Health & Wellness

Keeping your dog healthy involves much more than providing food and water. Proper nutrition, fresh water, regular exercise, grooming, routine veterinary care, vaccinations, and year-round parasite prevention all play an important role in helping your dog live a long, healthy life.

Many dogs entering Golden Retriever Freedom Rescue have unknown medical histories. Regular wellness exams allow your veterinarian to establish a baseline for your dog's health, detect potential problems early, and recommend preventive care tailored to your dog's age and lifestyle.

We recommend establishing care with a veterinarian shortly after adoption and following their recommendations for routine exams, vaccinations, dental care, and parasite prevention.

Preventive Care Includes:

• Annual or semi-annual wellness examinations
• Core vaccinations
• Leptospirosis vaccination
• Year-round heartworm prevention
• Flea and tick prevention
• Routine fecal examinations
• Dental care
• Maintaining a healthy weight through proper nutrition and exercise

Even with excellent preventive care, dogs can become sick or injured unexpectedly. Be sure you know the location and contact information for the nearest emergency veterinary hospital before you need it.

Why the Leptospirosis Vaccine Is Important

Leptospirosis (often called "Lepto") is a serious bacterial disease that can affect both dogs and people. It attacks the kidneys and liver and can cause severe illness, permanent organ damage, or even death if left untreated.

Dogs become infected when they come into contact with contaminated water, soil, mud, or the urine of infected wildlife or rodents. Even dogs that spend most of their time in suburban neighborhoods or fenced backyards can be exposed.

Your dog may be at increased risk if they:

• Walk through puddles or standing water
• Visit parks or hiking trails
• Camp or spend time outdoors
• Drink from streams, ponds, or puddles
• Live in areas with raccoons, skunks, squirrels, mice, rats, or other wildlife
• Visit dog parks or areas frequented by other animals

Because wildlife is common throughout Colorado, exposure can happen almost anywhere, not just in rural areas.

Symptoms of Leptospirosis

Symptoms may include:

• Fever
• Lethargy
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Increased thirst or urination
• Muscle pain or stiffness
• Jaundice (yellowing of the gums or eyes)
• Kidney or liver failure

Some dogs may show only mild symptoms, while others become critically ill very quickly.

Prevention Is the Best Protection

The leptospirosis vaccine significantly reduces your dog's risk of becoming seriously ill if exposed to the bacteria. While no vaccine offers 100% protection, vaccination remains the most effective way to help protect your dog from this potentially life-threatening disease.

Talk with your veterinarian about whether the leptospirosis vaccine is appropriate for your dog's age, health, and lifestyle. For many Colorado dogs, it is considered an important part of a comprehensive preventive healthcare plan.

Did You Know?

Heartworm disease is potentially fatal, but completely preventable.

Heartworms are spread by mosquitoes and can cause permanent damage to the heart and lungs. Fortunately, monthly heartworm prevention is safe, effective, and much easier than treating heartworm disease.

Golden Retriever Freedom Rescue strongly recommends that every adopted dog remain on year-round heartworm prevention. Our adoption agreement requires adopters to maintain a heartworm prevention protocol to help protect their dog's long-term health.

Talk with your veterinarian about the best heartworm prevention product for your dog, and be sure to schedule routine heartworm testing as recommended.

Preventive care is one of the greatest gifts you can give your dog. By staying current on vaccinations, parasite prevention, routine veterinary care, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, you'll help your best friend enjoy many happy, healthy years by your side.