Canine Paediatrics

(Continued from last week)

 Buying a healthy puppy

The best age at which to buy a puppy is when he/she is about eight weeks old.  At this age you can usually tell whether a puppy is going to be a good breeding prospect, whether it will grow to be big, what type of temperament it is likely to develop, etc.  This is also the best age for the pup to move into new surroundings.

Puppies two months old, in particular, are formative.  Most new owners should, immediately upon acquisition, take charge of the care and training of their puppies while the pups are still young and impressionable.

No breeder should be expected to offer you a guarantee that the pup will win in the show ring.  Picking a ‘future champion’ at eight weeks of age is extremely difficult, even for breeders with considerable personal experience.  The care, training, feeding, medical care and socialization of the pup after the purchase are every bit as important as the genetic background of the parents.

pet corner Many persons prefer to visit the litter and make their own selections.  There is no need to panic when, on the appointed day, you find yourself standing before a litter of bouncing puppies and find that all appear to be equally lovable. Most puppies appear healthy at first glance, but a closer examination may disclose a potential problem that could make the individual undesirable.

When choosing a pup for health and soundness, take your time and go over the pup from head to tail. You may even ask your veterinarian to accompany you. In fact, one really should take a knowledgeable person to the kennel so as to observe the litter.  After all, the prices the breeders are charging nowadays, you don’t want to end up with a pup that has all sorts of deficiencies – physical and psychological. Also, you must be able to ask discerning questions, the main one being whether the pup’s parents are related, and – if yes – how closely.  The vet will know what questions to ask and what to look for.  (As a parallel, you wouldn’t buy a dealer’s car without taking a mechanic along with you, right?)

Of course, when you visit the seller’s kennel, you are looking at the hygiene status of the surrounding area.  Are the pups and/or the mother covered with dirt or even faeces?  Do the mother dog and the puppies look emaciated?  Are they lethargic?  And so on.

Actually, there are some simple tests you can perform as you interact with the litter.  You could drop a bunch of keys or some noise-making gadget into the group.  Check which pups run away and which are inquisitive and which actually attack the foreign items.

 The physical examination

Examine the puppy first head-on. The nose should be cool and moist.  Squeeze the nostrils together to see if mucus is present.  Nasal discharge or frequent sneezing suggest an infection of the respiratory tract.

The nostrils should open when the dog inhales.  (Short-nosed breeds often have collapsed nostrils.  They collapse when the dog breathes in.  This is especially so in Pugs and Pekingese.)  We will continue this discussion on the physical examination next week.

Please implement disease preventative measures (vaccinations, routine dewormings, monthly anti-heartworm medication, etc) and adopt-a-pet from the GSPCA’s Animal Clinic and Shelter at Robb Street and Orange Walk, if you have the wherewithal to care well for the animals.  Do not stray your unwanted pets, take them to the GSPCA’s Clinic and Shelter instead. If you do not wish your pet to have puppies or kittens, you may exploit the GSPCA’s free spay and neutering programme. If you see anyone being cruel to an animal, or if you need any technical information, please get in touch with the Clinic and Shelter by calling 226-4237.