A choice of three programs to ensure your puppy gets the proper pediatric medical care.

Getting Started

Your puppy needs to see the veterinarian as soon as you know you are receiving a new member of the family.  Immediate concerns are parasites and contagious diseases. Parasites are not only life threatening to your puppy but they can put your family at risk for serious disease also.  Providing your puppy protection from contagious diseases as soon as possible helps keep it safe and healthy.

At this point please keep your puppy at home and away from other dogs and areas where dogs congregate, such as pet stores and parks.  Adult dogs can pass contagious diseases to a puppy even if they seem healthy.

Hope Animal Hospital has designed the following program to provide the proper early care for your new puppy.

Initial Visit

The initial visit will be tailored to your puppy’s needs based on age and health status. The visit will include:

• Complete Physical Examination:  The veterinarian will evaluate your pet’s health status and look for any problems.
  
  
• Fecal Examination:  Our advanced centrifugation technique is designed to detect the presence of roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, coccidia, and some types of tapeworms
  
  
• Deworming: All puppies are infected with roundworms during the pregnancy or during nursing.  We always deworm for roundworms and hookworms to protect your puppy and family
  
  
• Evaluation of nutritional status:  Many puppies have special nutritional needs due to parasitism, poor nutrition, and poor environment.  The veterinarian will recommend an appropriate diet and supplements if needed.
  
  
• Housebreaking advice:  With the right approach all puppies can be house broken.  Each puppy is different and the veterinarian will give you individualized instructions given your schedule and the puppy’s needs.
  
  
• Pedicure: Puppies need frequent nail trims to keep sharp nails from scratching and to train them to allow easy nail trimming when they are older.
  
  
• Flea, Tick, and Mosquito Bite Prevention:  Most every body has seen these blood thirsty parasites.  They can drain a small puppy of enough blood to cause anemia. Fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes are very preventable and we will supply your puppy’s first monthly treatment of Advantix.  If your puppy has fleas we will give a Capstar tablet by mouth to kill the fleas immediately.
  
  
• Vaccination:  The veterinarian will give vaccinations as indicated by your puppy’s age and health status.  Below are listed diseases your veterinarian will consider vaccinating against at this time.
  • Parvovirus:  A deadly contagious disease of the intestinal tract.
  • Coronavirus:  A contagious disease of the intestinal tract that can be a problem in young puppies.
  • Distemper:  A deadly contagious respiratory disease that can progress to severe neurologic disease.
  • Adenovirus 2:  Protects against the respiratory disease of the same name and cross protects against adenovirus 1, the virus that causes deadly infectious canine hepatitis (the H in DHPP).
  • Parainfluenza:  A respiratory disease in puppies that can progress to serious disease.
  • Bordetella:  A respiratory disease in puppies that can progress to serious disease.
    
    
    

First Follow Up Visit

At the follow up visit in three weeks the veterinarian will again tailor the treatments given to your pet’s needs.

• Complete Physical Examination
  
  
• Fecal Examination
  
  
• Deworming
  
  
• Evaluation of nutritional status
  
  
• Housebreaking advice
  
  
• Pedicure
  
  
• Booster Vaccinations
  
  
• Home Again Microchip Identification:  A microchip provides a permanent form of identification with a unique number that cannot be altered.  The procedure is similar to administering a vaccine.  The microchip comes preloaded in a sterile applicator and is injected under the skin between the shoulder blades.
  
  
• Heartworm Disease and Prevention:  Heartworms are a deadly parasitic infection of the heart that is passed by biting mosquitoes.  This infection can easily be prevented by giving a tablet monthly all year round and testing yearly. We will provide your puppy with a kit that includes the first heartworm prevention tablet.
  
  
  

Second Follow Up Visit

At the follow up visit in three weeks the Veterinarian will again tailor the treatments given to your pet’s needs.

• Complete Physical Examination
  
  
• Fecal Examination
  
  
• Deworming (if necessary)
  
  
• Evaluation of nutritional status
  
  
• Housebreaking advice
  
  
• Pedicure
  
  
• Booster Vaccinations
  
  
• Rabies Vaccination:  Rabies is still a dangerous disease with no reliable treatment available.  We must continue to take this disease seriously to protect our pets and families.
  
