Ensuring your dog receives the right worm treatment is an important part of being a responsible dog owner.  Heart worms, tape worms, intestinal worms and fleas can all harm your dog.  Intestinal worms can transfer to humans and cause serious health problems.  Heart worms are fatal in dogs.  

Your dog also requires annual vaccinations.  Puppies require their first vaccination at 5-7 weeks of age; and a booster every four weeks, for a total of 4 vaccinations.  Adult dogs should be vaccinated once a year.  This is to ensure your dog is immunized against distemper, parvo virus, hepatitis, and two types of canine cough.

Parasites 

Parasites can cause diarrhea, stomach bloating or vomiting. Parasites include tapeworms, round worms, hookworms and mange. Tapeworms will look like pieces of rice coming out of your foster dog’s anus or in his stool. Round and hookworms may be vomited, and roundworms look like spaghetti (hookworms are smaller and rarely distinguishable without the aid of a microscope). Mange is an infestation of tiny mites that bite and cause intense scratching, reddened skin and loss of fur. Only rare cases of mange (sarcoptic) are contagious to humans. If you suspect your foster dog has parasites, call your vet to schedule a fecal test. Once diagnosed, parasites are easily medicated and treated.   All dogs at Shaw PBR are treated monthly with Ivomec (heart worm preventive);  Cestex, as needed, for tapeworms; Panacur and Pyrantel, as necessary.

Distemper 

Distemper is an extremely contagious and often fatal viral disease. Over 50% of dogs and 80% of puppies that contract the virus die from it. It is an airborne infection that can be transmitted with or without direct contact with an infected dog through mucous, urine and feces. Some of the symptoms include squinting, congestion of the eyes, puss from the eyes, weight loss, coughing, vomiting, nasal discharge and diarrhea.   All dogs adopted from Shaw PBR have received a distemper vaccination.

Parvo 

Parvo attacks the intestinal tract, white blood cells and heart muscle. Signs of infection are depression, loss of appetite, vomiting, severe diarrhea, fever and sometimes kennel cough symptoms. The illness is contracted through contact with the infected feces of another dog. This is why you must NOT take your puppy out to public places where other dogs have been until he has completed his vaccine series against the disease.  All puppies and adult dogs at Shaw PBR have been vaccinated against Parvo.  However, if you adopt a puppy, they may require additional boosters to complete the vaccination series.

Vaccination Schedule 

Your dog’s vaccination and worming history will be given to you. All dogs have been vaccinated for Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza, Parvo, and Bordetella. Rabies vaccinations given to all dogs over 4 months of age. 

Adult dogs are vaccinated once a year; while puppies may be vaccinated starting at 5 weeks of age (if they have been with their mother) and should be given boosters every 3-4 weeks until they have received a total of 4 vaccinations.