Common Reasons to Visit the Vet

The following information covers common health concerns in puppies and general guidance. Always keep your Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB) support team aware of any concerns and follow guidance from your support person and GDB’s Veterinary Financial Assistance (VFA) team for your individual puppy.

Topics covered on this page: 

• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Lameness (limping) 
• Urinary Issues
• Itchy Skin and Ears
• Eye Issues
• Coughing

It is not uncommon for puppies to have soft stools. This often resolves as the puppy’s gastrointestinal (GI) tract matures. If your puppy's diarrhea is mild (stools are loose or watery but no blood) and the puppy is acting normally, we recommend conservative management at home. Continue to give food and water as usual during this time.

If the puppy is experiencing prolonged loose stools; moderate to severe diarrhea; or any loose stools with blood, please refer to the reference materials in on the Puppy Diarrhea page (and in the Puppy Diarrhea Kit you were provided) for more information and instructions.

• If a puppy vomits once or twice and appears healthy otherwise, withhold food and water for 3 hours and monitor. If no further vomiting occurs during the withholding period, offer small amounts of water and food. Start with ½ cup of water and 1 handful of food. Increase both food and water by ¼ cup with each feeding. Offer every 3 hours until back to as much water as the puppy wants to drink and normal amounts of food. You do not need to wake up during the night to offer food and water, just start again in the morning where you left off the night before. Don’t stay up all night!
• If the puppy has severe vomiting (more then 2-3 times in the first hour), if vomiting continues after the fasting period, or if the puppy acts lethargic or listless, notify your GDB support team and take the puppy to the local veterinarian immediately (this may be an emergency clinic if your regular veterinary clinic is not available).
• The veterinarian may recommend x-rays of the abdomen, bloodwork, fluids, medications and/or a bland diet.
• Once the puppy is at the local vet, contact the VFA team for authorization for any diagnostics or treatments over $200. If you are at the emergency clinic after-hours, follow the veterinary care guidelines In the Event of an Emergency. 

• Mild lameness – If the puppy can bear weight and has no other obvious pain or discomfort, notify your GDB support team, and strictly rest the puppy for 48 hours. This means leash-relieving, no walks, and no free play or rough housing. If the limp persists after 48 hours, or if resolved with rest but reoccurs soon after resuming normal activity, schedule a veterinary appointment and inform your GDB support team.
• Moderate to severe lameness – If the puppy is partially or fully non-weight bearing and is painful when handled or moving, schedule a veterinary appointment and inform your GDB support team.
• Pain medications are commonly prescribed and approved by GDB.
• Once the puppy is at the local vet:
  • Contact the VFA team if x-rays are recommended. X-rays are not usually needed if panosteitis (growing pains) is suspected, but they may be necessary in cases of acute trauma or joint pain.
  • Contact the VFA team for authorization for any other diagnostics or treatments over $200.

• If a puppy less than 4 months old is urinating frequently or inappropriately, consult with your GDB support team to determine whether the puppy’s pattern may be more indicative of a housetraining or marking issue vs. a medical problem. If your GDB support team feels the puppy could have a medical issue, they will instruct you to make an appointment with your local veterinarian.
• If a puppy that is house trained is suddenly urinating frequently or inappropriately, notify your GDB support team and schedule a veterinary appointment.
• The veterinarian will likely do an exam and collect a urine sample to help determine if there is a medical issue contributing to the frequent/inappropriate urination. They may also dispense medications to treat a urinary tract infection if one is identified.
• The most common causes for frequent/inappropriate urination in GDB puppies include:
  • Non-medical issues like excitement, immaturity (not yet housetrained), drinking lots of water (tanking), hormonal marking (adolescent males)
  • Medical issues like vaginitis or urinary tract infection
• Once the puppy is at the local vet, contact the VFA team for authorization for any diagnostics or treatments over $200.

• There are many reasons for skin problems in puppies. If you notice a skin issue, contact your GDB support team to determine whether it is minor and manageable at home, or whether the puppy should see the veterinarian.
• Some small or minor lesions can be addressed at home by use of medicated shampoo (e.g., ChlorhexiDerm® 4% Shampoo), ear cleaner (e.g., Epi-Otic® Advanced), or topical triple antibiotic (e.g., Neosporin® Ointment).
• Ensure adequate flea control on all pets in the household, including indoor or outdoor cats.
• If seen by a veterinarian, they will perform a physical exam, evaluate the skin, and may prescribe medications. They may perform diagnostics such as cytology or skin scraping.
• If the local veterinarian recommends an over-the-counter diet change this must be approved by your PFM.
• If the local veterinarian recommends a prescription diet this must be approved by the VFA team and a GDB veterinarian.
• Anti-itch medications:
  • Apoquel – not approved in puppies under 12 months of age. In puppies over 1 year that are prescribed an initial course of Apoquel, do not refill without approval from the VFA team and a GDB veterinarian.
  • Cytopoint – approved on a case-by-case basis. Contact the VFA team if Cytopoint is recommended by your veterinarian. 
  • Steroids – typically only used in very severe skin issues. Contact the VFA team to discuss steroid use in a puppy.
• Once the puppy is at the local vet, contact the VFA team for authorization for any diagnostics or treatments over $200.

• If the puppy has minor eye discharge (a bit of ‘sleep’ in the corners of the eyes once or twice a day) or minor watery eyes with no other symptoms, ok to monitor to see if it resolves on its own. Wipe the eyes with a warm wet washcloth twice a day until resolved.
  • If the discharge persists for a week or more or becomes worse during this time, consult your GDB support team.
• If a puppy has marked redness in the eye, significant ocular discharge, green or yellow discharge, squinting, rubbing/pawing at its eyes, or shows other signs of eye discomfort do not socialize the puppy. Contact your GDB support team and bring the puppy to your local veterinarian.
• The veterinarian will do an exam and may prescribe medications. They may also do diagnostics such as staining the eye, checking ocular pressure, or measuring tear production.
• Once the puppy is at the local vet, contact the VFA team for authorization for any diagnostics or treatments over $200.
• If your local veterinarian recommends referral to an ophthalmologist or any type of eye surgery, request that your regular veterinarian email the medical records to GDB ([email protected]). Alert your GDB support team so they can discuss with the VFA team prior to approval of specialist appointments.

• If a puppy is coughing mildly and it does not resolve within 24-36 hours on its own, or if cough gets worse, notify your GDB support team for advice. Please provide your GDB support team with a thorough history of the puppy’s coughing (e.g., how long it has been going, when does it happen, were they exposed to other coughing dogs and is it getting worse).
• If the puppy has severe coughing, or they are acting lethargic or depressed, notify your GDB support team and bring the puppy to the veterinarian.
• Coughing may be treated symptomatically with medications or in mild situations, the veterinarian may choose to let it resolve on its own. Radiographs are not usually necessary unless the puppy is lethargic, has a severe and productive cough or otherwise appears ill. Once the puppy is at the local vet, if the veterinarian recommends radiographs or additional tests, contact the VFA team for authorization.
• Coughing and other respiratory signs are often caused by contagious pathogens. Your GDB support team will be able to provide guidance on when it is ok to safely socialize the puppy.