Health Care

• Vet Visits
• Vaccinations
• Spaying and Neutering
• Common Health Issues

Vet Visits

Next to you and your family, your veterinarian is one of the most important people in your dog''s life. You should identify a veterinarian for your new dog before you bring it home and arrange for a first appointment as soon as possible. The first vet visit gives you and your veterinarian an opportunity to establish your dog''s baseline level of health and identify any potential long-term or chronic health problems. This visit can confirm the health status identified when you purchased your pet.

When you meet with the vet, be sure to discuss your daily care routines, home environment, any anticipated problems or concerns you may have, ask questions about any behaviors about which you need more information and your grooming preferences, particularly nail clipping. Your vet will examine your dog''s bones, joints and muscles, and heart, eyes, ears, etc.

Your dog may experience some stress going to the vet. The best way to alleviate this is with positive reinforcement, attention and happy visits. Stop in at the vet''s office with your dog a couple of times when it doesn''t need to be examined so that your dog associates the clinic with positive experiences. Pet your dog and give it praise when it behaves calmly and well at the vet''s office. Take some treats to help keep your dog happy and to have staff give your pet. Fortunately, vet staff is experienced at handling dogs of all sorts and will likely make your job much easier. After the first visit and your dog''s initial vaccinations, you should plan on getting your dog checked by the vet at least once a year.

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Vaccinations

A basic vaccination series should be a part of your puppy''s schedule during the first four months. A combination vaccine is given once a month from two months through four months and then once annually. It protects your puppy from leading infections and illnesses, including distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus and parainfluenza. If you acquired a dog that is older than four months and that has not been vaccinated, the vet will use a different protocol -- two vaccinations given two to three weeks apart and then annual vaccinations.

Your dog will also need a rabies vaccination. However, laws around the country differ about when this vaccination must be given, so check with your vet about scheduling a rabies vaccination for your dog. Your vet can also tell you about other vaccinations that may be appropriate depending on where you live.

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Spaying and Neutering

Most pet dogs are spayed (females) or neutered (for males) to remove reproductive organs and prevent pregnancy. But health issues provide other compelling reasons for spaying and neutering dogs.

Female dogs have a high incidence of cancers of the reproductive system. Spaying removes the ovaries and the uterus, preventing the production of estrogen, which leads to most of the reproductive cancers. It is also possible for unspayed older females to contract a life-threatening infection of the uterus, call pyometra. This infection is caused by problems with progesterone, another female hormone which is eliminated through spaying. Female dogs should be spayed before their first heat, if possible, which generally occurs between six months and one year of age.

Males that are not neutered may become more aggressive, chase cars, or try to get loose to roam freely, -- all as a result of high testosterone levels. Many of these habits become hard to break. It is also possible for intact males to develop testicular tumors or prostate disease when they reach middle-age.

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Poisoning. Many common indoor and outdoor plants can be poisonous to dogs. Before your bring your dog home, get rid of any houseplants that appear on the list below. Don''t let your dog eat plants and leaves when outdoors. If you do suspect poisoning, get your pet to the veterinarian immediately. You should also keep the ASPCA''s Animal Poison Control Center hotline number near your phone in case of emergency. You can reach this 24/7 hotline by calling toll free 1-888-4ANI-HELP (1-888-424-4357).

Following is a partial list developed by the ASPCA''s Poison Control Center of common plants that are poisonous to dogs and cats:

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