Pup's first vet appt-would you have expected more?

[friskypanda]

I suppose I should start by saying, I'm not too keen on this vet and have decided to try a new one for her next set of shots in a couple weeks. I'm trying to figure out if I should get into the new vet sooner for another overall exam.

Seven (the puppy) was about 7 1/2 weeks old when she came home, and went to the vet the following day. She weighed 4.8 lbs at the vet. She was spayed at the shelter the day she came home. She was given a distemper vac on 5/25, then again on 6/4 (the day she came home).

Seven had a runny nose when she went to the vet. She was put on antibiotics. In addition, the vet did a fecal test and checked over her body. She determined that she has an umbilical hernia which will need to be fixed in a few months if it doesn't correct on its own. She also asked me about what kind of return/guarantee the shelter has because she is concerned the runny nose could be the beginnings of distemper. She does not have hard pads, which I've read is another symptom. The runny nose has responded to the antibiotics.

Now, what I've been thinking about that has me concerned (other than the possible distemper that I'm crazy nervous about), the vet did not do any bloodworm to check for heartworms, did not check her ears and did not put her on a flea preventative. The flea thing she said to wait 3 weeks until her next set of shots, since we don't have a problem. She also told me not to bathe her until her next set of shots (3 weeks), although the shelter said 7-10 days after being spayed. We live in Houston, so fleas and heartworms are common.

Am I reasonable in expecting these things at the first visit? Do you think I should get her into the new vet earlier than the 26th for another full exam, or just wait until she is due for her next set?

Thanks!

[mrsd2006]

www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2106&aid=875

First visit

General physical exam including weighing your puppy

Discuss any health concerns

Inform the veterinarian of your puppy's housing, previous vaccinations and deworming, and any special purposes you have for the dog such as field work, showing, search and rescue, etc.

Have your puppy checked for parasites, including a fecal exam (you may want to bring a fresh stool sample with you)

Have your puppy 'dewormed'*

Discuss heartworm prevention and start your puppy on a preventive

Discuss vaccinations and have the proper ones given

Discuss feeding your puppy: how much, how often, what brand, dry or canned

Discuss any grooming concerns including nails, skin, coat, and ears

Discuss other daily care such as brushing teeth

Discuss and start flea and tick control medications if necessary

Discuss normal puppy behavior, teaching commands, and any behavior problems such as biting at hands; discuss puppy training classes

Discuss any housetraining concerns

Discuss introducing your puppy to other pets in your family, and to children

Second visit

General physical exam including weighing your puppy

Discuss any health concerns

Have your puppy checked for internal and external parasites, including a fecal exam (again, you may want to bring a fresh stool sample with you)

Have your puppy 'dewormed'*

Adjust the dose of heartworm preventive according to the puppy's new weight

Discuss vaccinations and have the proper ones given

Discuss any problems and changes in feeding your puppy

Discuss any grooming concerns

Review normal behavior, teaching commands, and any behavior problems including housetraining

Third and subsequent visits

General physical exam including weighing your puppy

Discuss any health concerns

Discuss spaying or neutering your puppy

Have your puppy checked for internal and external parasites, including a fecal exam (you may want to bring a fresh stool sample with you)

Have your puppy 'dewormed'*

Discuss the need to adjust the dosage of heartworm preventive according to your puppy's new weight

Discuss vaccinations and have the proper ones given

Discuss any problems and changes in feeding your puppy

Discuss any grooming concerns

Review normal behavior, teaching commands, and any behavior problems including housetraining

Discuss outside activities, traveling with your puppy, or other concerns

* Even though a fecal exam may be negative, regular deworming is recommended to kill immature forms of the worms. Your heartworm preventive may contain a wormer; discuss this with your veterinarian.

We recommend that as your puppy grows into an adult, he should have an annual exam. Again, these appointments are not just for vaccinations but to evaluate the overall health of your pet and identify any potential problems early in their course.

[audnicole]

The vet jumped right to distemper? That seems odd to me, unless she has some inside knowledge that there was an outbreak at the shelter. Kennel Cough is way way way more common, and soo not a big deal with antibiotics.

the heartworm test makes sense, no need for that in a young pup.

Bathing is weird. Are you sure she didn't mean, don't bathe her in a flea shampoo until then?

[friskypanda]

The shelter she came from had distemper problems in 2009, from what I have been able to find online. The bathing thing, she told me to bathe her weekly in a non flea shampoo, but not to bathe her until her next appointment.

As far as flea preventative, I specifically asked about it and she asked if we had a flea problem. I said no, and she said to wait until her next appointment since there isn't a problem and to make sure to treat the yard. The yard has been treated, but we still found one in the house so we're ignoring that advice.

It sounds like I was right in being less than thrilled with her, but there wasn't anything incredibly wrong that would warrant an immediate visit with a different vet.

Thanks for your help, and for your thoughts about the distemper. I do understand its a possibility, and she did say it may just be a runny nose, but she was so...I can't even describe her demeanor very well. It was just very gloomy in her office.

[independencegirl74]

Everyone else already pretty much covered things you should do/ignore your vets advice on, but I'm going to back up suggestions to get the pup on flea preventative. The fleas are AWFUL this year thanks to the non-winter we had (I'm in the NE). I'd have a puppy on flea prevention as soon as possible (minimum age/weight requirements met).

And ditto others on not testing for heartworm being fine; it won't develop for 6 months if they've been "infected," so just starting them straight on a preventative will keep them safe.