A-Quality Beagles

Caring For Your Beagle

A-Quality Beagles, Reg'd.

You should clean your Beagle's ears at least once a week with a gentle, but effective ear cleaner. *Step 1* - Hold your Beagle's ears open, pour a small amount of ear cleaner in. *Step 2* - Massage the ear to loosen debris, then allow the dog to shake it's head, loosening more debris. *Step 3* - Use a cottonball/cotton square to clean the remaining cleaner and any debris/ear wax from the ears. Only clean as far into the ear as you can see. *Step 4* - If the ears are very dirty, repeat cleaning again.





We use and recommend "Vet Solutions Ear Cleanser" which you can purchase from Revival Animal Health for $7.49 (as of 1/29/11). We also use "Gauze Sponges/Cotton Squares" which you can purchase from Revival Animal Health for $4.99 (as of 1/29/11).

Ear Care

Grooming

For Bathing Our Beagles, we use and recommend the "Rapid Bath" system which you can purchase from Jeffers Pet for $39.95 (as of 1/29/11), and the "Replacement Cartridges 3 pack" which you can purchase for $6.99 (as of 1/29/11). Once cartridge generally lasts us for 6 or more Beagle baths.









We do not personally use a nail trimmer, however you can purchase a "Nail Trimmer" from Jeffers Pet for $6.89 (as of 1/29/11). We personally use and recommend the "Oster Nail Grinder" which you can purchase from Jeffers Pet for $44.95 (as of 1/29/11) and "Replacement Bands" for $3.29 (as of 1/29/11) You should trim or grind your Beagle's nails once very few weeks or as needed depending upon their nail growth which slows down with age.



You should brush your Beagle once a week or more often as needed. We recommend a "Soft Bristled Brush" which you can purchase from Jeffers Pet for $3.29 (as of 1/29/11).

Flea/Tick Prevention




We use and recommend K9 Advantix and Comfortis. You can only purchase Comfortis from your veterinarian or with a prescription. If you purchase the largest size (60.1-120lbs), you can break the pill into 4 pieces (1/4 tablet each) and use one per Beagle each month (20-30lbs Beagle). Comfortis will only control fleas and is not recommended for Beagles who spend alot of time outdoors (high risk of ticks). It is also not tested on or recommended for dogs involved in a Breeding Program. You can purchase "K9 Advantix (55lbs & up) 6 pack" for $67.95 (as of 1/29/11). There is 4cc/mL per tube. The correct dosage is 0.4 cc/mL per 10lbs. For a 25lbs Beagle, we use 1cc/mL. Each tube is enough for one Beagle (25lbs) for 4 months and each 6 pack is a 24 month supply - this is a tremendous savings! We also purchase an "Amber Bottle" from Revival Animal Health, as well as a "1cc/mL syringe". You can empty all of the tubes of K9 Advantix into the amber bottle and use the syringe to remove it as needed. This is effective against both fleas & ticks, however it should NEVER be used on cats. We have found that Frontline is no longer effective against fleas in our area so we no longer recommend it. Please DO NOT use cheap flea/tick products on your pet! They have been known to cause seizures and death!

Heartworm Prevention



We recommend monthly heartworm prevention with Heartgard or a generic version. The active ingredient in Heartgard is Ivermectin. Heartgard (& generic versions) can only be purchased from your veterinarian or by prescription. The cost is around $30-$45 for a 6 month supply for a Beagle. You can also purchase a "50mL/cc bottle of liquid Ivermectin 1%" labeled for use in cattle & swine. The correct dosage for heartworm prevention is 0.10cc/mL (one tenth or a cc/mL) per 10lbs. NEVER exceed 0.50cc/mL (half a cc/mL) for even the largest dog. You also need a "1cc/mL syringe" to correctly dose the liquid Ivermectin. This is given orally once a month. Ivermectin should not be used in any herding breed dog that has not been tested for Ivermectin sensitivity prior to use. We recommend monthly heartworm prevention for ALL DOGS in the United States ALL YEAR! Dogs have been diagnosed with heartworms in every state, please protect your pet! We DO NOT use or recommend Interceptor due to a past experience in which a Beagle on monthly Interceptor became infected with heartworms. We also do not recommend Revolution for use as a heartworm prevention in high risk areas as it's effectiveness is based on following the instructions perfectly, not allowing the pet to rub off the Revolution, and not bathing the pet for several days before and after application. If the pet owner is not careful then their pet may not be protected. For most pet owners this is very difficult. If you live in a high risk area for heartworms, please use an oral heartworm prevention.

