Puppy Care Guide
This page is updated on the most current care I would do myself for my dogs and puppies.
(not to be construed as medical advice-it's just examples for myself)
Emergency Section
Must Know Section
Training Section
Medical Section
Tips Section
Page 1
Emergency Section
Soft Stools - I would give a puppy with soft/runny stool some canned pumpkin and a probiotic for GI upset. A puppy with extreme stress and upset may even have blood in the stool (don't panic). If a new puppy has soft stools it's often caused by a sudden change in diet, stress from a new environment, stress from the car ride, or the presence of intestinal parasites; while soft stools and even bloody stool can be common, it's best to monitor the puppy's overall health. We treat our puppies with a variety of dewormers and antibacterial agents as a preventative to the most common issues a puppy this age could have. So the likely culprit of soft stool in a new puppy will simply be stress. So monitor closely and try to ease the transition with relaxation, hydration, canned pumpkin, and probiotics.
Refusing Food - I would like to see a puppy eat a 1/2 cup a day of the Life's Abundance food. If a new puppy is refusing food from me, or I think they aren't eating enough, I would simply mix some canned puppy food in with the hard kibble to tease them. The canned food may soften the stool I'd go pretty light with it. Just enough to tease them. If I didn't have any canned food then I may try braunschweiger, cooked chicken, yogurt, or canned pumpkin. Surely one of these options will work and if not then I guess I'd try to warm it up for the new king of the home! If they don't eat enough food it will lead to hypoglycemia. (see following article Wobbly)
Wobbly - If a puppy is acting wobbly, weird, drunk, or just sitting and not doing much. These signs are no joke. I would immediately act and treat my puppy for hypoglycemia. I would immediately give them a 1cc dose of Karo Corn Syrup. This will raise the blood sugar levels. The puppy should start acting better within 10 min. They will likely be very thirsty and want water so I would actually feed non flavor Pedialyte instead of water and also pour some Karo in their bowl. I'd try to determine why their sugar levels dropped. Did they play to much today, walk to far, not eat enough, not drink enough, go to long between meals, did they get too cold, did they pick up a sickness, how was their stool yesterday? Depending on what I figure the cause is will determine if I'm going to take puppy to the vet or not. If I think they picked up a sickness then we will be going to the vet. If it was lack of food, water, too much exercises, then I would resupply their food intake. I would feed them every couple hours for a day and make sure we get back on track really fast. I would then add Nutrical to their daily diet for the next month or so to boost their daily calorie intake. I always feed Nutrical to my little ones just to be safe regardless. For the longest time, years, veterinarians did not recognize hypoglycemia. Historically, veterinarians were not as adept at recognizing hypoglycemia in puppies, especially in smaller breeds, due to a lack of readily available blood glucose monitoring technology and awareness of the subtle signs in young dogs, leading to missed diagnoses and potential complications. I remember this growing up as my mom was a breeder for 25yrs. She would teach me what to do and how to save them when this would happen. The breeders knew it was directly related to sugar and calories and implemented the practices Vets today finally recommend and use. Karo Syrup - Honey -Pedialyte have always been the GO-TO remedies.
Energetic - If puppy is being overly energetic, weird, circling, acting like a clown and maybe kinda funny I assure you it's not. If this behavior is new and not normal I would also treat this has a low sugar hypoglycemia EMERGENCY. See the paragraph above (Wobbly) for details of what I would do in this case.
Page 2
Must Know Section
Foods/Water - I have personally reviewed every food I could find on my store shelf. Every brand from $15 bags to $150 bags and the best food I have found is Life's Abundance. It is a direct ship food as they do not wanting it to sit on a store shelf. ONLY feed your dog, dog food, and only feed your puppy bottle water. The bacteria makeup in tap water of your area is different than my area, so this difference could cause runny stool. (fix with canned pumpkin) We want to avoid this issue so bottle water is the safest bet and cheap.
