Puppy need shots

[Friend of a Mouse]

Don't start crying judgmental just because you don't like honest answers. You are the one who asked. All the things you list... those have nothing to do with your love for your puppy and everything to do with your own need. This is not a dog to you, this is a doll, and not a well cared for one at that. That dog does not give a flying leap about Easter baskets or Santa pictures. My dogs are well cared for and never had any of those things. What did they have? An appropriate amount of time with their mother whenever possible (one was a stray so we cannot vouch for that), all of their vaccinations and tests done by a qualified professional, an owner that researched the dogs and how to care for them before taking them home, etc.

I find it hard to believe that with living on a farm you didn't know that a puppy should not be separated from its mother that early. Do you even know if you are feeding it the right food or if it needs to have milk replacement? I don't know, that's why I don't get puppies that young. I suppose it's too late now to do the right thing for this dog and make sure it is with its mother. What you can do is make sure the vet is aware of the age and get that dog checked ASAP and make sure that you are feeding it what it needs. You can also do your research on the breed as some breeds have very specific requirements.

 

[doxdogy]

First of all no GOOD breeder lets a pup go that early. Ours never left before 10 weeks, second that puppy should still be nursing. It's system is not ready for dog food. Feed it baby rice cereal, not pedigree. Puppies need LOTS of protein.

Call me judgmental, but the breeder is money hungry. If they are AKC members, the AKC can and will ban them for selling pups that early.

As others have told you, the breeder should give all shots and provide a health certificate to you.

Carry yourself to the pet store and get some milk replacement and mix it with baby rice cereal or bottle feed it for a few weeks.

 

[Poohforyou]

Wow, sorry to say it doesn't sound like you have a responsible breeder there if she'd let you take the puppy so young. 8 weeks is the minimum a puppy s/b separated from the litter. As for shots, you need parvo, distemper and a few others. Our breeder did them for us since our puppy was 9 weeks old when we brought him home.

 

[EllenFrasier]

I will call an make an appointment today! Oh, pedigree puppy food. The soft kind in the can. We got our very first boxer at 5 weeks old and she did ok, well until she jump into our pool last week and drowned, she was 2 1/2 years old. We loved her so much.

Okay, I didn't read all the posts but are you for real? You bought your first dog at 5 weeks old and it just drowned in a pool? And now you bought another dog at 4 1/2 weeks old? That puppy should be with it's mother and litter mates until at least 8 weeks old.

 

[Mkaz]

So let me get this straight. You live on a farm. Had a dog for 15 years. Had to put it down. Somewhere after or shortly before you got another puppy. The puppy drowned a week after you put the first dog down. Then you got a 4 1/2 week old boxer puppy to replace the two that you just lost. She hasn't seen a vet, and you want your husband to vaccinate her. You didn't do your research before you got her and just read that boxers can't swim. You have a pool and a pond. You can keep her out of the pool, but not the pond. According to an article you read everyone here is judge mental.


Here is what I know for fact...

Sadly, pets don't live forever. I miss our boxer like crazy.
Accidents do happen. Even in the best of circumstances.
Any responsible breeder would not let a puppy go at that age.
Any responsible breeder will give puppies their first shots, worm them, and have them vet checked before releasing them.

Puppies are supposed to be with the mom for 8 weeks.
Chances are your puppy has worms or another parasite.
She needs to see a vet for bloodwork.
Boxers can't swim!
There's a lot you don't know about the boxer breed. Do your research.
It's judgemental not judge mental.

I would love to know who this breeder is and if these puppies are registered. They have no business selling animals.

 

[goofy!]

Op, you did not do your research, but now the deed is done. Now you have to do what is right for this puppy.

I would not return the puppy, as a puppy miller so callous as to sell puppies at 4 weeks would think nothing about drowning or shooting this puppy if it did not resell quickly. An older puppy costs money to feed, cutting into profits. And since the puppy is only a commodity to the puppy miller, better to kill the puppy than to lose even a dollar.

So, what should you be doing?

First of all, you need to call the vet back ASAP and get a proper diet for this puppy and a feeding schedule. Depending on the health of the pup, it may need supplementation to the pedigree canned food to make up for the nursing it is losing.

