To keep your puppy healthy you will need to carefully follow a few well-founded directions. The first 6 months of this pup's life are very important to its overall health. This puppy does not need another vaccination for 3 weeks after the last one was given. Your first Vet appt. is for a healthy puppy check up. It is entirely for your benefit to assure you that your new puppy is healthy. You need to take a fecal sample in with you to determine if your puppy needs to be wormed again for round worms or treated for coccidosis. Be aware that it is not unusual for Havanese of all age to eat their droppings. We are not sure if this is a learned behavior from their mothers cleaning up after them or some carry over from the wild. It seems to be the norm for this breed. Pups who eat their own droppings can get coccidosis. It is treated safely with Albon. In the past it has been said to come from filthy living conditions in the whelping nest. Please be careful and do not assume a poop free kennel in the morning means your pup held its bowels over night. Your pup may have had a bowel movement and ate it. Havanese hate dirty living space.

While at the Vet. you will need to put your puppy on Heartworm preventative. I recommend Interceptor once a month preventative. So far there have been few reported instances of problems with it with this particular breed. You will also be well advised to have the Vet. microchip your puppy while you are there. This will help identify your puppy should it get lost. You can opt to have a tattoo instead but they sometimes fade and are hard to read.

Do not let your puppy down on the floors of the Vets. Office or mingle with other puppies or dogs at the office. The Vets. Office is for sick dogs. They relieve themselves outside in common areas and the Parvovirus that kills as well as other virus's live in the ground and fecal matter of other dogs. It is carried in on the soles of people's feet and is on the floors of the office. Children in the office sometimes go from animal to animal being friendly. They could be spreading through contact of saliva or nasal discharge other diseases to your new puppy. Be aware and be careful.

Vaccinations for a Havanese need to be done with care as well. Many breeders do not guarantee pups that have been vaccinated with Leptospira Bacterin. BE WARNED it has killed Havanese and those who have survived it have had some major problems. It is suggested that at 3- week intervals that vaccinations be given. They contain Canine Distemper, Adenovirus Type 2, Parainfluenza, and Parvo MLV. This is all your Havanese needs to remain healthy and safe. Vaccinations provide immunity towards these diseases. It does not keep them from getting them. Bordetella is to shield them against kennel cough. If you plan on boarding your Havanese you can give bordetella one week prior to the visit. If you're Vet. insists that there is a huge outbreak of Corona or Lepto in your area you may need to consider the vaccinations. Lepto should never be given until the pup is 16 weeks old in the case of an outbreak. There is still no promise that your Havanese will not have a severe reaction to it. If your puppy is not 100% up to snuff when it is time for its vaccinations do not have any vaccinations given until it is. Rabies is to be given at the latest date possible. It is the only vaccination that is required by law. If at anytime, within a 2- hour period of a vaccination you start to notice a reaction get your puppy back to the Vet. as fast as humanly possible.

Between 6-8 months of age you will need to have your pup spayed or neutered. Isoflurane is the best anesthesia to use on your Hav.

When To Have The Eyes Examined

At a year of age you should take your puppy to a Board Certified Ophthalmologist and have its eyes examined for abnormalities.

Grooming and Soaping