The Pet Nurse
Puppy information Pack
17 Browns square
St Neots
Cambs
PE19 1PE
From the start
Feeding
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Find out from the breeder the brand and type of food that they are currently been fed
and purchase enough for a week. Personally I prefer to feed a dry diet, which has
many benefits as well as being economical the biggest benefit is oral health.
Regardless of whether you intend to feed this to your pup longterm you will need to
purchase a small bag.
You will need to gradually change any diets over the course of a week.
o Dogs have delicate digestive tracks that cannot handle quick changes in food,
if it is done too quickly a pup is likely to develop diarrhoea and its normally
quite explosive!
Please remember when choosing a diet that you will need a variety suitable for the
breed and size as different sized pups have different nutritional requirements.
Also many commercial diets have excess levels of fat, salt and will use any protein
source, as well of risking obesity and joint problems this can spark off pancreatitis
with the excess of fats in the food and also smells stools and flatulence.
The food to go for would be the hypoallergenic varieties that comes in the correct
lifestage/size options i.e. James Wellbeloved, Skinners, Wainwrights, Science Plan,
Royal Canin etc
For some large and all giant breeds you should continue feeding pup/junior food until
approx 16 months but please be aware that the dog will not reach maturity until 2+
years.
For small and medium breeds puppy food should be fed until 12 months old or when
neutered unless advised otherwise by the vet.
Try not to overfeed the pup as pups that grown quickly are at a high risk of
developing joint problems at an early age
o You should be able to feel not see the ribs
o If you look from above there should be a clearly defined waist
o Looking from the side there is normally a sight abdominal tuck
Large breeds can develop bloat which could lead to a gastric torsion. This usually
happens when a dog is exercised quickly after feeding.
o Please get into the habit of feeding after exercise and leaving at least 2-4hrs
after feeding before letting it run riot. Start this after you have properly
housetrained your pup.
o Due to this I strongly recommending NOT feeding ad lib.
Feeding should be the daily requirement split into the following meals:
o 4 meals a day up to 12 weeks
o 3 meals a day up to 16 weeks
o 2 meals a day from then on
Exercise & Socialisation
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Do not over exercise a pup
You can carry your pup around to get it used to the normal hustle bustle of living and
also meet lots of people
The 2nd vaccinations are normally due at 10-11 weeks so a week after that you can
start walking out.
Gradually start building up walks once 4 months for small breeds and 6 months for
medium breeds and 9 months for giant breeds
I do recommend setting rules and sticking to them.
www.the-pet-nurse.co.uk
07754269810
© Bryony Peacock RVN MBVNA 2011
Bryony.thepetnurse@gmail.com
The Pet Nurse
Puppy information Pack
17 Browns square
St Neots
Cambs
PE19 1PE
From the start
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If you do not intend to breed then please neuter, as well as reducing the risk of
testicular tumours in males, pyometra in females and unwanted puppies it has
behaviour and training benefits. Females that are attacked by another dog during a
phantom or pregnancy can turn very dog aggressive quickly even if they were perfect
before. Neutering males will help with training as the extra testosterone surge can
distract males and make them stray.
Complete the socialisation checklists and repeat it a few times!
Vaccinating your pet
Make sure you protect your pets and keep them safe by keeping up to date with their
vaccinations.
In the past many animals became severely ill because of diseases which, thanks to
vaccination, are now rarely seen. Although these diseases are now less common, they have
not been completely eradicated.
If the number of pets protected by vaccines drops our animal companions could be at risk
from an outbreak of infectious diseases, some of which can be transmitted to humans.
Protect your pet by ensuring they receive regular vaccinations.
When to vaccinate
When puppies are born they are usually protected from infections by their mothers’ milk,
providing she has been regularly vaccinated. However, this protection only lasts a few weeks
so they need regular vaccinations from an early age.
Puppies are typically vaccinated at eight and 10 weeks, with an initial course of two
injections.
Your young pet should then be given a booster 12 months after their first vaccination.
Older pets need protecting too, as their immunity can decline. Speak to your vet as the
regularity of your companions vaccinations can vary depending on the diseases prevalent in
your area.
