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Puppy Health Guide

Maintaining good puppy health care is one of the most important responsibilities all new owners face.

Some health stuff is obvious... protect Fido from dangerous situations, get his vaccinations on time, learn to recognize the symptoms of dog illnesses and so on.

Others (such as having a first-aid kit handy, or making sure his puppy food is of premium quality) might not come to mind right away.

This page has all the information you need to keep on top of all of these, and more, helping your little pup to grow up healthy and strong  a long, happy and active life.

For your peace of mind, puppy and dog health information on this site has been approved by veterinarian Dr. Megan Teiber, DVM

Pitbull puppy sitting on fur rug


Common Puppy Health Issues

Puppy healthcare isn't 'rocket science' but it can be tricky to know when your pup is really sick, what type of preventative veterinary care is essential, or what to do about common problems.

Here are links to some of the puppy health issues which can worry and confuse new puppy owners (each link will open in a new window so you don't lose your place here!)


Symptoms Of Illness In Puppies

Common symptoms of illness in dogs and puppies:

  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting
  • Loss of appetite
  • Lethargy or extreme tiredness
  • Discharge from nose or eyes (or both)
  • A fever - anything over 102F

Many common symptoms and behaviors can have more than one cause, so this sometimes makes it difficult to know if your pup is sick, or how sick he is.

For example, your puppy might have a bout of diarrhea, or vomiting as a result of eating something he shouldn't.... but these symptoms could signal the beginning of some serious illnesses such as:

Young puppies can get very sick, very fast and common diseases such as Canine Parvovirus can kill a puppy within 24 - 48 hours.

It can sometimes be tricky to know when a symptom could mean serious trouble for your pup.

This page has detailed information to help you make the right decision and recognize a health emergency... Dog Emergency Symptoms

In an urgent situation your pups life depends on getting veterinary immediately, it is NOT a wait-and-see scenario!


More Puppy Health Conditions

The conditions I've mentioned above are among the most common health worries you might face as a new puppy parent.

Owner holding Min Pin puppy with veterinarian in background

Good preventative veterinary care can head off a lot of problems... and can also help your puppy to live a longer, happier and more active life.

But even with the very best of care, there are still many other puppy health conditions and worries that can crop up.

The list below has links to pages which cover a host of other problems which you might run into, plus articles on practical safety and prevention measures. 


Puppy Health -Prevention & Safety


Puppy Illnesses & Health Conditions


pet health insurance... it's a lifesaver

There are now treatments and remedies available for illnesses and injuries that previously might have killed our pets, or at least significantly reduced their quality of life. But with the ever-rising cost of veterinary care these advancements definitely come at a price.

Your healthy little puppy may not always be that way, and now is the best time to protect him for the future, and protect your wallet from taking a huge hit should he be accidentally injured or become seriously ill.

Pet health insurance can be a lifesaver if the worst happens, and it's much more affordable than you might think. You can find out more about why insuring your puppy is important in my Dog Health Insurance Guide and get tips and advice on choosing the best dog insurance policy for YOUR puppy (and your wallet) HERE.



Best Dog Health Books

Having a good book on canine health close at hand can make any puppy illness/accident less worrying.

These are a few of the best ones, and I recommend making sure that you have a reference book of some sort on your bookshelf...

There's so much more than just dealing with illnesses to keeping your puppy healthy.

Things like understanding normal puppy development and knowing how to meet your pup's nutritional needs are also very important.

I hope you'll take the time to browse through my website and learn everything you can about taking care of your brand new little guy, after all he's relying on you to keep him safe. Best of luck.


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