First Visit To A Veterinarian

Written by: Anastasia Spevakina
One of the first things you should do, when you take a dog, is to take him to a Veterinarian. It is better to make an appointment at the same day you got a new pet. A good veterinarian can tell you everything about dogs – how to train them, how to feed, how to provide safe environment for your dog and how to keep his health.

During first visit to a veterinarian you will need to fill few documents. Large veterinary clinics give personal cards to every client and his dog. These personal cards contain information about your contact details (address, phone number, place of work) and details of dogs (nickname, age, breed, gender, vaccination scheme, the results of analyzes, etc.).

After filling a personal card, you will have to go to a special room, where a doctor will examine your dog, weigh him, measure his temperature and check the heart’s rate. Probably, the vet will also require the analysis of urine and feces.

Physical examination

The vet will make a detailed examination of your dog and check:

• eyes, ears and teeth (to avoid any deviation);
• skin condition and presence of external parasites;
• abdomen and abdominal organs;
• absence of umbilical hernia;
• heart and lungs (noise, heart rhythm, harsh sounds in the lungs) with use of a stethoscope;
• joints (including the knee joints);
• genitals

Some purebred dogs have their own features, for example, the bite.

After medical examination the veterinarian can ask you such questions as:

For how long this dog lives with you?

Did you have other dogs before?

How do you feed the dog?

Where did you buy the dog?

What toys would you give dogs to play?

How the dog communicates with other dogs and pets?

Getting answers for these questions, the vet can understand how you treat dogs in general and give an advice how to feed and take care of your new dog.

To purebred dog’s owners veterinarians usually tell about the most common medical problems of the breed. You can also discuss the issue of sterilization and its benefits.

All dogs need special veterinary control till they reach age of 7 years old.

Vaccinations

Puppies are firstly vaccinated, starting from six to eight weeks of their age. The first vaccination is usually made by a breeder. That’s why the vet needs to know the exact date of first vaccines, in order to make the second after the correct amount of time. Puppies are vaccinated once every 3-4 weeks till the age of 16-20 weeks.

Usually veterinarians also make a complex vaccination to develop immunity against such diseases as parvovirus enteritis, plague, etc.

Protection against parasites

Some veterinarians recommend therapy against parasites every three weeks until a certain age. When the puppy is at the age of 12 weeks, he should be also vaccinated against rabies.

*General vaccines for dog’s health must be done every year.

*If you want to sterilize your dog, the best age is about 4-6 months old.

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