  
• Rabies Tag:  Your county rabies tag will be provided to you with this program unless you plan to not alter your pet that lives in St. Louis County.  If that is the case you must pay for an unaltered pet tag.
  
  
  

Last Pediatric Visit

Your puppy is growing up and although it will continue to need examinations every 6 months and various vaccinations and diagnostic tests your puppy is done with the puppy series with this visit.

• Complete Physical Examination
  
  
• Fecal Examination (only if positive last visit)
  
  
• Deworming (only if needed)
  
  
• Evaluation of nutritional status:  Puppies can start gaining too much weight at this time and may need a diet change to keep a slim figure.
  
  
• Housebreaking advice:  At this point your puppy should be housebroken or on the homestretch, but don’t worry if you still have problems we are here to help.
  
  
• Pedicure
  
  
• Booster Vaccinations (only what is needed)
  
  
• Six months of Interceptor:  Interceptor is a heartworm prevention that also controls roundworms, and hookworms.  You will give this monthly prevention for the rest of your pet’s life.

The above program outlines our Silver Puppy Plan.  For more savings continue reading to find out about our Gold and Platinum Puppy Programs.

The Gold Puppy Plan

The Gold Puppy Plan includes everything listed in the Silver Puppy Plan and includes the ovariohysterectomy (spay) or castration (neuter) surgery for no additional charge if the surgery is done by 5 months of age. If the pet is altered later additional charges will apply.  Our surgeries include the following services:

• Pre-anesthetic blood work
• IV Catheter
• IV Fluids
• Anesthesia
• Ovariohysterectomy or Castration
• Laser Surgery
• Advanced Monitoring
• Pain Management

To learn more about the procedures and care we take for your puppy's health and comfort, please visit our surgery page.

The Gold Puppy Program provides for most of the needs of your new puppy. You will enjoy the convenience of a having your puppy’s pediatric vaccinations and alteration surgery prepaid.

Platinum Puppy Plan

Many problems can come up in the first 6 months of a puppy’s life that may not be apparent on the first visit.  The Platinum Puppy Plan covers everything in the Gold Puppy Plan and those common extra tests that may need to be done.  Having your puppy on the Platinum Puppy Plan means that if your puppy needs the following tests done in the first 6 months of life because of an abnormal clinical sign or examination finding they will be done at no additional charge.

• Giardia Fecal Test:  Giardia is a protozoa infection that can cause intense abdominal cramps and diarrhea in people and pets.  If your pet has diarrhea this program includes one test for Giardia.
  
  
• Ear mite swab:  Ear mites cause intense itching of the ears as well as debris in the ear.  This microscopic test finds if mites are present in your pet’s ears.  An initial test, when warranted, and a follow up test if your pet is positive are included in this program.
  
  
• Milbemite:  Milbemite is a one time treatment for ear mites that we apply at the hospital when needed.
  
  
• Ear Cytology:  Ear infections are common in young puppies and if your pet is infected we will want to know the cause.  Two ear cytology tests are included in this package if your pet has an ear problem.  Medications for ear infections vary and will not be covered by this program.
  
  
• Skin Scraping:  Young dogs many times start losing hair due to mange mite infections.  If during the first 6 months your pet has signs of mange we will do this microscopic test twice, if needed, to find mites.  Treatment varies according to the mite found, therefore medication and additional skin scrapes will be charged for.
  
  
• Fungal Culture:  Ringworm is a contagious disease that affects the skin of both pets and humans.

The Platinum Puppy Plan insures that if your puppy has a problem with ear infections, hair loss, and diarrhea the initial tests will be covered.  In the case of ear mites the treatment is covered.  This is not all-inclusive for diagnostic tests but covers the most common tests new puppy parents may have to pay for.  The savings allows you to say yes to needed tests and medical care without having to worry about additional charges.

When you purchase the Platinum Puppy Plan at Hope Animal Hospital you can feel secure in the knowledge that, if needed, your puppy will be tested for the most common problems that include some human contagious diseases.

Please contact Hope Animal Hospital by phone or e-mail to find out the discounts available for purchasing one of our Puppy Care Programs and about the payment options.