Ed's AKC Miniature
Schnauzers
Care and Feeding (continued)
Worms
Roundworms & Hookworms
Heartguard Plus and Interceptor, two new combination heartworm medications, also
kill the intestinal worms common in our area. By using either of these products,
we eliminate the need for routine fecal examinations and separate worming
medications. However, if your puppy has persistent diarrhea please bring in a
small fecal sample to check for other less-common parasites.
Tapeworms
If you see little short white worms (1/2 inch long or less), these are probably
tapeworm segments. When the segments dry they look like grains of brown rice and
may stick to your dog's hair. If you see anything like this, let us know and we
will dispense medicine to use at home. Prescription tapeworm drugs are extremely
effective, very safe, and cause no discomfort whatever. Non prescription
tapeworm medications don't work very well and often cause intestinal cramps and
diarrhea. Before dispensing medication, we need to know your dog's weight.
If he is not extremely small or too large to lift, you can be sufficiently
accurate by weighing yourself with and without the dog. Otherwise, bring him
along. We will weigh him and set up the prescription when you come in.
Heartworms
Because of a mosquito species that lives in oak trees at our elevation, the
Sierra foothills of Northern California have a serious heartworm problem-worse
than just about anywhere else in the Western United States. In 1972,
approximately one fourth of all heartworm cases reported in California were
diagnosed at Placerville Veterinary Clinic. In our area, dogs that don't receive
prevention medicine, especially if they sleep outdoors, will probably get
heartworms. If we discover the problem in time, heartworms can be
eliminated, but treatment is difficult, dangerous, and expensive. And even with
treatment, heartworms cause permanent damage. Although the treatment isn't
nearly as dangerous as many people seem to believe, regular testing followed by
treatment when needed is not a reasonable alternative to prevention.
Heartworm prevention
We recommend Interceptor Chewable Tablets, because they taste good and need to
be given only once a month. In addition, Interceptor kills hookworms, whipworms
and roundworms, eliminating the need for separate worming medications and
routine fecal examinations. It is important to use Interceptor every month
without fail.
Heartworm testing
Dogs with heartworm disease ordinarily have adult male and female worms living
in the heart, and microscopic baby heartworms throughout the bloodstream. Baby
heartworms become adults only after living in a mosquito and then getting into
another dog when it is bitten by the mosquito.
Because we cannot detect heartworms until about six months after infection, we
never know for sure if puppies already have heartworms when we start them on
prevention medication. Although this is a concern, the risk of puppyhood
infection is small, and we can safely wait to perform an initial heartworm test
until about fifteen months of age, when rabies and distemper booster
vaccinations are given. After that, we encourage you to test every two years to
protect against the small possibility that a dose has been missed, or the
extremely small possibility that the medicine isn't working.
Training
House Training: How and when should I start training my puppies?
Puppies have a strong natural instinct to avoid soiling their own area. If you
are consistent and patient, this natural urge for cleanliness makes house
training fairly easy. You can begin training any time after five weeks of age. A
little extra effort and patience in puppyhood will make the difference later on
between a happy, cooperative pet and one that causes problems for you.
Establish a teacher-learner relationship
Use two types of rewards-praise and petting. When your puppy asks for attention,
you probably respond by petting, which is only natural. Begin using these
requests to show that you are the teacher and your puppy is the learner. It may
sound silly but it's important to establish this relationship early in puppyhood.
Each time your puppy asks to be petted, respond by holding your hand about a
foot above his nose and saying, "Rover (substitute your dog's name),
sit." Move your hand back over his ears as you speak. This makes him look
up, which is the first part of sitting. Keep repeating "good sit"
until he sits. Then pet him on the throat and chest with your other hand for a
few seconds as you repeat the praise. If not successful at first, repeat the
procedure. When your dog sits from five to ten seconds, release him from the
command by saying "OK", then pet and praise him again. Gradually
increase the sitting time until you have reached one or two minutes before you
say "OK". Be sure everyone who lives with the pet follows this
procedure.
Consistent treatment from the whole family makes for a better adjusted, happier
pet. Insist that your pet earn praise.
Teaching where to go
At first, feed at least three times a day. All dogs do not have the same
digestive rates-you may need to feed your puppy as often as five times a day in
order to avoid overloading his system and causing loose, difficult-to-control
bowel movements. When you find the right schedule, the result is a dog that eats
and then has a bowel movement within a few minutes.
Feed indoors. Remember, dogs do not like to eliminate where they eat. If your
dog is urinating or defecating in a certain area, try feeding him right at that
spot (after clean up, of course.)
Right after your dog finishes eating, chase him out good naturedly to his toilet
area, ahead of you if possible. Then let him sniff around for a good spot. Do
not confuse things by urging him to go. After he goes to the bathroom, crouch
down and point at the urine or fecal matter and say "good dog". Look
right at the stuff, not at the dog. If your dog sniffs it, praise and pet him
enthusiastically.