What Care Our Dogs Receive

STANDARD OF CARE

All dogs fostered in our program receive a standard of care consistent with current veterinary practice and the individual needs of our dogs.  We rely on our partner veterinarians to make all decisions regarding veterinary care for our rescues.  To that end, all our dogs are provided care to ensure the following standard is met:

  • All our dogs receive a physical examination by a licensed veterinarian.
  • All dogs receive a behavioral evaluation in foster care.
  • All our dogs are spayed or neutered unless their age or condition prevents surgery.  Exceptions to this rule include young age and dogs in heat. We require all adopters to spay and neuter adopted puppies per veterinarian guidance.
  • All our dogs are updated on vaccinations.  We ensure our rescues have current vaccination for rabies, DA2PPv, Lepto, kennel cough, and Lyme.
  • All our dogs are evaluated and treated for intestinal parasites.
  • We conduct urinalysis on our dogs to check for and initate treatment for infections and stones.
  • We conduct testing and treatment for tickborne diseases (e.g., Lyme, anaplasmosis) and heartworm.
  • We do baseline bloodwork (pre-surgical screen);  we may do other bloodwork per veterinarian recommendation following physical examination and review of existing medical records.
  • All dogs receive medications for acute and chronic conditions, and adopters receive a treatment plan and medical records post-adoption.
  • All dogs receive dental cleaning and extractions if deemed medically necessary to prevent infection or to reduce pain
  • All dogs are bathed and groomed, including nail clipping and anal gland expression.
  • All dogs are evaluated for food allergies and skin problems. We provide recommendations to adopters on a feeding regimen for each dog.
  • All dogs receive regular exercise opportunities based on their age and condition.
  • We supervise the physical safety of our dogs at all times.
  • We utilize holistic treatment  as well as alternative therapies such as chiropractic and acupuncture when directed by a veterinarian.

It is very important to us that all dogs in our care receive appropriate, timely, and high-quality veterinary care. We partner with Dr. Fiona Reeve of Suncook River Veterinary Clinic and Dr. Jason Lord of New England Animal Hospital to ensure our standard of care is met. We are always looking for additional veterinary partners. If your vet is interested in becoming a partner with North Atlantic Westie Rescue, please contact us.