Schedule your first vet visit within the first week of bringing your puppy home. The veterinarian will perform a thorough physical exam, checking eyes, ears, heart, lungs, and joints. Bring a fresh stool sample for parasite testing. Discuss vaccination schedules, deworming, and microchipping with your vet.
Write down any questions before your visit — common topics include feeding schedules, exercise needs, and behavioral concerns. Build a relationship with your vet early for the best ongoing care.
Puppies receive a series of vaccinations starting at 6-8 weeks of age, with boosters every 2-4 weeks until 16-20 weeks. Core vaccines include distemper, parvovirus, adenovirus, and rabies. Non-core vaccines (like bordetella and leptospirosis) are recommended based on your puppy's lifestyle and geographic location.
Keep your puppy away from public places and unvaccinated dogs until they've completed their full vaccination series. Your yard and home are safe, but avoid dog parks, pet stores, and sidewalks with heavy dog traffic.
Heartworm prevention is essential in most regions — it's administered monthly as a chewable tablet or topical treatment. Flea and tick prevention should be year-round in most climates. Common options include topical treatments (like Frontline and Advantage), oral medications (like NexGard and Bravecto), and flea collars (like Seresto).
Regular deworming is also important — puppies often inherit intestinal worms from their mother. Most monthly heartworm preventatives also control common intestinal parasites.
A healthy puppy is alert, playful, and curious. Their eyes should be clear and bright with no discharge. Ears should be clean with no odor or redness. The nose can be wet or dry — nose temperature alone is not a reliable health indicator. Coat should be shiny and free of bald patches or excessive shedding.
Stool should be firm and consistent — loose stool can indicate parasites, dietary issues, or stress. Monitor your puppy's energy levels and appetite daily — sudden changes often signal health problems.
Contact your veterinarian immediately if your puppy shows: vomiting or diarrhea lasting more than 12 hours, refusal to eat for more than 24 hours, difficulty breathing, lethargy or weakness, limping or inability to bear weight, seizures, or known ingestion of toxic substances. Puppies dehydrate quickly, so persistent vomiting or diarrhea requires prompt attention.
Keep your vet's emergency number and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center hotline (888-426-4435) readily accessible.