Puppy's First Visit to the Vet

It is already the law that puppies must be microchipped by 8 weeks of age, so this will probably already have been done by the breeder before you get your puppy. If not, the cost of a microchip with us is £16.

Vaccinations

It will soon be made illegal for a puppy to be sold under the age of 8 weeks, this is the age they will most likely be when they come to you. At this age they are ready to start having their vaccinations – they may have already had their first vaccination done with the breeder. Depending on their age, they may need two or three vaccinations. If your puppy is less than 9 weeks old when they start their vaccines, they will need 2 injections that are 4 weeks apart. If they are older than 9 weeks when they start, they will need 3 injections that are all 2 weeks apart. The cost of this vaccination course is £63. (Prices vary if they have already had one injection with the breeder and only need their second one with us). Your dog will need a booster vaccine every year to maintain their immunity.

You can start to take your puppy outside on pavement walks a week after their second vaccination. You should avoid walking them near farms, lakes and canals until 2 weeks after their last vaccination (when they are fully protected from Leptospirosis).

They can have an additional vaccination for Kennel Cough, which is administered nasally. A common misconception of this vaccine is that it is only required if your dog is going into kennels – this is untrue. Kennel Cough can be caught any time your dog comes into contact with another dog, which could be on walks, in your local park or if they go to a pet sitter. The cost of this vaccination alone is £30, but only £17 if they have it with their puppy vaccinations.

Neutering

We do recommend that you neuter your dog. For females, neutering reduces the risk of cancers and prevents a pyometra (infection of the womb), which can be a fatal illness. For males it also reduces the risk of cancers.

The right time to neuter depends on the breed and size of your dog. Smaller dogs reach their adult weight quicker and so can be done from 5-6 months of age. Larger dogs take longer to reach their adult weight and so can be done later, closer to 12 months of age. The neutering process is very routine surgery and the recovery period is usually around a week. They will come and stay with us for the day – you drop them off in the morning and pick them up that afternoon. We will see them again a few days later for a post-operative check. The price of neutering depends on the size of your dog – it ranges from £98 – £156 for males and from £125 – £210 for females.