Vaccination & Worming

Vaccination

Vaccination is essential to protect your puppy from a variety of potentially fatal viral diseases. Distemper and Hepatitis, once major problems, have now been almost eradicated by vaccination. However, Parvovirus is still a big killer in this area, especially in young dogs. It causes severe bloody diarrhoea and vomiting, and death within a few days. Kennel cough (parainfluenza virus and Bordetella), although not fatal, is also quite common and causes a nasty choking cough. All dogs are at risk!

Vaccination is essential, as it’s the only way to protect your pup against these diseases. We routinely use a “C5” vaccine to protect against all of these diseases. We vaccinate all our puppies at 6 weeks of age.

(A C7 vaccine may be recommended in some cases.)

An initial course of 2 or 3 vaccines is required:

• 1st at 6-8weeks,
• 2nd at 10-12 weeks, and
• 3rd at 14-16 weeks,

followed by annual boosters. We advise you not to walk your puppy outside your own backyard until 2 weeks after the final vaccination.

Intestinal Worms

Intestinal Worms: Young pups are very prone to intestinal worms – most pups are born with them, and they’ll pick up more from eggs contaminating the ground. The major intestinal worms are roundworm, hookworm, whipworm and tapeworm. These must be controlled to prevent problems such as vomiting, diarrhoea, weight loss and anaemia. Some intestinal worms can be transmitted to people, and can even cause blindness in children.

All pups must be given an allwormer (eg.Drontal)

• every two (2) weeks until 12 weeks of age, then 
• monthly until six (6) months of age, then
• every three (3) months or monthly (1) depending on your choice of product for the rest of its life.

Always weigh your pup prior to worming and be sure to give the correct dose. Our dogs are given a monthly chew tablet of Sentinel Spectrum which covers all the worms, heartworm, roundworm, hookworm, whipworm and tapeworm, plus also prevents fleas infestations. 

NOTE – If you are using one of the combined monthly heartworm / worming products (eg. Advocate), instead of a yearly heartworm injection, you should alternate these with Drontal until 12 weeks of age, and also give a tapeworm product (such as Popantel) every 3 months. 

Flea Control

Fleas cause irritation, skin allergies and in large numbers can suck enough blood to make your puppy anaemic. Good flea control requires an integrated approach, not just killing the fleas on your pup, but in the environment too.

We recommend Advantage – an easy to apply spot-on liquid on the back of the neck.

Alternatively, if you’re not using heartworm injections, you can use Advocate, which also covers heartworm and all intestinal worms – except tapeworm.