MIN PINS

Question
WHEN I GET MY PUPPY HE WILL BE 7 WEEKS OLD. AT WHAT AGE MUST A MIN PIN BE WORMED, TAIL  CUT, AND START HIS SHOTS. SINCE I AM GETTING THIS PUPPY FREE BECAUSE OF HIS CLUB FOOT, THE BREEDER IS NOT HAVING ANYTHING ELSE DONE TO MY PUPPY. ALSO OVER WHAT TIME LINE WILL THE SHOTS BE NEEDED? THANK YOU MICHAEL

Answer
Hi Michael,

As I said in my  last message to you, a puppy should not be taken from it's mother before 8 weeks of age.

Puppies need to be vaccinated with a combination vaccine at 6-8 weeks of age initially, with boosters given every three weeks until the puppy is about sixteen weeks of age. All puppies need to be examined by a vet. A puppy's first "core" vaccines are:

distemper, canine adenovirus-2 (hepatitis and respiratory disease), and canine parvovirus-2.

After the puppy booster shots at one year, re-vaccination is recommended every 3 years on the vaccines listed above.

Non-core vaccines are optional vaccines that should be considered based on your geographic area, the lifestyle of the pet, and exposure risk of the animal. Non-core vaccines include: leptospirosis, coronavirus, lyme disease, parainfluenza and bordetella (those last two are causes of "kennel cough").

If you do not live in an area where there is a problem with ticks, then your puppy may not need the Lyme Disease vaccine. Leptospirosis is a disease a dog or puppy can get from dirty water (such as a lake or stream, etc.) If you live in a city, your dog may not need this vaccine either.

Two optional vaccines you might want to consider are Coronavirus and Bordetella. Coronavirus is primarily a disease of puppies, causing bad diarrhea. Bordetella is like the dog version of a cold, it's an upper respiratory disease. It's worth giving the Bordetella vaccine if your puppy will be spending any time with other dogs. Talk to your veterinarian to select the proper vaccines for your puppy. Don't be shy about asking about side effects, or other concerns you might have. A good vet likes an informed pet owner!

A fecal flotation test should be done (for parasites). Not every puppy has parasites, or worms, but many do. You'll need to bring a stool sample with you to the vet's office. By running this test your vet will know if worms are present, and the most effective treatment for the specific kind of worms.

Ear cropping and tail docking are painful procedures in which a portion of the ear and the tail are removed. This procedure is most often performed in puppies between 8-12 weeks of age. The American Kennel Club (AKC) no longer requires ear cropping for Miniature Pinschers, and since your puppy won't be a show dog anyway (due to the club foot) ear cropping and tail docking are not necessary.
Ear cropping and tail docking is cosmetic surgery, there's no reason to put your puppy through either procedure.

I know how excited you must be to get this puppy.
Feel free to write back if I can be of further help.

Patti