DAVISON, Mich., Sept. 16, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A Davison veterinarian is making an effort to educate pet owners on proper puppy and kitten care, especially if they are raising either for the first time. Dr. Kurt Dunckel of Dunckel Veterinary Hospital states that although puppies and kittens both require certain essentials such as pet vaccinations, pet dental care and spaying or neutering, each has its own specific needs and issues as well. "Puppies and kittens differ greatly in care," says Dr. Dunckel. "Understanding these differences is an important step in raising that puppy or kitten to healthy adulthood."
Dr. Dunckel points to housetraining as one area in which puppies and kittens diverge significantly, noting that litter box training is generally quick and uncomplicated, whereas teaching a dog can prove more challenging. He advises owners to purchase a box low enough for kittens to access easily, and to fill it with unscented kitty litter during the training period. Pet owners should place the box in a quiet part of the home, away from food or water dishes, to encourage the kitten to use it for its intended purpose.
Housetraining a puppy, on the other hand, involves training the owner to some extent as well, according to Dr. Dunckel. "Owners must learn how to reward good behavior without punishing bad behavior. Punishments tend to confuse and frighten a puppy -- he won't understand what you're telling him." This positive reinforcement applies to other learned behaviors, such as walking on a leash without pulling.
Challenges interacting with humans and other animals often arise in puppies and kittens. Dogs tend to obey a pack mentality in which an "alpha" dog is understood to dominate the other dogs in the pack. A new puppy must learn his place in the hierarchy to live harmoniously with another dog (or with his master). A kitten introduced to another cat may go through a period of mutual hissing and avoidance until each animal gets used to the other's scent and recognizes that no threat exists.
The veterinarian also emphasizes that certain preventative procedures are equally important in puppy and kitten care. Puppies and kittens initially receive protective antibodies from their mothers, but this protection fades after a few weeks. The veterinary hospital strongly urges owners to vaccinate their puppies against Lepto, rabies, infectious hepatitis, parvo and distemper. Kitten owners should arrange for vaccinations against rabies, calicivirus, FPV and FHV. "Pet vaccinations are crucial for disease protection, though the specific diseases differ somewhat between dogs and cats," says Dr. Dunckel.
He recommends spaying or neutering for both puppies and kittens as a preventative measure against unwanted pregnancies, reproductive diseases and behavioral problems such as spraying or roaming.
Dunckel Veterinary Hospital provides pet vaccinations, dental care, spaying and neutering, pain management, orthopedic surgery and other services for Davison, Burton, Goodrich, Grand Blanc and Lapeer pets.