PET CARE Buying a healthy puppy

Buying a healthy puppy


Ask the vet
Ester Van Luipen

Getting a puppy
Part 3

Now that you have decided to take a puppy rather than a mature dog, as well as what breed you want, it’s time to find a suitable breeder and learn how to spot a healthy pup. A good breeder does not let the puppies go before they are eight weeks old.
Don’t make any hasty decisions. If you’re not going to breed with your dog, I would strongly recommend finding a local breeder. This way you might find out a bit more about the breeder. Also, if you find something wrong with your puppy when you come home, it is much easier to return it to the breeder - you don’t want to have to go all the way to Waterford…
When choosing a puppy from a litter, observe the litter a while and see which puppy appeals most to you character-wise. Don’t feel tempted to take the runt of the litter just because you feel sorry for it!

What to look for
It is very hard for a lay person to do a health check on a puppy, but here are a few tips.
Start with the nose. The nose should be clean. The eyes should be clean too.
Have a look in the ears. Dark wax could be a sign of ear mites. However, if there are ear mites, it’s not the end of the world – they are easy to treat.
Look in the mouth. The teeth should be nicely fitting over each other which means that the upper jaw should not be too long or too short, as this would mean it has an overbite or underbite. There are a few exceptions to this, such as short-nosed breeds like Pugs (pictured), Boxers and Shih-tzu’s. Also, Cavalier King Charles spaniels have teeth that don’t fit nicely.
Check that the puppy’s hair is clean.
Have a look at the belly button – it should lay flat. If it is protruding, we call it an umbilical hernia, which is often an inherited condition and a weakness of the tummy wall. Also, check the size of the stomach – if the puppy has a very big belly it could be full of worms. A good breeder has wormed the puppy every two weeks from two weeks of age. 
Check under the tail. If you see any diarrhea, don’t take the puppy or any other puppy from that litter.

Finally, if you do buy the puppy, make sure you get the papers, including a vaccination and worming record. After bringing your new puppy home, bring it into your local vet within 24 to 48 hours to make sure the pup is healthy, to get all the information you need about keeping your puppy and to establish a relationship with your vet – he or she will be your dog’s doctor for the next couple of years.

Esther van Luipen is a veterinary surgeon in Claremorris Small Animal Practice. Feel free to contact her with any of your small-animal concerns on 094 9373955 or at living@mayonews.ie.