Parks - A puppy does not have a mature immune system. This will take a very long time to build up so simply avoid ALL parks, dog parks, hiking trails, and rest areas. Avoid areas other dogs walk such as grass and even concrete. A puppy doesn't need to be taken on walks at such a young age, it is such a massive risk anyways.
Stores - Taking a puppy to a store is such an unnecessary risk at this age with such a young immune system. Please avoid the stores for now. Even you walking into a store where someone else may have brought a dog that has a disease is a risk, as you could track it on your shoes to your home.
Groomers/Vet- Taking a puppy to a groomer at such an age is such a huge risk. You completely expose them to so many potential threats of disease. Not only that you may pick up lice, mites, or fleas. Avoid the groomer as long as possible, best practice is doing it yourself if you can manage. The vet clinic may not be avoided, but I mention this so you are aware. Everyone with animals go to the vet, a high risk environment. Regardless how clean they are remember you can track a disease home, so when you go, take a towel to set on their exam table. Protect your puppy from surfaces. Immediately after you leave sanitize your hands and puppy paws. Wash the towel or throw it away asap. I don't even enter my shop when I return without removing my shoes. I spray down my shoes with alcohol and put my clothes in the washer. I minimize risk as much as possible considering I have several dogs relying on me for protection.
Page 3
Training Section
Potty- Potty training a new puppy needs to be quick. A puppy between 8 and 16 weeks is the sweet spot for all training. They absorb information like a sponge, so bad habits can be learned very fast, as well as good habits. Some of the most important things when potty training is schedule and routine. Have a food and water schedule, make sure they are eating and drinking enough for the day but have it on a routine. Immediately after they eat or drink they should go outside. I would place a playpen outside in the spot you'd like them to go to. I'd place them in the playpen for 5-10 min and bring them back in. I would reward them each time with a piece of a baby carrot or a little bit of yogurt. The reward system like this will be so beneficial to get your puppy trained on positive reinforcement. When a puppy makes an accident, it's too late. It doesn't make sense to punish as they don't understand. The know the deep tone is a bad tone and that's why when you go back to a happy tone they are happy again. So it's your job just to teach them the right way to earn the reward. You should have them trained within 2-3 weeks. If it is taking longer then something needs to be adjusted in the routine.
Tricks- You can start teaching tricks immediately. If you have two dogs, do NOT teach them tricks at the same time. Do NOT do tricks and treats at the same time either. This can cause jealousy issues or even fights. Some fights in dogs are so bad the dog may not forgive the other dog and turn into a lifelong feud. Some people have confused this with "Littermate Syndrome" which is something that doesn't exist. This issue simply comes from hormones, fights, and improper training. Use little pieces of baby carrot for rewards. Never get mad during this, as they don't understand. Just refuse the treat if they fail.
Service / ESA- In all 50 states a landlord can not deny leasing a property to someone based on the fact of them having an ESA or Service animal. They do have requirments for you to comply with though and could deny you for a different reason such as improper credit score or references etc. So I'm going to settle a few myths about ESA and Service animals. Now a service dog is on a whole nother level than an ESA dog. Airlines generally do not recognize ESA as service animals, they will require standard boarding as they do a pet. Service dogs are recognized and will not be refused, so long as you have current medical records to the airlines' standard. A Service dog is a dog that is professionally trained to perform a service that the life or day-to-day of the disabled person depends on. Some are trained to detect low blood pressure, oncoming seizures, and even guiding. ESA is an emotional support animal that can assist in the mental stability of it's owner. For an animal to meet ESA requirements you need a current letter from a licensed mental health professional. It must be a signed statement that confirms the animal is essential to your well-being. Nothing else is needed. You do not need to pay someone for a license or anything like that. There are many places online I see offering this, but as far as I am concerned they are scamming the vulnerable. Enjoy the info :D
Manners-If I could teach my pug RICKY BOBBY table manners, so can you. To teach good manners, you simply ignore them when they are not being proper. Reward them promptly when they are. NEVER reward with table scraps, they should only have their reward from your pocket of pieces of carrot.
