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Puppy/Kitten Care
Feeding and Care
Protecting Against Disease
Raising Orphaned Newborns
Puppy Training
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| | Puppies and Kittens should be fed a high-quality puppy or kitten food for about 1 year of age. Also, large breed dogs should be on a food specifically for large breeds, and usually switch to adult dog food at about 7 to 8 months of age to help prevent growth problems.
There are many brands to choose from that offer premium quality: Science Diet , Iams or Eukanuba are some examples. Canned puppy food is fine, but we usually suggest feeding dry food because it is cheaper, easier to use, and better for the puppy's teeth. | |
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| | Young puppies/kittens need to be fed 3 times a day. If your puppy isn't hungry that often, reduce the frequency. After ten or twelve weeks of age, feed twice a day. Let your puppy eat as much as she wants in fifteen minutes and then pick up the food dish. Having food continually available encourages overeating, and chubby puppies are more likely to have hip dysplasia and weight problems later in life. We do not encourage giving puppies "people food" or table scraps. | |
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| | Parvo virus is a very contagious virus that you must protect your puppy against before he is old enough to have had his complete set of vaccinations. We recommend that you keep your puppy in your home or back yard, in an area where you know there have been no pets that may have had parvo, as the disease is transmitted via fecal-oral routes. The virus can survive in the environment for over a year.
Parvo disease can cause a dog to become very ill and possibly even lead to death. It irritates the lining of the canine intestinal tract and compromises the pet's ability to absorb fluids. This leads to vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy. Dehydration and possibly death may soon follow if the pet is not treated aggressively with fluids and medications.
Parvo vaccination is included in our Puppy Packages.
Even after immunization, we recommend that you keep your pet in your home or backyard until he is at least 4 months of age and has had 3 sets of vaccinations to help in preventing this disease, as well as others. Puppies still need to begin puppy training and aquire socialization skills during this time. Don't forget to ask us for more information about the best time to begin scheduling your puppy's training . | |
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| | Keeping orphaned newborn puppies or kittens warm is essential. Find a place in your home that is warm, draft-free and isolated.
Newborns that are unable to nurse from the mother require special feeding. Hand feeding can be done with an eyedropper or a nursing bottle, which we have available at NorthPointe Animal Hospital. If the baby is old enough to suckle, the bottle method is best. If you need to use the eyedropper, let the baby suck the fluid at its own pace; otherwise you can fill the baby's lungs with milk and cause pneumonia. Please refer to our Encyclo-PET-ia section for more information on raising puppies and kittens.
For details on raising orphaned kittens, please visit the Feral Cat Coalition of San Diego website. | |
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| | Our area has a number of highly-qualified dog/puppy training classes. Please ask us for more information. | |
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