Vaccinations

Most veterinarians and breeders agree (pdf document)
that puppies should be vaccinated against parvovirus,
distemper, parainfluenza & adenovirus at 8, 12 & 16 weeks
of age. Then repeated in 1 year and every 3 years
thereafter. Please DO NOT overvaccinate your pet as this
can cause more harm than good.

Please note that there are several strains of parvovirus
that cannot be prevented with vaccines and your puppy
could still be infected with one of these strains of
parvovirus. There are no guarantees even with vaccination
that they will not be infected with one of these strains of
parvovirus. The best protection, is to avoid taking your
puppy to public places until 4-6 months of age or later if
you can. Also always keep your puppy in a crate at the
vet's office until your vet is ready to examine the puppy on
a table - after the exam, return the puppy to his crate until
you get home.

Rabies vaccines should only be given as often as required
by law in your state (generally at 4-6 month old, again in 1
year, and every 3 years thereafter).

If your dog does not have a current rabies vaccine and
bites a person, most states will require that the dog is
immediately euthanized and the brain examined for
evidence of rabies! So please follow your local, state, &
federal laws regarding rabies vaccination.

Bordetella (Kennel Cough) vaccine should only be given to
dogs who are boarded frequently, and only as often as
required by the boarding facility.

There are many types/causes of kennel cough that are not
covered by vaccines, including some that can be fatal -
there are no guarantees even with vaccines. If your pet is
coughing and hacking, please take your pet to your vet for
an exam.

We do not recommend vaccinating against Leptospira as
severe reactions to this vaccine are very common in small
dogs & puppies. If you must vaccinate against Leptospira,
please wait until after 12 weeks of age or later.

Lyme disease vaccines should only be used if your dog is
frequently exposed to ticks and you are located in an area
at high risk for Lyme disease. Seek your veterinarian's
advise on Lyme disease vaccines and be careful not to
overvaccinate.

Coronavirus is uncommon in most areas. You should avoid
this vaccine if you can, unless recommended by your
veterinarian or required. Remember, avoid overvaccination
of your pet for his health & immune system!

Worming




Pyrantel Pomoate - This is a good general purpose wormer effective against roundworms and hookworms. You can purchase a "32 oz bottle of 50mg Pyrantel Pomoate" from Revival Animal Health for $31.99 (as of 1/29/11). The correct dosage is 1cc/mL per 5lbs or 5cc for a 25lb Beagle. We use this product a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, & 16 weeks of age then monthly thereafter. If you do not use a heartworm prevention that includes a general wormer, you should use this product on your pet Beagles at least every 3-4 months. It is safe for pregnant & nursing females. Safe-Guard - This wormer is effective against roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, & tapeworms. You can purchase a "1000mL/cc bottle of Safe-Guard" from Revival Animal Health for $109.99 (as of 1/29/11). The correct dosage is 1cc/mL per 4.4lbs or 6cc for a 24lb Beagle TWICE A DAY FOR THREE DAYS! It can be costly and should only be used in rotation with a general wormer once a year as worms in certain areas of the United States have developed a resistance to Safe-Guard as it is a weak drug and many people underdose it. Praziquentel - This wormer is effective against both types of tapeworms. It should be used on an as needed basis or every 6 months. The correct dosage using the 34mg tablets/capsules is 1 tablet/capsule per 10lbs or 3 tablets/capsules for a Beagle (25-30lbs). The correct dosage using the 170mg tablets/capsules is 1 tablet/capsule per 50lbs or 1/2 tablet/capsule for a 25lb Beagle. You can purchase the 34mg tablets/capsules as "Fish Tapes 34mg" from Jeffers Pet for $9.99-$29.95 and the 170mg tablets/capsules as "Fish Tapes Forte 170mg" from Revival Animal Health for $29.99-$109.99 (as of 1/29/11).