Page 4
Medical Section
Vaccinations-I vaccinate my puppies with a 5-way shot at 6 weeks. This shot covers 5 diseases: canine distemper virus, adenovirus type 1 and 2, canine parainfluenza virus, and canine parvovirus. A booster shot, typically the same 5-way shot, needs to be given again at 9 weeks and 12 weeks. If I lived in a city I would also do the same booster again at 15 weeks and 18 weeks. Some veterinarians recommend following up with another booster shot for life once a year, some veterinarians recommend once every 3 years, and some say never again unless the yearly titer testing shows a weaker antibody count. It boils down to this, does the dog have the antibodies built up enough to fight off the potential disease. The only way to know would be titer testing the dog.
Deworming-I am very aggressive with my deworming routine. I have never had any worms or issues with them, but I never want to either. The medicines for worm prevention are very safe so I do it without any worries. I deworm them at 2,4,6,8 wks with 50 mg/ml Pyrantel Pamoate at .1 ml per lb. This covers several parasites. At 7 weeks I will then give them Fenbendazole 10% at a dose of .2 ml per lb for 3 days. This ingredient will eliminate some parasites that the Pyrantel doesn't cover and the 3-day dose will prevent/treat if puppy has Giardia. Going forward I would continue a Pyrantel Pamoate schedule at 10, 12, 14, 18 weeks, 3 month, and finally 6 month. I would then continue as an adult every 3 months for life. Obviously if I seen something suspicious in the stool I would have lab work done.
Coccidia / Giardia - Coccidia and Giardia are super super common parasites found in the intestines of dogs. Many dogs carry this, even without symptoms. Their normal immune system will expel and beat the parasite on it's own, but a puppy that is still building an immune system needs help to do so. Most of the time these parasites come from water, tap water, puddles, dirty yard, bird poo, mice poo, you get the picture. This stuff is everywhere and it is so very common that I treat every puppy as a preventative measure. If your puppy is diagnosed with it, I would be surprised but don't panic. Run the course of meds the Vet prescribes and it'll clear them up. Regardless, as prevention, I treat puppies at 7 weeks with Fenbendazole for 3 days straight for Giardia. At 4 and 6 weeks I use toltrazuril 5% (.2 ml per lb) followed up with a pea sized dose of (Merrick's Blue Ribbon Probiotic Plus Paste). This will boost their immune system and balance the healthy bacteria out in the gut.
Lab Work - There are a few diff. methods for diagnosing parasites in puppies. The most accurate and precise way to detect is under microscope, specifically after a fecal floatation method was performed. I am an expert in this field and I do fecal exams at 6 weeks on all my litters. It's really good that I'm fluent in it because I can monitor daily if for some reason a puppy might be acting off and I could act immediately. Most vet clinics today don't even do this they mail a sample off to a lab or they simply do "snap" tests, kind of like a pregnancy test at $50 ea. and it will say positive or negative for certain parasite. That is if they even used the correct snap detection kit, there isn't one that covers all parasites in one snap test. This test also does not tell them if it is a high count or low count, just if they are positive or not. So I prefer lab work over snap test for this fact. So there are 3 main methods to test under microscope: Fecal Smear, Fecal Floatation, or Fecal Floatation with Centrifuge. I do the fecal floatation with centrifuge as this is the absolute best and most accurate method. The method I use is as follows; collect small fecal sample (quarter size), fill vial test tube halfway with solution and mix till no large particles left, pour thru gauze strainer to filter, pour cleared sample into vial test tube and fill tube to 1/2" from top with more solution, place on cap and spin in a balanced centrifuge for 7 min. at 1800 RPM, remove sample and fill it full with more solution till there is a meniscus bubble extruding above the vial, place coverslip on the vial and let the eggs and such of parasites float to the top for 15 min., this will trap anything I want to see on the cover slip, put 2 drops of iodine on glass slide and place coverslip on, this highlights what I would be looking for, focus the compound microscope and then scan at 10x in proper zipper pattern. Complete examination will take 30 min at least for it to be done right. I enjoy it and love seeing I have raised a healthy puppy with science. I should let you know I did appear in the WORLD SCIENCE & ENGINEERING FAIR twice growing up with some inventions...I'm kind of a nerd lol.
