Puppy Care

VACCINATION SCHEDULE

6 weeks -- Vanguard 5/L MLV or NeoPar and NeoVac

7.5 weeks -- Vanguard 5/L MLV or NeoPar and NeoVac

10 weeks -- Vanguard 5/L MLV (or equivalent) and Corona

13 weeks -- Vanguard 5/L MLV (or equivalent) and Corona and Bordatella

16 weeks -- Vanguard 5/L MLV (or equivalent) and Corona and Bordatella

20 weeks -- parvo: NeoPar, or Vanguard 5/L, and Rabies. WARNING! do not let anyone, including your vet, talk you out of giving the parvo shot at 4 months! Puppies that don't get this shot become very vulnerable to dying from parvo at 6-8 mos. old.

One year - Rabies (and every 3rd year thereafter)

Vanguard 5/L (or equivalent) and Corona and Bordatella (annually thereafter)

At present we also recommend a parvo booster vaccination at 6 months old and every 6 months up to age 2 years.

We do not use Corona or Bordatella in our kennel (nor does our vet), but they will be required by most boarding kennels.

PARASITE CONTROL

Always treat as needed - puppies pick up worms from their environment.

Strongid (for roundworms) treated thru 7 weeks; repeat w/ shots.

Panacur (for tapeworms) treated at 6 weeks; repeat at 3 mos.

You may buy these products as horse wormer. Dosage for Strongid is same as for horses; for Panacur, use 3 times the horse dose per pound of body weight (ie. 20 lb. puppy gets the same as for 60 lbs. of horse).

Metronidazole ("Flagyl") or fenbendazole (Panacur) may be required for giardia following stress, such as a change of diet or going to a new home. (Giardia is endemic in California; treatment may need to be repeated. Metronidazole is a prescription drug.)

Some puppies may develop coccidia after weaning and going to new home; treat as needed with sulfadimethoxine ("Albon", also a prescription drug).

FLEAS

If dog is infested use a name-brand flea collar (Hartz, Sergeant's, etc.). Hartz 2-in-1 Shampoo is very safe, good for killing fleas (if dog is severely infested, don't rinse all the soap out) and for general cleaning.

Treat your yard with DIAZINON granules (use a corncob-based brand such as Dexol, not Ortho); apply as directed on bag). Two or three treatments 3 weeks apart will rid your lawn of fleas for the season.

WARNING: If this dog will ever be used for breeding, do not use "Proban," "Prospot" or any other residual product. Do not use "Program" on brood bitches. — Labradors do not ordinarily have "flea allergies" - when they do, it's usually instigated by poor diet or a secondary irritant (eg. carpet cleaner) - not by fleas!

HEARTWORM

If your area has mosquitoes, or if you will take this dog out of the Los Angeles area (especially to the Central Valley, Imperial County or anywhere east of I-25) your dog must be treated to prevent potentially-fatal heartworm infestation. The usual method for the one or two dog household is Ivermectin in pill form once a month (see your vet).

FEEDING

Puppy is presently fed free choice (dry food available at all times); this is best for the puppy.

However it is sometimes easier to housebreak a puppy that is fed scheduled meals. If you choose this option, feed 4 meals daily until 3 months old (morning, noon, afternoon, and early evening), then 3 meals daily (morning, early afternoon, early evening) until 6 months old, then two meals daily (morning and evening).

WHAT TO FEED

Puppies are started on Purina Pro Plan or Purina One, or a similar diet.

You may use this or another high-quality puppy or high-performance diet for the life of the dog.  A widely-advertised brand name is not a guarantee of adequate nutrition; some well-known labels are severely deficient!

Product must contain a minimum of 25% protein and 14% fat, and a maximum of 4% fibre; it does not need to be labeled "puppy food" (most adult performance diets are better). Puppy should maintain good weight and normal stool. Meat-based diets are preferable to lamb or poultry/chicken; corn is a better carbohydrate base than wheat or rice. With any diet containing poultry fat or with a wheat carbohydrate base, add a spoonful of vegetable oil to the feed twice a week to help prevent skin problems (Crisco or Mazola corn oil; do not use store-labeled brands as they are frequently stale). After 6 months old you may give table scraps (anything except beans, which can make the puppy sick).

DO NOT FEED: Science Diet, "grocery" brands, soft-moist, or canned food. Presently we do not recommend Pedigree (Mars) or Iams products [including Eukanuba]. We also recommend against Purina's new "shredded" products. Beware of any diet that smells like "old tires" or "diesel fuel".

Please do not use diets that tout "natural" or other "weird" diets. They are not adequate for puppies. Diets high in soy or gluten will cause digestive problems (flatulence and large, soft, frequent stools). Diets high in uncooked wheat, some chicken/wheat diets (NutroMax) and some lamb/rice diets will cause skin problems ("hot spots" or severe chronic itching). Diets containing fish or fish oil will cause flatulence and mouth odor. Flaxseed meal may cause infertility and should not be fed to dogs intended for breeding. "Raw" or "BARF" diets are generally poorly balanced and should not be used, especially with puppies. Puppies must get some meat in their diet; chicken or lamb alone will not suffice as the animal protein source.

To our clients: Please contact us FIRST if your vet wants to perform non-emergency surgery or treatments on your puppy. Many such procedures are entirely unnecessary, and are used to "treat" conditions better left alone, or that are self-limiting or even normal!

Longplain Kennels, Reg'd
Old-fashioned classic Labs since 1969
Ky Moffet

E-mail: Longplain Kennels Reg'd
http://www.longplain.com

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updated 12.05.10

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