Then you need to call a reputable trainer. This puppy is losing the absolutely crucial lessons a puppy learns from its litter mates and mother from 5-8 weeks. Somebody mentioned bite inhibition. This is one major lesson a pup learns during this critical time. Taking a puppy this early increases your chances of having a biting dog 100 fold. You need to contact a good trainer to learn some exercises you can do to mimic the lessons taught by mom and litter mates.

The last and most important thing you need to do is report this puppy mill so that the cycle of selling puppies too early stops. You need to report them to the USDA for violation of the Georgia Animal Protection Act. Since you are a farm family, you should know how to contact your local USDA representative. If the pups are AKC registered, also report them to AKC.

 

[goofy!]

And now for my soapbox. The next time you want a purebred dog, make sure you find a reputable breeder.

The best way to discern if a breeder is reputable is to see if they spent lots of money on health screenings on the parents. Only reputable breeders will forego profits to do expensive health tests. They care about what they put on the ground, so the do the screenings.

The OFA website has recommended tests by breed that you shoul be asking breeders about.

For instance, we are getting ready to whelp our first litter. Our breeder, the co-owner of the dog, makes sure that she does her best to put the healthiest puppies on the ground. So far, we have had a DNA test done to make sure our dog is not carrying any genetic diseases. Next week we go in for X-rays of hips and elbows. She will have an eye exam by a veterinary opthomologist to receive her CERF clearance. She will be examined for dentition to make sure she has proper teeth. She will visit a veterinary cardiologist to make sure she is clear of any heart defect. She will have bloodwork to clear thyroid and other problems. Her mother and half brother (top Kom in the world) are both CHIC certified (highest clearance you can get and these two were the first of the breed to get it) and we are hoping our dog gets CHIC certified also.

By the time all these tests are done and adding in the ultrasounds and pregnancy care, there will be very little chance a profit will be seen.

A reputable breeder cares more about the puppies than profit. Their motivation to breed is betterment of the breed and to get a new and better puppy for themselves.

 

[goofy!]

Forgot to add:

To see what health screenings your breed shoul have, go to

Www.offa.org

On their home page, you can look up the screenings your potential breed needs and you can also look up a particular dog to see if they have the screenings and if they have passed.

 

[zippingalong]

I wanted to add. I know about having a very (too young) puppy. I was getting gas out in the middle of nowwhere, SC. There was a man standing outside the gas station asking if anyone wanted a puppy. Well, I certainly had no intention of getting a puppy that day while getting gas. But, when someone else asked to see her and he opened his TRUNK and took her out..(his car was shut up with the puppy in the trunk, it was September and 80+ degrees outside) I immediately said, "I want her", threw her in my car and retreated. I have no idea what happened to her mom or her littermates. I still think about what could have happened to them.

Anyway. I had her at the vet the next day to find she was also about 4.5-5 weeks old. She had a thorough physical and we got her on a vaccination schedule AND when I went to work, I dropped her off at the vet EVERY morning, until she was actually old enough to leave home alone and while she needed to be fed every few hours.

She took a lot of work...and a LOT of money. But, I think she got the best home she could have gotten in her situation.

If you're going to keep her, you have to commit fully. If not, you're not doing the right thing.

 

[pixiewings71]

Feel bad for the pup. This dog will get birthday parties, Easter baskets, Christmas photos with santa, Christmas gifts, everything. It will live in the lap of luxury. It will sleep in the beds in our home, not outside! It will be given the best of the best. Trust me.

My dog sleeps in our beds, is given the best of the best, Christmas gifts, birthday gifts, all the toys she could possibly destroy, and she was 12 weeks old when we brought her home. Actually I think she was 11.5 and we were the first family to take our new furbaby home. Just because you spoil your dog doesn't mean she wasn't taken away from her pack waaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyy too soon. She was, and your breeder should be fined.