Spay-Neuter - Nebraska Department of Agriculture Recommends to Spay and Neuter your puppy! To spay or neuter your dog or cat is good for your pet’s health, for you as a caring pet owner, and for your community. Health Benefits Spaying/neutering offers a variety of medical benefits that helps your dog or cat live longer and remain healthy. • Spaying reduces the chances of females developing mammary tumors and eliminates future uterine infections and uterine and ovarian cancers. • Neutering of males reduces the likelihood of prostate disease and eliminates the risk of testicular cancer. “Early-age” spaying/neutering is medically sound and can be achieved as young as eight weeks of age. This assures your pet will not accidentally mate and can also prevent some undesirable habits from forming. Consult with a veterinarian about all of the benefits of having your pet spayed/neutered and the appropriate age for surgery. Learn how easy it is for you and your pet. These surgeries require minimal hospitalization. Behavioral Benefits In general, spaying or neutering means you should enjoy a calmer and more even-tempered, people-oriented pet. • Spaying females eliminates the nervous whining, yowling, pacing behavior normally associated with a heat cycle. • Neutering male cats reduces or eliminates territorial marking (spraying of urine on surfaces). • Neutering also reduces excessive aggression in dogs and cats towards other animals. • Spaying/neutering of males and females reduces the desire to roam in search of mates. There is less risk of injury from traffic accidents or from fights with other animals. • Spayed and neutered pets are more likely to adapt well to human households and turn their attention and affection towards their owners. Community Benefits Spaying/neutering prevents unexpected or unwanted reproduction, often the cause of homeless animals and the reason for higher costs of animal control and the need for animal sheltering programs. Spaying/neutering reduces a dog’s or cat’s desire to roam, resulting in fewer traffic accidents and neighborhood complaints of nuisance animals. Being a responsible pet owner includes: • Establishing an ongoing relationship with a veterinarian; • Understanding the benefits of spaying and neutering; • Complying with local laws covering: o Licensing; o Vaccinations; and o Leash laws. • Taking precautions to prevent your pets from roaming free in the community; • Assuring that your pet is not responsible for unplanned or unwanted offspring; and • Learning about and providing overall good pet care and training for dogs. Your veterinarian plays a key role in your pet’s continued good health. Regular check-ups, vaccinations, and spaying/neutering are all part of responsible pet ownership. If cost of spaying/neutering is an issue, many communities have established low-cost spay/neuter programs that make the surgery affordable. To locate a low-cost provider, check with your local animal control agency or humane society. Dog licensing involves more than simply paying a fee, it ensures that you are complying with rabies vaccination requirements. Many communities offer lower license fees for spayed or neutered dogs, so check with your local animal control agency to find out how easy it is for you to comply with the law. A license, identification tag, or microchip may provide a way to recover your dog or cat in the event he or she accidentally gets out of your control. Be a responsible pet owner. It benefits your pet, and it benefits your community. You may make copies of this information for distribution, which is also available at: http://www.nda.nebraska.gov/animal/dog_cat/index.html Developed by the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council in cooperation with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Animal Industry. CDC29.doc (03/09)
Parvo - This is something that kills thousands of dogs yearly. I have never seen or experience it myself, but have heard from people how horrible it is. These stories are why I don't risk my dogs in social events, parks, groomers, etc. Please be safe and take min. risk.
