“I try to do the best I can. I worry about my dogs and do everything in my power to keep my puppies healthy,” says Teresa, licensed breeder.

Teresa has been breeding labradoodles and golden retrievers for more than 15 years. But about five years ago, she made the decision to up her game when it comes to preventing worms, parasites and disease. “Since developing a regular worming schedule, I have decreased the cases of worms and parasites in my kennel by about 80 percent. It has really made a significant difference,” she says.

Teresa now regularly deworms all her dogs at the same time every year with Safeguard. She also worms all her mothers with Safeguard at 50 days of gestation and once the puppies are born she gives them their first dose of Safeguard at six weeks of age.

But Teresa didn’t stop her prevention crusade there. In 2016, she worked with Gina, a Revival Pet Care Pro on developing a more strict vaccination schedule. “Gina worked with me to develop a plan that actually works! With the vaccination schedule I have now it allows my puppies to more quickly develop their immune systems. I want to make sure they are all protected before they leave us,” Teresa says.

Teresa’s vaccination schedule includes vaccinating all her non-pregnant adult dogs once a year at the same time. She then gives her puppies their first NeoPar vaccination at four weeks of age. “My puppies all now have three vaccinations before they leave for their forever home,” she says.

The third step in her path to prevention was to increase cleanliness and sanitation. But for this step, Teresa wasn’t quite sure how it would go over with her clients. “I really wanted to increase the cleanliness and sanitation within my kennel, so I began requiring that anyone who wanted to come see the dogs in the birthing area had to wear shoe covers. I wasn’t sure how people would react when I would ask them to do this. But I found that people actually commended me for doing it. They see that I’m taking that extra step to protect the puppies from developing infectious diseases,” she says.

Since requiring the shoe covers, Teresa already has seen firsthand how, a little thing like a shoe cover can save headaches down the road. “One family came to look at the puppies. They didn’t currently have a dog at their house. I asked them to put on the shoe covers and as they did, the son noticed he had stepped in dog droppings at some point, but it wasn’t at my place. You never know where your visitors have been,” Teresa says.

To keep her kennel as clean as possible she also now uses the Wysiwash Sanitizing System and hasn’t looked back since. “It’s amazing and makes it so easy to clean the inside and the outside of the kennel. And the best part is the dogs can be put back in the area right away after cleaning,” she says. Teresa understands the importance of prevention and how strict preventative protocols can prevent worms, diseases and other pet care challenges. “I feel good about what I do to care for my dogs. There are lots of things that can challenge a kennel, from coccidian to parvo to worms and other parasites. But with the help of Gina at Revival, I am doing what I can to avoid these issues as much as possible. She makes me aware of things I wasn’t even aware of. She’s a wealth of information,” Teresa says.

And Gina says she is happy to help. “Our on staff veterinarian, Dr. Bramlage, and I worked hard at getting her on a new vaccination schedule and a new product for cleaning. I think the biggest part I played was giving her an ear. She has a wonderful kennel and she knows just what to do. Adding a little encouragement and always picking her up when she would feel down. It is her livelihood and it makes me feel good to be the calming person she needed at a high stress time,” says Gina.

Share Your Pet Care Victory With Us

You strive to raise healthy and happy pets. You love the feeling of holding that newborn puppy and seeing the joy a new pet brings to a child’s face. At Revival we want to celebrate these wins because we understand that keeping pets healthy comes with challenges.

In our series, Pet Care Victories, we are highlighting YOU and your pet care wins! We know that even the best of us sometimes struggle with the health of our animals. And while at that time it can feel frustrating and devastating, it’s important to remember you are not alone. When we share our knowledge and passion with each other, we can all be on the winning team.

Want help solving tough pet health problems? Call one of our Pet Care Pros today at 800.786.4751.