Ok here is a crash course on puppy vaccines for you. Puppies start vaccines at between 6-8 weeks old. They need need vaccines every 3 weeks until AFTER they are 16 weeks old. That last vaccine is the most important as it is what gives them the immunity that will last the year. After puppy shots they will need vaccines once a year (unless being boarded somewhere then one vaccine is recommended every 6 months ) the rabies vaccine is given at 16 weeks or older and can only be given by a vet. In most states the first rabies is good for a year, then the subsequent ones are good for three years if given on time. You can find the basic combo vaccine DHPP (distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza, and most important parvovirus ) at feed stores. However, if they have been stored improperly or given incorrectly they will be useless in protecting you puppy. Dogs also seem to have a higher rate of vaccine reaction to the brands of vaccine found at feed stores. Some vets recommend a DHLPP vaccine that you won't be able to find at a feed store, this vaccine also protects against Lepto. Bordatella is The other vaccine, that covers kennel cough and is hard to find in feed stores. I always recommend have your vet give vaccines as puppies are wiggly and its easy to have the needle poke out the other side of skin and squirt your vaccine everywhere. Vets also vouch for the efficacy of their vaccines and how they have been handled and stored before your puppy got them. some vet clinics and boarding facilities will not admit animals with home done vaccines, if that were to happen you would have to have the dog revaccinated at a vet clinic anyway.

So, yes your puppy is very young to be away from mom. Most vets offer a free new puppy health check. Get him in and they can worm him, give him a fecal test for other worm/parasites that the general wormer doesn't cover. They will check him for the obvious genetic issues, listen to his hearts, etc. they can then explain what other tests are recommended for your area (like heart worm ) and recommend a vaccine schedule for you. If pricing for vaccines seems high, call around some vets offer a package to include all vaccines for the first year. You can also find a low cost vaccine clinic. However, DO NOT skip any vaccines. Parvo is very common, lives in the ground for YEARS, can be fatal, and is very very expensive to treat. So get your vaccines . Also because of Parvo don't be taking this new puppy places until after 16 weeks and it's final set of puppy vaccines. Even with vaccines puppies can get Parvo and it is no good for anyone to have to deal with!!

Good luck and feel free to PM me with any questions

All good info, but be aware OP that some dogs are allergic to Lepto, our boy wasn't but our girl was so she can't have shots with Lepto in them. We found out by taking her to the vet, getting her the shot and when she had the allergic reaction we took her back to the vet. Had we done the shots we may not have known of a possible Lepto allergy and we wouldn't have been able to take her right back to the vet when we saw it happening. (actually WE would have known because my BFF is a vet tech)

HOLY CRAP!!!!!!!!! You people are so judge mental. I suppose you have never heard of a dog getting ran over by a car, dying in some type of accident. Nope. I suppose not. Pathetic!!!! I guess people don't die in accidents either do they?
What about kids? Ever heard a child that died due to an accident. Guess not. Wow, I wish I were that lucky!

Ummm your comparisons are a bit skewed. And yes, I've had animals get hit by a car, I had a cat get killed by my neighbor's Pit Bull (in MY yard), she bled out all over my oldest DD. Judgemental?? OK I'll happily take that mantle if it helps someone learn that 4 1/2 weeks is way too young for a pup to be away from her Mother.

So you can afford to provide "the lap of luxury", is that based on cheaping out on other stuff? The puppy doesn't care about Christmas and Birthday parties, it needs health care which it seems your only grudgingly providing. Anyone who puts any sort of effort into learning about how to care for a puppy would realize this is too young for you to have it. But you know..so long as it looks cute in it's Easter outfit I suppose it doesn't matter.

For what it's worth, at the height of the Taco Bell chihuahua craze I know someone that ended up with a 4 week old puppy. They were being sold at a flea market and this puppy was the runt of the litter and the last one left. The seller said he'd just throw it in the dumpster if it was still there at the end of the day. On threat of police involvement, the puppy was taken and immediately taken to the vet to find out if it was even possible to raise by hand. She needed feeding every few hours and more attention than most people would have ever wanted to bother with.

Our cat (previously mentioned) had to be fed by syringe every 2-3 hours until he would eat on his own. We had to feed him baby food because he wouldn't eat anything else, he also had to have medication because he did have an infection. My middle DD (the one who is now 16) got up with him at night and gave him his food and medicine, it was hard work. Be aware you may need to do this with your puppy!!

