Below are some things that will happen when you go to your first Vet visit with your puppy. I am concerned as I have had a couple new puppy owners tell me they were very overwhelmed with that first visit. I always want people that are buying a puppy from me to be well informed so you always know what is going on, that is why I have added this page to my website. It would never be my intention to have anyone overwhelmed with anything that has to do with this new and amazing chapter in your life with your puppy. Your Vet will give your puppy a very thorough exam, which is ears, eyes, heart, lungs, mouth, tentacles if necessary. He will look at the puppies coat and ask you questions about the food he is eating, the puppies knees will be checked as Luxated patellas (loose knee caps) are very common in small dogs. Your Vet may do any of the following: suggest you use a heart worm medication, use flea & tick medication, he may want to worm your pup again, Bichon’s are famous for having ear trouble so there may be ear medication he wants you to give the pup. Your Vet may ask for a stool sample. He may want you to schedule his spay /neuter. It can be overwhelming but I want you to be as well informed as possible as it will be better for you & your puppy & me too. I suggest you do lots of research so when you go to the Vet you know what he is talking about.
Ear yeast infection-
The goal of ear care is to keep the ear canals clean and dry, which is difficult for Bichons whose ears fall over the ear canals leading to build up of moisture and debris, plus hair grows in their ear canals. Yeast, bacteria, and ear mites thrive in areas that are moist, alkaline and dirty, and flourish in areas that contain hair. All of these factors make Bichons more susceptible to ear infections and/or inflammation. Proper ear care can reduce the incidence of ear infections.
Ear care includes inspecting the ear canals frequently for signs of irritation; preferably each time you brush your Bichon. A healthy ear is light pink in color, clean except for small amounts of wax, and is odor-free. Signs of infection/inflammation include frequent scratching the ears and shaking the head, reddened ear canal, odors, and exudates (yellow, brown, or black discharge) from the ear canal. Bichon ears need to be cleaned weekly with a liquid ear solution that contains soothing herbs in an acidic solution. You can ask your veterinarian to advise you on which brand to chose.
In addition to cleaning and inspecting the ears, the hair needs to be plucked from the ear canal monthly to prevent excessive growth of bacteria or yeast. This can be done with a tweezers or a forceps, being careful not to grasp the skin and removing the hair a little at a time. If you do not feel comfortable doing this, a dog groomer should include this with their service. Some groomers use forceps and grab all the hair in it, twist it, and pull it all out with one yank. This causes major irritation in the ear canal and may lead to infection and/or inflammation. If your groomer will not change this practice, this author recommends that you find another groomer. Even when the hair is pulled out a little at a time, the ears can become irritated. Also, groomers and owners need to avoid getting soap and excessive water in the ears during the bath.
In my experience, even with proper removal of hair from the ear canal, your Bichon’s ears may become temporarily inflamed. If your Bichon exhibits signs of ear infection/inflammation, which persists despite cleaning the ears, consult your veterinarian since antibiotics may be required.
A bit about worms-
Puppy worms are actually a pretty normal, but irritating, part of life when you're a puppy parent.
Many puppies have worms, most are born with roundworms (transmitted from their momma), but in most cases these worms are easily treated.
Even severe infestations usually respond to the appropriate medications.
With this comprehensive guide to puppy worms you should be able to get (and keep) your puppy worm-free!
There are two ways to find out if your puppy or dog has intestinal worms. One is obvious, you will see the worms or worm segments in your dog's stool.
However since there are many types of worms, some microscopic that do the most damage, a fecal sample tested by your veterinarian is the best solution. In addition, you may wish to consider a blood sample be taken to screen for Heartworm infestation. Heartworms are fatal if not treated in a timely manner.
Internal Parasite
Hookworm - Hookworms are evil little creatures that feed off the intestinal walls. They are passed to other animals through soil, where eggs have been laid. These are incredibly easy to contract. The larvae that live in the soil can enter the body through the feet and travel throughout the system until they reach the intestines where they stay to feed off of blood and lay eggs that shed once again, in feces and contaminate the ground.
Tapeworm - Tapeworms are long, segmented worms that live in an infected person's or animal's intestines. These are most often noticed when the worms start to shed segments full of eggs, which are often found around the anus, or in stools. These segments look like grains of rice when dry, but are squishy and may be moving when fresh. Tapeworms are spread by ingesting fleas that have eaten the eggs, or by ingesting egg sacs from feces.
Roundworm - The most common of internal parasites beside Tapeworms, roundworms frequently infect pets. They look suspiciously like thin spaghetti noodles and can often be found in feces with the naked eye.
Whipworm - These are long, whip-shaped worms that are ingested either from the feces of infected animals, or spread through other bodily fluids. They are found in the colons of animals, and shed eggs through feces approximately three months later.
A great website to look at for more info is
http://www.the-puppy-dog-place.com/puppy-worms.html
and
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=476
These are normal things; please don’t get too stressed out about them. I am always willing to provide you with contact information to my Veterinarian and if you have already bought a puppy from me this contact information is on the health folder I gave you. As always, please contact me with any questions.