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Puppy Care (Part 6)
Immunisation, Worming and Fleas!
Immunisation.
Your puppy must not be taken into public places (especially places where other dogs have been) until it has finished a course of vaccinations.
The vaccinations start at approximately 8 to 10 weeks of age and will require two visits to the surgery. Full protection is not usually achieved until one week has elapsed after the second injection.
The vaccinations usually cover against Canine Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis and Parvovirus. Yearly boosters will necessary. Consult your vet for the most up to date information.
Worming.
We worm pups before they leave us, however it is very important that you continue the worming treatment throughout your collies life. Typically worming treatments need to be given at 3 monthly intervals, as directed by your vet.
We recommend you get advice on this when you visit the vet for immunisation!
Because of the risk of ‘Ivermevtin Sensitivity’ we use Drontal Plus worm treatment which is completely safe for use on collie breeds.
Ivermectin Drug Sensitivity:
Do not use any ‘Ivermectin’ based worming treatments on a rough collie. Your vet may not be aware that the in the rough collie (and many other collie breeds) the substance can cross the blood-brain barrier and have disastrous results – brain damage, spinal damage and death.
The families of wormers that have to be avoided are IVERMECTIN, AVERMECTIN and ABAMECTIN. Also note that other wormer treatments with seemingly safe names may also contain Ivermectin – for example MILBEMAX, which we advise should also be avoided.
It is therefore imperative that you ask your vet to confirm that the wormer you are given does not contain Ivermectin.
For reference, the wormer we use on our collies is Drontal Plus. It presents none of the above issues.
Other drugs to be avoided on Collies.
In addition to Ivermectin, it is important to be aware that some Collies experience an adverse reaction to other drugs, many of which are licensed for dogs that are used in a wide spectrum of illnesses. We strongly advise owners read the label for active ingredients before purchasing over the counter medications, and as many vets remain ignorant about this development it is up to the owner to ensure that under no circumstances must any of the following active ingredients be used on a Collie:
Acepromazine, Butorphanol, Chinidin, Cyclosporin, Dexamethasone, Digoxin, Domperidone, Doxorubicin, Ebastine, Erythromycin, Etoposide, Grepafloxacin, Hydrocortisone, Ivermectin, Loperamide, Mitoxantrone, Morphine, Moxidectin, Ondansetron, Paclitaxe, Quinidine, Rifampicin, Selamectin, Sparfloxacin, Tacrolimus, Vinblastine, Vincristine.
This drug sensitivity is due, according to recent research. to a mutation of the MDR-1 gene sometime in the early history which also affects related breeds such as border collies etc.
Fleas!
When consulting your vet about worm treatment, also ask for his/her advice about fleas. It’s better to adopt a treatment that avoids the dog getting fleas, than to deal with the fact that the dog has got them!
Some breeders and owners simply give a garlic tablet with the food each day (the theory is that fleas don’t like the taste). Other high-tech methods such as ‘Frontline’ are available from the vet.
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