Congratulations! You're a new pet owner. Obtaining a puppy can be an overwhelming event, just like getting a new baby. Your home should be puppy proofed, he/she needs special food, and then there's house breaking. We're enclosing a puppy care guide in the packet of materials being shipped with the puppy. There are several good suggestions on caring for your new pet. Your vet or pet groomer is another good source of information. Please don't hesitate to call or email us if you have questions.
Your puppy will be bathed prior to shipping; however, we can't guarantee what condition he or she will be after traveling in a travel crate. We often use baby shampoo because it's gentle on puppy's eyes and skin. Make sure to blow dry its hair immediately so puppy won't chill. If you brush the hair forward and up, it will be extra fluffy. Your puppy's nails will also be clipped with a pet nail trimmer. You can use toe nail clippers in the future.
We're including a sample of puppy food, which he/she should be eating well. Small breeds like Shih Tzus and Yorkies may take longer to get their teeth all the way in. If the puppy has any trouble, add a little bit of warm water to soften it, or you can grind some in the blender. We'll include a sample of ground food only if necessary. We personally use Royal Canin puppy food in our kennel. Switching to any high quality puppy food should not affect your puppy's health, but you should be consistent with your puppy's diet. The puppy care guide you'll receive from us with the puppy includes nutritional information.
Your puppy will soon be teething, so make sure to provide teething toys with the puppy's play things. We're providing a milk bone and/or jerky strip and play toy in the travel crate. As with any play toy, please check to make sure it is still safe for puppy after it's been chewed on awhile. Remove items that can be a choking hazard.
You should call your vet to schedule an appointment for within one week of your puppy's arrival. The puppy papers you'll receive indicate his medical record: vaccinations, dewormer, preventative medicines, etc. The vet visit is necessary to validate your health guarantee and should also roughly correspond with the puppy's vaccination update. Your puppy has already been checked by a vet at least twice.
The health certificate indicates that we are sending a healthy puppy. However, be prepared for your puppy to possibly show signs of stress upon arrival. It is normal for a puppy to react to a change of environment and routine. In addition, some dogs, just like people, do not travel well. All these stress factors may cause the following: motion sickness, diarrhea, loss of appetite, lethargy (tired), and other symptoms. If puppy is not better within 24hrs please call us.
In fact, please call us (417-592-3318) if you have questions about your puppy's health prior to your first scheduled vet visit. Our guarantee does not cover vet fees or medications, but we may be able to recommend home remedies based on years of experience and consultation with our vet.
I hope you enjoy this new member of the family and that the puppy is happy in his new home.
Kind regards,
Paw Prints Across America
What is hypoglycemia?
Hypoglycemia is a syndrome that can occur primarily in toy breeds between 6 and 12 weeks of age. Hypoglycemia is a condition of low blood sugar because toy breeds have less ability to store and metabolize glucose than older dogs. Hypoglycemia can be brought on by stress, failure to eat a sufficient amount of nutritious food, missing a meal, being dehydrated, having an upset stomach, chilling, or becoming exhausted from too much play, exercise, or over-handling.
Symptoms:
The typical signs are listlessness, depression, staggering gait, muscular weakness and tremors. The sequence of symptoms is not always present. Some puppies may only exhibit weakness; on the other hand, occasionally a puppy that seemed just fine is found in a coma. Puppies with a severe drop in blood sugar develop seizures or become stuporous and go into a coma. Death can follow. Prolonged or repeated hypoglycemic episodes in toy breeds can cause brain damage, so prevention is critical. Puppies with frequent attacks should be tests for an underlying problem such as liver shunt, infection, or an enzyme or hormone deficiency.
Prevention:
Puppies should be monitored for symptoms. Puppies should have constant access to food and water. A half-teaspoon of honey or sugar may be added to every 1 cup of water to ensure hydration and blood sugar levels until puppy is 10-12 weeks old. If puppy won’t drink, use an empty syringe to administer corn syrup, sugar water or honey. A puppy should be active, and their gums should be shell pink. Puppies must have a high-carbohydrate, high-protein, high-fat diet. It is essential that the diet be high quality. Do not feed table scraps. If you use puppy treats for training incentives, give small portions so puppy’s appetite won’t be ruined with these less-nutritious foods. If the puppy is eating but not as heartily as he should, try the following: soften his food with warm water to make a gravy, use human baby food meat, chicken broth, or baby cereal. Pedialite, electrolytes, Gatorade, and Pediasure can also be helpful to keep puppy’s blood sugar level adequate. Avoid all situations that may cause hypoglycemia such as chilling, over-handling, and any other stressful situation. Toy breeds puppies should be treated like fragile babies.
Treatment:
If puppy’s gums are a pale grayish blue, rub some honey or Karo syrup on the gums several times until you see the pink color come back into the tongue. In the early stages of hypoglycemia, a puppy’s temperature will drop, and they will shiver and tremble. Wrap the puppy in a warmed towel or blanket to try to raise body temperature. If your puppy has any of the symptoms of hypoglycemia such as being lethargic and having a wobbly gait, and unfocused, half-closed eyes, contact your vet immediately and treat as an emergency. But first (or en route) try to raise the blood sugar level as follows: If puppy won’t drink, use an empty syringe to administer corn syrup, sugar water or honey. Squirt the glucose concoction slowly into puppy’s mouth to allow him to swallow but not choke. Rub corn syrup, sugar water paste or honey on the gums.
The number one thing your puppy needs is a lot of love and attention, and they will be a happy, healthy member of your family for yours to come.