getting a puppy...needing deworming advice?

Question

Hi all, my hubby and I seem to be getting a puppy sometime next week from a friend from work. THe mother of the pup is no longer lacting and they have been feeding him mush for over a week now. I know that is young for them ,but he is doing well and I got to see him lat night to check him out. Anyways, we are needing to know what products we can buy, instead of going to a vet and paying high$$$$, for the deworming medicine and other first shots. can anyone help us......

Answer 1

If you are taking on the responsibility of owning a pet you better plan to be prepared to put out some money....
The vet is the best place to buy puppy wormer. The crap from the stores is not very effective & not the best products for puppies. Besides, you will have to take the pup to the vet for a health exam & first shots anyway. It won't cost much to have the puppy wormed also.
The puppy WILL require shots in order to stay healthy & keep from spreading disease as well. If you take the pup home, you can't just run down to the local wal-mart & get vaccines, etc. Most states have laws requiring rabies vaccines, parvo vaccines, distemper, etc. They also require a dog license that cannot be obtained without PROOF that the dog has had a rabies vaccine. It would also be best that the dog is neutered A.S.A.P. (at 6 months)...This usually allows you to get a discount on your license fees, it is healthier for the dog in the long run & it is what a RESPONSIBLE pet owner does....
Also, do NOT buy "CHEAP" dog food...store brands, atta boy, ol roy, etc. If you pay a little more for good quality, your dog will be & stay healthier. You will be providing nutrition that is needed & not just filling it's belly with garbage where it will in turn fill your yard with poop because the dog's body is eliminating the food & NOT using it for nutrition & health.
But, be sure to keep ALL vaccinations current....A sick dog will only cost you a lot more $$$$$$ which is what you seem more worried about than what is best for the puppy you haven't even gotten home yet...
Being a responsible pet owner is NOT cheap...So, if you are not committed to giving the puppy the care it will require, leave it with the friend & let them find it a home where the owners will be concerned with the puppy & NOT what it will cost them....

Answer 2

Do Not get this puppy before it has at least completed it's 7th week..it is against the law to do so in most states and in some it is 8 weeks.

If you do NOT want to take proepr care of this puppy and get proper vet care for it and don't want to spend the money for proper care do NOT get it. Vet care is part of being a responsible pet owner.
OTC dewormers are NOT safe nor are they effective. Further more they should NEVER be administered to a puppy.Also a fecal test should be done to find out exactly what type(s) if any worms the puppy has and then the proper meds in the proper dosage can be given.

OTC vaccines also should NOT be used...1) there isn o way to know how they have been handled, stored, expiration date 2) they may not be mixed or administered correctly 3) they usually contain far more vaccines then are needed or recommended 4) the drug companies will not guarantee vaccines that are not boughto r administered by a licensed vet 5) a puppy/dog should NEVER be vaccinated without having an exam first to determine if it is healthy enough. a dog/puppy may appear healthy to the owner but may be harboring an illness that can only be detected by a vet.

Vaccinations need to be given at 8 weeks, 12 weeks and 16 weeks Do NOT vaccinate earlier!!!

Answer 3

Deworm A Puppy

Answer 4

Great question. Most OTC dewormers aren't as effective and as mentioned before can have unwanted side-effects such as seizures, etc. Also, OTC dewormers do not get all types of intestinal parasites and a vet will want to check a fecal samle several times to make sure none of those other parasites are present. Parasites can also infect humans, especially small children and the elderly as well has be life-threatning to little puppies.

As for vaccines, many people do vaccinate at home, the reasons it is not recommended is because vaccines have to be stored at a proper temperature and most OTC vaccines you have no idea if that was the case especially during shipment and may not be effective. Then you have to give the injection and make sure it is given in the correct area and at the correct dates. For these reasons, I have seen to many puppies end up with heavy parasite burdens and life threating infectious diseases (Parvo, distemper) that take their life due to at home vaccination.

Deworming should be done at 2, 4, 6, 8 and the CDC recommends fecal checks every three weeks at 6, 9, 12, and sometimes 15 weeks.

Vaccines should be given at 6, 9, 12, 15, and sometimes even again at 18 weeks for some breeds to guarantee immunity. Also regular check-ups help the vet look for any underlying heart or developmental abnormalities and helps your pet get vaccinated for what it is at risk for.

You can spend more money on treating some of these disease than taking to a vet and getting vaccinated. Hope this helps!

Answer 5

I know how it is, expensive to take your pet to the vet. But would you buy your human baby vaccine meds OTC and do it yourself? Treat all living creatures with the same compassion. If you can't afford to take the puppy to the vet then don't get a puppy, for it's sake.
Deworming meds, like a monthly dose of heartworm medication is fine to buy and give yourself though. When you take puppy into the vet ask them what they recommend. You can always find that med cheaper somewhere on-line.
To help with your puppy's vet bills, ask your vet if they have medical insurance. Most vets now-a-day have them. For a small fee every month your puppy will be insured just like you and it could save you money and some day your puppy's life if there is ever an accident or emergancy that will no dought be extreamly costly in the future.

Answer 6

Call your local ASPCA and ask if they have a vet service or if they know of a low cost vet.

It is very dangerous to deworm an animal on your own. You can accidentally kill your puppy.

Puppy needs a series of shots anyway, so find a vet and make sure you keep up with routine medical care.

Answer 7

You will end up spending the money.The wormers you buy over the counter is for so much it doesn't really work that well and they need to be wormed much more often.
Vaccines need to be doe by the vet unless you know exactly what you are doing if the vaccines are not kept at a certain temperature it's like not giving at all as well as you need to watch for side effects.
I suggest going to the vets it's the best and safest way.
Also if possible it's best to leave the pup with mom until 8 weeks as this is the crucial time that mom and siblings do the dogie social training like haw hard to bite, how to be with other dogs, an things like that. And really they should be on more solid food before leaving their moms. Mom will still nurse them usually until they are closer to 6-7 weeks but not as much.

Answer 8

RE:
getting a puppy...needing deworming advice?
Hi all, my hubby and I seem to be getting a puppy sometime next week from a friend from work. THe mother of the pup is no longer lacting and they have been feeding him mush for over a week now. I know that is young for them ,but he is doing well and I got to see him lat night to check him out. ...

Answer 9

All puppies have worms. You will need to take the baby to the vet. Call around and get rates for the basic exam; that will give you an idea of comparison costs.
But if you cannot afford the vet care, don't get the dog. Every dog needs annual vet care, and you should budget for about $300 per year, depending on your location. You need monthly heartworm prevention and flea prevention to keep a dog healthy, as well as annual vaccinations (or titers).

Answer 10

In my area , there is a vet that does vaccination clinics at one of the local pet store chains. It cost me 10 bucks to get my pup dewormed. Maybe you could find something like this in your area