a specially formulated puppy diet which contains a unique balance of nutrients (specifically calcium to promote bone growth) and is designed to be easy for sensitive puppy tummies to digest. Different breeds of dog grow at different rates so they have different nutritional requirements. To determine the right diet for your puppy, it’s best to consult with your vet.