Well this is what is was or what I was thinking. We are a farm family. We hardly ever use a vet unless we spay/neuter our pets, which we do. And my husband takes care of most of all this stuff, so I thought about just letting him take care of the dog too. But she is going to the vet.

I was reading a article on the net the other night about this very message board and just how judge mental many posters here are. And it was right. But I did learn about the boxers not being able to swim, I did not know that. But we are taking extreme measures with the pool now, can't do much about the pasture with a pond in it though.

The BFF I previously mentioned is a farm family, she has people dump their animals on her farm all the time, she takes the cats to her vet (she adopts the dogs out) and gets them shots, dewormed (regularly) and gets them fixed, then she takes them home and lets them be barn cats. Just because you are a farm family doesn't mean your pets (which I assume this dog will be as you say how spoiled she will be) shouldn't visit the vet regularly.
How did you not know Boxers can't swim?? I don't even have a Boxer and I knew that. I hope you try to teach her to swim or get her a life jacket or something because having a pond in a pasture is asking for trouble.
I hope your pup is healthy and that she grows into a great pet but be warned that sometimes when animals are removed from the pack too soon they don't learn things that they need to learn, like how not to bite, how not to growl over food, how to share......
Please let us know what the vet says, and I agree that you should call back and explain how old she is, when I called my vet about the 4 week old kittens they got me in the same day, I had to wait 2 hours (which was too late for the female kitten that we called Ninja, she died that day) to get in.

 

[CathrynRose]

HOLY CRAP!!!!!!!!! You people are so judge mental. I suppose you have never heard of a dog getting ran over by a car, dying in some type of accident. Nope. I suppose not. Pathetic!!!! I guess people don't die in accidents either do they?
What about kids? Ever heard a child that died due to an accident. Guess not. Wow, I wish I were that lucky!

I have a tendency to be, when people believe they are above doing the right thing, including buying a puppy at 4 weeks old from presumably a backyard breeder, and intending on doing home vaccinations because apparently your husband did so, for live stock, at some point.

It's bad enough someone doesn't adopt, which is something I'm passionate about, but to then not even go to a reputable breeder?


Pathetic indeed.


P.S. My Charley also lives in luxury, and I got him at 17 MONTHS old and take him to the vet for his shots. He apparently must be the exception. My Hazel does, as well - but she's naughty and doesn't get a bday cake like Charley. He's my favorite.

 

[YankeePrincess]

I really hope you are just a troll because I feel so bad for that puppy. Can a puppy even eat solid food at 4 weeks? Don't give that poor dog shots on your own. Suppose you give it too much? You can kill the poor thing. I wish I could take that puppy away from you, because you obviously have no clue.

How can you have two dogs before and not know what kind of shots a dog should have and that a dog should not be away from the mother that young? I think people who have never had a dog at least have the common sense to know that!

 

[suemom2kay]

Poor puppy. He has a good chance of having Parvo just from where he came from and where he's ended up.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

Where's a computer whiz to figure out OPs IP address and get a real location? The more I think about this situation the angrier I get.

 

[tikistitch]

I've had my dog for 11 years now and I found her in a box at a park, abandoned with 2 siblings. Me and my friends each took one and brought them promptly to a vet before going home, and we found out they were about 4 weeks old. We had to bottle feed the pups and give them supplements for a few weeks before bringing them up to weight enough to get their first round of shots, and then they had a few more rounds of shots from about 8 weeks to 12 months. Our pups were very round and seemed full and lively too, but they all had worms and had to be dewormed right away. One of the other pups looked fine but had a skin disease that needed prompt attention. The third had a developmental defect and her back legs never grew in properly and she ended up passing away at about 18 months old. I would get your new puppy in ASAP to the vet just for a health checkup, me and my friends learned the hard way that looks can be deceiving in the case of puppies.

 

[huhwhat]

I don't want to sound "judge mental" , however, I am in the pet care industry and Parvo should be a huge concern for this pup. The ASPCA should be sent to this "breeder" for selling pups that young. You should be ashamed of yourself.