Congratulations on the
Adoption of Your New Dog!

Your new pet is sure to be a welcome part of the family especially if you follow suggestions:

• If your pet was just sterilized, please read the post-surgical instructions.
• Try to keep your new dog away from other dogs you already have at home for at least 1 week.
  As far as we know, your new dog is healthy; however, because the animals are here for such a short time it is possible for your new dog to be incubating a disease that it’s not showing symptoms for yet.  If it does start showing symptoms (see below for signs/symptoms) and the disease infects your dog already at home, we cannot treat your existing dog.
• Take your new pet to the vet within 72 hours of adoption. It is important to get your new dog established with a veterinarian immediately to get it started with a wellness check-up and vaccinations.  Make sure you take along its health record; it shows the vet everything we have done to the dog while it was here.
• All puppies less than 12 weeks of age will need at least one more puppy shot. We give all adoption puppies their initial vaccines, however, just like children, puppies need a series of vaccines to be considered protected. Most vets feel that re-boostering the puppy vaccine every three weeks until the puppy is at least 16 weeks old is adequate.  You are responsible for getting these vaccinations from your vet.
• All puppies less than 12 weeks of age will need a rabies vaccination at 12 weeks of age. If you bring your adoption puppy back to the shelter at that time, we will give the rabies vaccine and issue a county license at no charge.  Just be sure to bring the health record with you when you come in for the vaccine.
• Get your new dog started on heartworm prevention medicine immediately.  All adoption dogs have been checked for heartworms and are negative. However, they will not stay that way unless you start them on heartworm prevention which is only available from veterinarians.  Be sure to ask your vet about it.

Signs/Symptoms:  We try to put out for adoption only the healthiest of animals. However, occasionally an animal will not show any signs of illness until it gets into its new home.

What is Kennel Cough? Kennel Cough is a “cold” that dogs can get that is highly contagious from dog to dog.  Dogs from shelters can be susceptible to it due to stress and exposure to a large number of unvaccinated animals.  Signs of kennel cough include runny eyes, nasal discharge, a cough that may or may not produce foam or bile, decrease or loss of appetite, and/or lethargy. If you notice these symptoms please contact your veterinarian.

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