Blood Tests & Screenings

Heartworm Test - All dogs should generally be tested for
heartworms on an annual basis.

Lyme Disease/Ehrlichia/Babesia - These tests can be
inaccurate and false positives do occur, we do not
recommend these tests. If you choose to use these tests
and get a positive result, please retest prior to treating for
tick-borne illnesses.

Blood Panel - We do not recommend this test unless you
rescue a dog with unknown history or have a dog over the
age or six years. Annual testing may be beneficial for these
individuals.

Thyroid Panel - We recommend this test at ages 2, 4, 6, &
8 years of age to test for thyroid function in your Beagle.
You should follow the recommendations from the OFA
laboratories approved to properly test your Beagle's
thyroid function (generally the T4 test) and report the
results to the OFA's database. This helps the National
Beagle Club and OFA to determine if Thyroid problems are
increasing or decreasing in our breed. Please strongly
consider this test. The cost is generally around $100-$150.

Brucellosis Test - This test should be done every 6-12
months on all dogs involved in a breeding program.

Other Parasites



Coccidia - This parasite can be present in the form of cysts in any dog or puppy. In its cyst form, treatment cannot kill this parasite. When a dog/puppy experiences stress the cysts hatch and infect the dog/puppy. This is why many new puppies test positive for coccidia. It is a very common new puppy parasite. They can also get coccidia from coming into contact with another dog/puppy who has coccidia. The typical treatment for coccida is Albon 5% which is only available from a licensed veterinarian or by prescription. However, you can make your own Albon 5% at home using the active ingredient Sulfadimethoxine ("Albon Solution 12.5% Gallon" from Revival Animal Health) and "Dyne Nutritional Supplement Gallon" from Revival Animal Health). You would need an "Amber Bottle" to mix it in. You mix 8oz (240cc/mL) Dyne and 10oz (300cc/mL) Albon 12.5% and you will get 18oz of 5% Albon! The correct dosage for this is 5cc/mL per 10lbs on the first day, followed by 2.5cc/mL per 10lbs for another four days - for a treatment totaling 5 days. Giardia - This parasite is very similar to coccidia and it is very difficult to tell the difference without testing the stool sample as the symptoms are almost indistinguishable.



We use and recommend the following treatment for dogs/puppies as this will take care of both parasites: *Step 1* - You can purchase "Fish Sulfa Forte" from Revival Animal Health which contains Sulfadimethoxazole 800mg and Trimethoprim 160mg and is the equivalent to the prescription drug TMZ. *Step 2* - You also can purchase "Fish Zole Forte" from Revival Animal Health which contains Metronidazole 500mg and is the equivalent to the drug Flagyl. Step 3 - You will also need a "10cc/mL oral syringe". *Step 4* - You fill your syringe with 5 cc/mL of water and dissolve one tablet of Fish Sulfa Forte and one tablet of Fish Zole Forte in the water. After it is dissolved, you mix it very well. *Step 5* - Administer 1cc/mL of this mixture per 5lbs your dog/puppy weighs. Be sure to shake very well between dosages. *Step 6* - Repeat this treatment once daily for 5-7 days.

Diet



We highly recommend Diamond Naturals dog food in the Chicken & Rice formula, however they offer several different formulas. We recommend 3/4-1 cup per day for a 20-25lb Beagle and 1-1 1/2 cups per day for a 25-30lb Beagle. Adjust this amount based on your Beagle's weight, some require more or less to maintain ideal body weight. You should be able to easily feel all of your dogs ribs, but not see them - he should have an hourglass shape when viewed from above. Make sure you read the label closely and do your research before you buy any food. We also highly recommend a raw food diet which is in our opinion, the very best dog food there is - however it does require more time and is about as expensive as the higher end dog kibbles. In the end, the most important thing is that your Beagle does well on the food you feed. He should have an hourglass figure, his coat should be sleek & shiny, he should have plenty of energy, and his ears should be free from infection or yeast.