Every dog in our Small Dog Rescue program has a folder containing the dog’s known medical history. This folder is given to you when the adoption is finalized. Give your vet a copy of these records so your vet will send you a reminder when shots and other preventative care is due. You will not need to take your newly adopted dog to visit the vet unless it is a puppy who will need another DHPP or rabies vaccine. Small Dog Rescue has already provided your adult dog with a preliminary general exam, at least one round of DHPP and rabies vaccinations, bordatella (kennel cough) vaccine, heartworm test and monthly preventative, monthly flea preventative, spay or neuter, microchipping and a dental if needed. Adoption fees pay for these important veterinary services.

We recommend Interceptor for monthly heartworm prevention because it kills whipworms (common in Georgia) and other intestinal worms in addition to heartworms. Before he can provide you with the preventive medication, your vet will need to see the results of your dog’s heartworm blood test. These test results are part of the medical records you received at the adoption. You must continue heartworm prevention each month without fail. If you delay even one month’s treatment, your dog will need another blood test to ensure he has not contracted heartworm. PLEASE TAKE HEARTWORM CONTROL SERIOUSLY. Heartworm is easy and inexpensive to prevent, and unfortunately we are seeing more and more dogs suffering from heartworm due to owner neglect. Heartworm is fatal if not treated, and it is painful. Fleas and ticks can be controlled with a monthly application of Frontline, available at your vet and now, also, at Petco.

If your dog was recently neutered/spayed or had other surgery, he may still have stitches which will need to be removed. Most of our dogs will not have stitches that need to be removed. The under skin layer will dissolve and the top layer is usually surgical glue which will wear away.

It is not unusual for a dog to experience stomach upset and diarrhea or loose stool the first day or two. If the dog’s stool doesn’t look firm within a week or so, or you see something odd in the stool, you can take in a stool sample for the vet to check. All dogs have been wormed prior to adoption, but sometimes there can be another intestinal parasite or worms can be persistent.

Hopefully you purchased an ID tag and put it on your dog before leaving the adoption. If not, DO SO NOW. A dog without a name tag has little chance of being returned to its owner, and newly adopted dogs are at the greatest risk of getting lost. Leave the ID tag on your dog at all times, together with the Small Dog Rescue ID tag. If your dog is microchipped, call the company and register your name and use Small Dog Resuce as a backup contact since we keep the Small Dog Rescue tag number for your dog in our database.

If you adopted a puppy, check your medical sheet to see what boosters and additional worming may be needed from your vet.