Bringing your new puppy for his 1st vet visit?
Bringing your new Havanese puppy to the vet can be extremely
scary and nerve wracking. Below are some helpful tips of finding a great
veterinarian and guiding you through your first visit.
Finding your veterinarian.
So you’re getting ready to bring home your new Havanese
puppy? You have all the supplies, her new crate and perfect new toys! She needs
to be taken to the vet within seven days of picking her up and you’re not sure
how to find one? My best advice is to ask around. Word of mouth is always the
best solution. Ask your family, ask your friends, research their reviews. You
can also check out The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA at https://www.aaha.org/pet_owner/).They evaluate veterinarians and
their practices based on facilities, staff, equipment, and patient care. Don’t
choose just one, pick a few facilities that look promising and make an
appointment to go visit before bringing your new puppy. Make sure you look around when you get there.
Consider if the space is clean and organized. Make sure to ask questions. Don’t
be shy, most vets appreciated it when you take an interest. Your new puppy
can’t speak, so you are his advocate.
Questions to ask potential
veterinarians:
·
How many vets are on the staff?
·
Are you going to be seeing the same
vet every time or do they rotate?
·
Who will be responsible for your
puppy when your vet is not available?
·
What are their emergency protocols?
·
Are they familiar with the Havanese
breed?
·
What are their credentials?
The relationship between your puppy,
vet and you will last many years. Make sure to take the time to find “the one”.
You will need to feel comfortable with your vet to discuss pet symptoms, test
results and treatment options. Having good communication is the most important
thing.
Your First Visit.
So you’ve chosen a vet and today’s the day to introduce
puppy. What exactly happens at a first visit? You start off with a physical
examination. Your vet will thoroughly look over your puppy. Be sure she is
gentle and loving with your pup and if your vet is not nurturing toward your
pup, leave and find another vet. She should make sure your pup has a great
experience and take the time to make her feel comfortable like a good Doctor
would do. She should check her body, skin, coat, eyes, ears, nose and mouth.
She should also check her vision and hearing. Your vet should look over your
health record provided by us and continue on that schedule. The vaccinations
are there to protect your pup. The main ones are distemper, canine hepatitis,
canine parvovirus and rabies. Your puppy has already begun to receive some of
those vaccinations before ever leaving Royal Flush Havanese. Be sure to NEVER ALLOW your veterinarian to “repeat” any of her
vaccinations. We have sent you home with the stickers from the vials of
vaccines and that is all the proof your vet needs to pick up her schedule where
we left off. It is never good to over-immunizing your puppy. Some dogs can be
very sensitive and develop an immune reaction from too many vaccines. This can
also cause death and if she lives, it will be very expensive to ensure her
recovery. You are your puppy’s strongest advocate. If your vet wants to
re-vaccinate or do something you are not comfortable with, speak up. Don't let the vet bully you
into giving unnecessary shots. And above all, don't be afraid to question your
vet!
What to
discuss with your vet.
·
Provide the vet with the Health Record
that came with your puppy
·
Have your puppy checked for parasites,
including a fecal exam (you want to
bring a fresh stool sample with you)
Remember, at Royal Flush Havanese we are ALWAYS here to help
you! Please do not hesitate to contact us if you are having any
issues with communicating with your veterinarian. Feel free to have your vet
contact us is there are any questions. This time should be a happy positive
experience for you and your Havanese puppy!
