What do we vaccinate against: 

Parvovirus: A highly contagious virus that causes a severe gastroenteritis - infected dogs develop vomiting, diarrhoea, depression and often results in death.

Distemper: Another highly contagious virus that results in fever, coughing, nasal discharge and progresses to muscle tremors, paralysis and seizures. Treatment is usually ineffective. 

Hepatitis: A viral disease that can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and in some cases sudden death. Recovery rate is low but those that survive often have long term liver and kidney problems and act as carrier of the disease. 

Canine Cough: A respiratory tract infection that is caused by a combination of both viral and bacterial infectious agents that are highly contagious. Affected dogs develop a persistent cough which can persist for weeks. Rarely some cases may progress to pneumonia.

Some Important Points About Vaccination:

• Your puppy is not adequately covered until a week after their final puppy vaccination 

• Vaccinations are given as an injection under the skin between the shoulder blades, and into the mouth or nose. This is usually tolerated quite well 

• Rarely we can see vaccination reactions - this includes pain at injection site, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhoea, hives. If you have any concerns, please contact the clinic.   

Puppy Package:

Often, we see you with your new puppy for the first time at their second vaccination - we offer a discounted rate if you combine payment of the 2nd and 3rd vaccine at this visit. 

Worming

Quite often puppies have roundworms, which are intestinal worms that can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal signs or some puppies show no signs at all. It is important for puppies to be treated for worms, to not only help them but also to prevent your family from becoming infected too. Roundworms are a zoonotic parasite, which means they can be transmitted from pets to people.

Worming treatments can be combined with flea control (e.g. nexgard spectra) or stand-alone (e.g. popantel). 

Worming Schedule:

• Birth to 12 weeks of age: every 2 weeks 
• 12 weeks to 6 months of age: every 4 weeks 
• 6 months +: every 3 months (when combined with flea prevention some products require monthly treatment) 

Heartworm Prevention 

Heartworm is a disease spread by mosquitos and although we have a low prevalence in this region we still recommend protecting your pet against heartworm as infections can have life threatening consequences and it is a condition that is much easier to prevent than treat. 

There are two options for prevention - either strict monthly prevention ongoing or with an injection known as afilaria or proheart. These injections can be started at the second puppy vaccination, with a second dose being given at 6 months of age and then continued once yearly (can be timed to coincide with yearly vaccinations). The injections can be started at a later date once your dog is an adult, however a quick blood test will be required to confirm your dog is negative to heartworm prior to commencement.  

Ectoparasite control

It is recommended to provide flea, tick and mite control from puppy hood to minimise the risk of infestation. Did you know that fleas can transmit tapeworms to our pets?

Fleas are best managed with prevention as the majority live in the environment and can make treatment difficult once infected. 

Demodectic mange (a mite) can cause irritation to some dogs, especially those with other skin issues. Locally, we have sarcoptic mange (a mite), and occasionally get ticks  

Paralysis ticks are a concern if you are travelling north, or to the coast. 

These products can be combined with worming (e.g. nexgard spectra), or be standalone (e.g. bravecto). Products are either monthly, 3 monthly or 6 monthly and available as a spot on or chew.

We know all the different options can seem overwhelming so come in a speak to the team and we can tailor a parasite prevention plan specific for your pets' needs! 

Feeding

It is extremely important to be giving your growing puppy an appropriate balanced diet. A good quality complete and balanced puppy diet (dry and/or wet) needs to make up the majority of your puppy's diet as this will provide them with the right balance of nutrients and minerals for their growing bodies. Good quality foods will specify a recommended daily intake on their packaging which can be split over two feeds per day initially - if you wish to reduce to once daily feeding we recommend you don't do this until around 5 months of age.   

We do not recommend feeding bones to puppies as the likelihood of tooth fracture is high and rich fatty bones can cause tummy upsets. 

Desexing 

Desexing is the removal of reproductive organs, preventing unplanned litters. Speying females will stop your dog coming on heat and reduces the risk of mammary cancers and pyometra (infection of the uterus). In males castration can reduce testosterone-based behaviours such as roaming, urine-marking and some aggression. It also eliminates the risk of testicular cancer and reduces the incidence of prostate issues in older dogs. 

The best age for desexing is dependent on the breed of your dog and can be discussed with our vet team. 

At ACE we offer both traditional and minimally invasive laparoscopic (keyhole) desexing.  

Click here for more information on the desexing procedure at ACE. 

Gastropexy to prevent GDV

Gastric Dilation and Volvulus (GDV) is a life threatening condition where the stomach dilates and twists on itself. GDV is an emergency condition with a high mortality rate, even with aggressive treatment. 

Large and giant breed dogs (with a deeo narrow chest) are generally considered to be at a greater risk of GDV. Keyhole gastropexy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure which adheres the stomach to the lining of the abdominal wall  and is very effective at preventing the stomach from twisting and will significantly reduce the incidence of GDV (20-25% down to 1%) in large and giant breed dogs. 

Gastropexy may be performed as a stand alone procedure or combined with other procedures such as desexing. 

If you are concerned about your puppy's risk of developing GDV please discuss this with one of our veterinarians. 

Microchipping 

Microchipping is not only a requirement for counsil registration of your cat or dog but is also vital in ensuring that your pet can be reunited with you should it become lost. 

Microchipping is typically carried out at the time of the first vaccination but can be done at any time. If your puppy has been microchipped with its breeder you will need to complete a change of ownership form with the microchip register. If your puppy does not have a microchip and it is your first time having a pet microchipped you will need to apply for a source number through the Pet Exchange Register. 

Pet Insurance

Seeing a pet with an unexpected illness or injury can be very stressful, however pet insurance can help to relieve some of the financial stress of these situations. 

Young inquisitive puppies can be prone to accidents and as many insurance companies will not cover pre-exisiting illnesses it is beneficial to consider pet insurance for your puppy. 

We offer GAPOnly here at ACE which is a convenient service where we can submit the claim for you in clinic and you only need to pay the gap (the amount not covered by the policy). GapOnly includes many different insurance companies - to find a list of these and to learn more about the service click here. 

Dental Care

It is great to start thinking about implementing dental care from a young age. Dental disease is extrememly common and prevention is key! 

The gold standard for dental care, just like with us, is daily tooth brushing and it is best to get your pet used to this from a young age. A pet specific toothpaste is required and you can start to teach your pup just with using the toothpaste on your finger and gradually build up to brushing - all the time making this a positive and rewarding experience for our puppy.

Bones have traditionally been thought to be a good option for helping to keep dogs' teeth clean, however they also carry the risk of tooth fracture, gastrointestinal upset (blockage, perforation, constipation). Instead dental treats or dental diets may be a safer option. 

Read our blog Dental Disease in Dogs and Cats here.