How To Tell If A Puppy Is Healthy

If you do not know the difference between a healthy puppy and a sick one, you have a 50% chance of getting a sick one. Before you go to a kennel or a breeder’s home, make a list of the things you need to check or ask about in regard to the puppy’ health. Otherwise, we have a tendency of being caught up in conversation, and forget the important questions we need to ask.

Important Areas To Be Physically Checked

HAIR
The hair of the puppy should feel clean, not dry and brittle. It also should be free of dried skin, dandruff, and without excess oil. On an 8-week puppy, its hair will still be considered “puppy hair.” It will be shorter, thinner, and slightly fuzzy – nothing close to the quality of the parent’s hair, other than maybe the color. Things to look for are thin hair, bumps on the skin with white flecks. Open sores or dried scaly flakes around the eyes may be mange. Regardless, do not take the puppy home. Some skin conditions are contagious to other animals, taking several week of dipping or medical care to clear it up. A puppy with a skin condition looks “down in the eyes” or hangs in the back of the pen. They have a sick look about them, and will not interact with their sisters and brothers. Do not mistake this type of puppy for a shy puppy. A breeder who will sell this kind of puppy is not a good breeder.

EYES

The eyes should not be dull, but clear and bright. The whites of the eyes should be white, not tinted with yellow, blue or red. Some breeds do have slightly water eyes, as this is who they are. But if the puppy has a greenish discharge from the eyes, it is a sign of an infection somewhere. Mites in the ears should be looked at, or possibly worms in the system. Find out when the last worming was done, and with what. It should have been recently at 8 weeks or 6 weeks. 

EARS

Check the ears for drainage that is black specks, or waxy looking with a bad odor. Shaking or digging at the ears means either mites or ear infection. The canals are deep, so the ears will need to be held back in order to see inside. Mites will fill the ear canals with lots of black flecks from deep within to the outside. When you rub your fingers under the outside round ball of the ear canal, either the puppy will pull away due to pain, or push into your hand because of excess itching.

NOSE

The nose of the puppy should be cool and moist, or warm and dry. This depends on the activity, temperature, humidity, and state of hydration. A warm, dry nose does not always mean he has a fever. When the dog has clear, watery discharge – this is typical of present allergies. When a green mucous discharge occurs – bacterial or fungus infection has occurred. 

TEETH

Open the puppy’s mouth and check his teeth. The gums should be a healthy pink and the teeth should be white. The breath should be clean smelling, like “sweet puppy’s breath”.

BITES

Be sure to check the puppy’s bite – or how the teeth match-up together. They can have three types of bites: (1) scissor bite – the top and the bottom fit together smoothly and evenly; (2) over bite – the top teeth extend over the bottom teeth; and (3) the under bite – the bottom teeth extend beyond the top teeth. Some bites are not severe, and will not be a problem for your puppy. If severe, many die at birth.

RECTAL AREA
This area should be smooth with no loss of hair in the area, the color should be either pink or black (depending on the breed), and no parasites moving around in the rectum area. If you see worms moving around this area, inform the breeder. This type of worm requires three days of continuous worming to remove them. They are associated with fleas and will hatch out in another two weeks.