Dorchester 01305 251632
Weymouth 01305 784197

Your New Puppy

The staff at Dave Cumber vets would like to welcome you and your puppy to the surgery

Your New Puppy

The staff at Dave Cumber vets would like to welcome you and your puppy to the surgery

If you have further questions please feel free to ask a member of staff. Weigh, Worm & Flea clinics provide a good opportunity for you to discuss your puppy with one of our nurses or ask the vet who sees you for your puppy’s vaccination. Our reception staff will always be happy to point you in the right direction.

Health Check

We are pleased to give your puppy a full health check before its first vaccination. It is a good idea to allow your puppy to settle in at home for a few days first to allow you time to see if there are any specific concerns you would like to discuss. We will do our best to answer your questions.

Feeding

Ideally you should keep your new puppy on the food it has been used to for a week or so. After this time you can gradually introduce the food you intend to keep feeding. It is not a good idea to keep altering the diet as this can cause digestive problems and diarrhoea. We recommend complete foods as they are convenient, balanced and contain all the nutrients your puppy will need. We can advise on the correct amount to feed. Please remember that clean water should be available at all times. We do not recommend milk as part of your puppy’s diet as it can cause digestive upsets.

Vaccination

Vaccination is essential to protect your puppy against several of the most serious infectious diseases. Your puppy will not be allowed into kennels or to travel abroad unless it is fully vaccinated. A course of two injections 4 weeks apart are required with an annual booster thereafter. The first injection can be given from 8 weeks old but the puppy should not be allowed to mix with other dogs or go where other dogs have been until 10 days after the second injection. Healthy, fully vaccinated dogs belonging to friends and family are very low risk and it is acceptable to socialise with them.

Worming

All puppies get worms from their mothers. Puppies should be wormed monthly up to at least a year old. If they are scavengers; they like to drink out of puddles, eat slugs, snails, grass or garbage it is ideal to continue worming them monthly to keep control of all worms. Alternatively, if your dog doesnt scavenge, routinely worming every 3 months can be done.  We can advise on the most suitable products or come to our weigh and worm clinics.

Fleas

We recommend Nexguard Spectra an all in one flea, tick and worming tablet to be given monthly in conjunction with INDOREX Defence household spray. This will ensure that your pet and home do not become infested with fleas. Nexguard Spectra are safe, effective and easy to use and will also protect your puppy from ticks, roundworm, hookworm, lungworm and whipworm.  

Microchipping

Having your new puppy microchipped is a legal requirement. It gives lifelong identification if your puppy is lost. The procedure is as simple as having an injection and all details are logged on a central database so they can be accessed from anywhere in the UK. If your puppy/dog gets lost and is found by the dog warden or they are notified, owners can face heavy fines if they are not chipped or the details are not up to date.

Training and socialisation

It is a really important to ensure training and socialisation is done not only in the very important early days, but throughout the dogs life. This will be an integral part of raising a well balanced, confident dog. We highly recommend enrolling your puppy into training classes so that you can become a responsible dog owner with a well behaved dog. It is also an excellent way to socialise your puppy. We can give you details of local groups in your area.

Pet Health Insurance

When we give your puppy its first vaccination we can issue a cover note for 4 weeks free pet insurance provided that it is fit and healthy. Although routine procedures are not covered (such as vaccination and neutering), pet insurance takes the worry out of covering the cost of high quality veterinary care. We cannot recommend an insurance company but there are many to choose from, just ensure the right policy is chosen to suit you and your pet. Please remember to read the small print carefully.  

Weigh & Worm Clinic

Once your puppy is fully vaccinated and out and about enjoying itself you can book an appointment at one of our Weigh, Worm & Flea clinics. You will see one of our Veterinary Nurses, they can help you with any questions you may have about socialising, feeding, health care or if you have any other concerns, they can also refer you to one of our vets. The clinic is free, you will only have to pay for any products (such as wormers or flea control) that you need – if you’re joined up to our pet health club, flea and worming products will already be paid for! 

Pet Health Club

Deciding on what your puppy needs in terms of vaccination and flea and worm control can be confusing and expensive.  The very popular Pet Health Club gives you peace of mind knowing your puppy is getting the best possible preventative healthcare while allowing you to spread the cost over a year by monthly direct debit payments.

REMEMBER, YOUR PUPPY DOESN’T HAVE TO BE SICK TO COME AND SEE US. WE ARE HERE TO HELP IN ANY WAY WE CAN AT ALL STAGES OF YOUR PET’S LIFE.

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