Vaccines against infectious diseases
Dogs should be routinely vaccinated against:
 Canine parvovirus
 Canine distemper virus
 Leptospirosis
 Infectious canine hepatitis
 If your dog will be spending some time in
kennels they may also be given a kennel
cough vaccine. This vaccine is usually
given intra-nasally (into a nostril) and
protects against parainfluenza virus and bordetella bronchiseptica.
 Dogs travelling abroad may require a rabies vaccination.
Parasites
Worming protocol
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Worming cats and dogs is very important, as there is a risk to humans especially
children. Every year in this country a number of children go blind due to damage from
worms found in pet’s faeces.
o Worm at 2 weeks old
o Then every 2 weeks until 12 weeks old.
www.the-pet-nurse.co.uk
07754269810
© Bryony Peacock RVN MBVNA 2011
Bryony.thepetnurse@gmail.com
Puppy information Pack
From the start

The Pet Nurse
17 Browns square
St Neots
Cambs
PE19 1PE
o Then every month until 6 months old
o Then every 3 months routinely
If dog is fed a ‘raw meat’ diet or regularly hunts and eats prey or eats slugs and
snails then worm monthly as a routine.
What to use in dogs
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Panacur granules or paste for puppies weighing less than 0.5kg. (Available in
granules/paste/liquid) dose daily for 3 days each time they are wormed, for the
treatment of gastro-intestinal worms, lungworm and protozoa.
Milbemax tablets for puppies and adult dogs - is a treatment for mixed gastrointestinal worms, lungworm and it can also be used in the prevention of
heartworm disease. Milbemax can be used in pregnant and lactating bitches and
in breeding animals
Drontal tablets for puppies and adult dogs - For the control of the following
gastrointestinal roundworms and tapeworms of dogs and puppies.
Supermarket branded wormers do not work
Flea Protocol
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Fleas bite your pet to feed on their blood and by doing that they can pass diseases
such as tapeworms. They can also cause intense irritation and even lead to your pet
developing an allergy to them called Flea allergic Dermatitis (FAD). Often you don’t
see the fleas because your pet grooms them off. Depending upon the severity of the
allergy it is possible that just one bite can trigger the whole allergic cascade. Large
flea infestations in young animals can cause a fatal anaemia. And flea bites on
people can spread diseases to us.
If your pet gets fleas then either get a product from your vets or ring for some advice
as not all products on the market are equally effective. The house will also need
treating as a single flea can lay up to 50 eggs a day in its environment, that’s a
whopping 1,500 in a month. The unpleasant statistics are that for every 1 flea you
find on your pet 99 others are in the environment, which often means in the carpets,
bedding and even laminate flooring. Most products for use in the house will provide
cover for 12 months but it’s worth checking the manufacturer’s guidelines.
Your can pick up fleas from walking through an area where fleas are breeding or
coming into contact with other infested animals.
Effective Flea Treatments
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Make sure you know the weight of your pet to avoid over or under dosing, both can
have serious consequences.
Frontline will protect against fleas for 8 weeks but you only get up to 4 weeks tick
coverage. Therefore it depends upon what your pet needs protecting against as to
how often to apply the product. It should be used at a minimum interval of 4 weeks to
avoid overdosing and cannot be used in pups less than 8 weeks old or less than 2kg.
It is safe for use during pregnancy and lactation. Do not allow dogs to get wet for 48
hours after application to avoid washing it off.
Frontline Combo – prescription only It has an additional action of inhibiting the flea
life-cycle in the environment by killing eggs, larvae and the pupae. There is still the
same level of cover as Frontline with respect to ticks and biting lice.
Advocate – prescription only - is a heartworm prevention, flea and lice treatment
and prevention of flea infestations. The product can be also used as part of a
treatment strategy for FAD (Flea Allergy Dermatitis), gastrointestinal worm control
including several larval stages, treatment of lungworms, control of ear mites, control
www.the-pet-nurse.co.uk
07754269810
© Bryony Peacock RVN MBVNA 2011
Bryony.thepetnurse@gmail.com
Puppy information Pack
From the start


The Pet Nurse
17 Browns square
St Neots
Cambs
PE19 1PE
of sarcoptic mange and Demodex mites. It should be applied once a month, Do not
allow dogs to get wet for 48 hours after application to avoid washing it off.
