"Chocolate can be poisonous to your puppy!"
Bringing home a new puppy is a monumental event for dog lovers around the world and for many; such an event can actually change the very course of life. A super cute fur ball hopping around in your house, showering all the love in its purest form is truly amazing. So, it is only plausible that you also wish to reciprocate in every nature and form and ensure the best for your puppy.
However, it is very important to note that this is also the phase when your puppy faces a wide range of threats, not just from life threatening diseases but from simple life-styles choices that owners (especially first-time parents) tend to ignore or are unaware of. So I believe that the following pointers will be very helpful for all pet parents.
While it is true that veterinary clinical medicine has made phenomenal progress in recent years, vaccination is still the only way to ensure protection from many life threatening diseases. In my practice, I have come across numerous incidents where the little fur balls pay the price with their lives due to simple errors in judgment on the part of their owners. It’s very important to strictly adhere to the vaccination schedule recommended by your vet. Take care that there is no outside strolling before all the shots are done and ideally no bathing.
Just like human babies, your little puppy will explore everything with its mouth. Make sure that the little fur ball does not swallow any foreign objects. I have seen young puppies swallowing stone chips, licking wall paints and gulping mud. When they do that foreign objects can eventually reach the gallbladder, cause blockage of the ducts and may lead to serious complications like pancreatitis.
It’s very important that you maintain the right diet for your puppy. There are so many food items that may appear harmless but could be harmful for your little buddy. For example, the milk that you consume at home could easily lead to diarrhea in puppies as they do not have the capacity to process all the proteins and fats. So, the best approach is to stick to a puppy starter diet recommended by your vet. And just to add, chocolates are a strict no because it can act as poison.
Another very important aspect that should not be ignored at all is the puppy's deworming schedule. Once again I have come across incidents when puppies have developed conditions such as neuro-cysticercosis that could have been easily prevented. Trust me; you would not want your puppy to suffer from this condition. The convulsions, the disorientations, the pain and the staggering movements that come with this condition are simply heart-breaking!!
Please ensure that you have a thorough knowledge of the health history of the puppy's parents. It is always better to adopt from family and friends and if it's a breeder, make sure that he or she is ethical. Also do not forget to check the reviews of the breeder both offline and online. I would further recommend that you get the tests done for conditions such as Parvovirus infection and Canine distemper at the time of adoptions. Affordable rapid antigen tests are available for these conditions and results come within minutes.
By following these steps you will not just ensure a very healthy life for your beloved pet but will also find yourself at the receiving end of unconditional love for years to come. Also it is worth noting that "your pet might be in just a small part of your life, but to them, you are his whole life". So it’s only human that you give them your best and make yourself whole!!