Your puppy will need to go to the vet multiple times within the first couple months after picking him/her up. Your puppy will be sent with a vet booklet that explains their current vaccination/deworming records. We will also send our puppies with information explaining when you need to book your puppies vet appointment. Take the vet slip with you to the vet clinic, so your vet can keep record of the vaccinations your puppy has received and when they will be needing later vaccinations. Make sure you select a vet clinic and a veterinarian you can trust to care for you puppy. After all, your puppy will be needing to go to the vet for check ups and vaccinations for years to come.
Our puppies are dewormed at approximately two, four, six, and eight weeks of age. They typically receive Strongid T dewormer at two, four, and six weeks old, and an Interceptor dewormer tablet at approximately eight weeks old. Our puppies go for a vet examination when they are approximately eight weeks old and receive their first vaccination (Canine Distemper-Adenovirus Type 2-Parainfluenza-Parvovirus Vaccine) and a microchip.
We believe in vaccinating puppies at approximately 8, 12, and 16 weeks of age. Some breeders and vets will still vaccinate puppies at 6, 8, and 10 weeks of age. Vets and dog breeders, especially in Canada, are choosing the newer, more spread out, timeline of vaccination. The reason we believe in spreading out puppy vaccines by at least four weeks is to avoid maternal antibodies preventing the vaccine from working. If a puppy receives a vaccination before the maternal antibodies they receive from their mother are gone, the vaccine's effect is blocked, and little to no immunity develops. Every puppy born from a vaccinated dam will receive maternal antibodies to help protect them from viruses in their first few weeks of life. Depending on the dam's immunity level, the maternal antibodies could take anywhere from a few weeks to several months to wear off. Parvovirus seems to provide maternal immunity that lasts for quite a long time, up to four months in some puppies. Ideally, the vaccine would be given at exactly the same time as maternal antibodies disappear, but we do not know this timeline and it can vary for every puppy and every litter. For this reason we recommend spreading out puppy vaccinations by at least four weeks so you can hopefully avoid over-vaccination and achieve immunity. This is why we recommend taking your puppy for their last set of puppy vaccinations when they are approximately 16 to 20 weeks of age and waiting at least two weeks after the last vaccination before you consider your puppy protected.
Please follow strict biosecurity protocols, as your puppy may not have any protection against deadly viruses until they receive their last set of puppy vaccinations. Please use the biosecurity protocols we recommend on the Puppy Manual Safety Tips page to help protect your puppy until they are fully vaccinated.
When will my puppy need to go to the vet?
Initial Vet Check-up: within 72 hours after picking up your new puppy to have a vet check over your puppy and sign the health slip for our health guarantee.
2nd Set of Puppy Shots: approximately 12 -14 weeks of age.
3rd set of Puppy Shots: approximately 16 -20 weeks of age.
VET CLINIC TIPS
Continue to follow biosecurity protocols at the vet. After all, a vet clinic is where sick animals go for treatment. Keep all four paws off the floor of the vet clinic at all times!! We recommend carrying your puppy in the vet clinic or taking them in using a crate. I like to use a soft travel carrier with a shoulder strap to take a puppy to the vet. It's comfortable to carry and easy to fold up and store when not in use, although most of our doodle puppies will likely outgrow a travel carrier too quickly to get long term use out of the purchase. Try to avoid letting your puppy touch any surfaces in the vet clinic. It can be a good idea to bring a towel with to cover the exam table. This helps protect your puppy from touching any possibly contaminated surfaces in the clinic. The towel can also help comfort your puppy by providing a non-slip surface for them to stand on.
Comfort your puppy while they are on the exam table. Think about continuing to socialize your puppy to being touched, having their ears, eyes, and mouth examined, and up on tables prior to their vet appointments.
Your puppy will come microchipped. Make sure your vet clinic scans your puppies microchip number and records it in their files.
Don't waste time trying to self-treat your pet. If they are exhibiting signs of illness, please take them to the vet for treatment.
If you plan on attending puppy classes, boarding your dog, going to dog parks, participating in dog sports, or any other activities with many dogs, ask your vet about the kennel cough vaccine.
We also encourage puppy owners to speak with your vet about deworming, heartworm prevention, tick prevention, dental health, etc.