Stronghold – prescription only is a heartworm prevention, flea and lice treatment
and prevention of flea infestations. The product can be also used as part of a
treatment strategy for FAD (Flea Allergy Dermatitis), for the treatment of adult
intestinal roundworms. For the treatment of sarcoptic mange and ear mites. It should
be applied once a month, Do not allow dogs to get wet for 48 hours after application
to avoid washing it off.
Prac-tic – prescription only will protect against fleas for 8 weeks but you only get
up to 4 weeks tick coverage. Therefore it depends upon what your pet needs
protecting against as to how often to apply the product. It should be used at a
minimum interval of 4 weeks to avoid overdosing and cannot be used in pups less
than 8 weeks old or less than 2kg. It is safe for use during pregnancy and lactation.
Do not allow dogs to get wet for 48 hours after application to avoid washing it off.
Micro-Chipping
The microchip is and internal identification for your puppy. If an unknown puppy/dog
(regardless of age) is brought in to a veterinary clinic or an animal shelter, a microchip scan
will be performed. If a microchip number is detected and has been activated by the
client, they will then contact the microchip company and that company will then inform you
Insurance
Pet cover can be broken down into three different types, so you need to think about the
amount of cover you want for vet fees.
These are ‘basically’
1. Basic annual cover: Per Condition, with time limit
This tends to be the cheapest cover but offers the least insurance as it puts a time bar on
how long you can claim for a particular condition or ailment - usually 12 months once
diagnosed and treatment started - and a cap on how much in vets' fees you can reclaim.
After the time or limit has been exceeded most insurers will refuse to let you claim for the
same condition again once it's been treated - it will count as a pre-existing condition.
2. Mid level cover: Per Condition, no time limit
Like the basic cover, this policy limits vets fees for any one illness but doesn't apply any time
limit on how long the treatment lasts. Here, a £3,000 vet fees policy could pay for treatment
over any number of years until the point when you exhaust the financial limit.
Again, in most cases, once treated, most of these policy types won't then allow you to claim
again for the same condition.
3. High level cover: Lifetime policies
These offer the most comprehensive cover. They insure your pet for illness or injury up to a
maximum amount each year - or to an overall high sum, throughout its life.
Despite being 'lifetime' policies, they offer different types of cover limits (ie, the maximum
you can claim) depending on the insurer, so it's vital you know which yours is.
a) Per condition per year limit
Not every lifetime policy has this. A £3,000-a-year cover limit means each individual
condition or illness your pet developed would be covered, every year of its life, up to
£3,000 in bills.
As long as you renew your policy annually, the £3,000 cover is rolled over, so if your pet
pooch were to suffer severe arthritis, for instance, that cost £2,750 a year to treat and he
www.the-pet-nurse.co.uk
07754269810
© Bryony Peacock RVN MBVNA 2011
Bryony.thepetnurse@gmail.com
The Pet Nurse
Puppy information Pack
17 Browns square
St Neots
Cambs
PE19 1PE
From the start
lived for 10 years, you wouldn't have to pay a penny (except the excess) of the £27,500
in vet fees - just the annual cost of your premium.
b) Lifetime limit
Others instead offer an overall 'lifetime' sum per condition - £10,000, say - during the
animal's life to cover treatment for it. This means that if you reach the limit before your
pet died, you'd then have to start paying the bills out of your own pocket.
c) Annual catch-all limit
This is the maximum amount of money you can claim from the policy in any one year though not many insurers have one of these. For example, if a lifetime policy offered
£7,000 'catch-all' per year, you would have £7,000 for all the conditions your pet may
suffer from inside 12 months, the following year, the 'catch-all' starts again for all
conditions.
Ensure that you know exactly what you're paying for - pet policies can exclude all sorts of
claims, impose plenty of limits and even leave you exposed unless you add extra bits on.
If you need any extra information or help then feel free to contact me
God Bless
Bryony Peacock RVN MBVNA
The Pet Nurse
www.the-pet-nurse.co.uk
07754269810
© Bryony Peacock RVN MBVNA 2011
Bryony.thepetnurse@gmail.com