Fleas, Mites, Lice - My kennel is connected to my house, same building and my outside yard is raised off of the ground to reduce risk of issues. I have never seen or had lice, fleas, or mites and it's largely because my dogs are raised. It was a lot of money to do this, but as you're learning about me I don't like risk. It could also be because I give my dogs coconut during peak risk seasons. I am a big believer in coconut properties so do some research yourself. I do not give chemicals to my dogs to prevent this stuff as my opinion about chemicals wouldn't allow. Google is your friend and nature has many suggestions.
Dog Insurance - I have a partnership with Trupanion. They allow my families to have 30 days free at time of bringing the puppy home. So all the medical will be covered under that 30 day policy if you SIGN up. I have been told by some of my families that their monthly fees after this run roughly $40/mo for like a Morkie. So check them out, call them, research them, I believe in them. I only promote businesses or products I fully believe and trust in. You have to sign up with my code for the discount. www.trupanion.com PROMO: BR1PA32323
Microchip - Locate your 15 digit number and barcode sticker in your Health Record pamphlet and call 1-866-597-2424 to register it for free. I microchip everyone at 7 to 8 weeks. A microchip is essentially a vin number for your dog. This number is not in any database until you enter it. So it is worthless unless you take 5 min and register it. There are many databases you can do this in for free. One of the largest databases Vets search is 24hr Pet watch and they have a FREE option. They also have options that cost money, but give you more amenities. Call them at 1-866-597-2424 the microchip is a universal brand and accepted everywhere.
Page 5
Tips Section
Food - I have fed a lot of different types of foods, and the food I absolutely recommend the most is Lifes Abundance. It is a very high quality food without the typically filler junk the box stores will carry. No recalls in history unlike almost every single food on the shelf in the store. I do not recommend Science Diet, Purina, or Pedigree to name a few and I used to like some of them. The only box store food I recommend would be a 4 Health food but my number one recommendation is absolutely the Lifes Abundance Puppy or All Life Stages.
Treats -I have very few recommendations. I only like to see them have carrot, broccoli, yogurt, and other natural treats that boost immune and coat. ZERO food scraps or store bought treats, ever.
Water - Keep them on bottle water as long as you can. It is cheap and you know it is safe.
Bones - The fact bones are allowed in stores for sale for dogs is insane to me. Do not feed them bones please. I have heard so many horror stories.
Harness - Please don't use a collar, opt for a harness. I have heard stories where people came home to their puppy hanging from their collar on some dumb little ledge, door handle, corner of a chair, etc. Please just dont.
Nebraska Dog and Cat Purchase Protection Act - I abide by this as my Puppy Guarantee/Warranty
Sections 54-644 to 54-650 shall be known and may be cited as the Dog and Cat Purchase Protection Act. Section 54-645 - Terms, defined For purposes of the Dog and Cat Purchase Protection Act: (1) Casual breeder means any person, other than a commercial dog or cat breeder as such terms are defined in section 54-626, who offers for sale, sells, trades, or receives consideration for one or more pet animals from a litter produced by a female dog or cat owned by such casual breeder; (2) Clinical symptom means indication of an illness or dysfunction that is apparent to a veterinarian based on the veterinarian's observation, examination, or testing of an animal or on a review of the animal's medical records; (3) Health certificate means the official small animal certificate of veterinary inspection of the Department of Agriculture; (4) Pet animal means a dog, wholly or in part of the species Canis familiaris, or a cat, wholly or in part of the species Felis domesticus, that is under fifteen months of age; (5) Purchaser means the final owner of a pet animal purchased from a seller. Purchaser does not include a person who purchases a pet animal for resale; (6) Seller means a casual breeder or any commercial establishment, including a commercial dog or cat breeder, dealer, or pet shop as such terms are defined in section 54-626, that engages in a business of selling pet animals to a purchaser. A seller does not include an animal control facility, animal rescue, or animal shelter as defined in section 54-626 or any animal adoption activity that an animal control facility, animal rescue, or animal shelter conducts offsite at any pet store or other commercial establishment; and (7) (a) Serious health problem means a congenital or hereditary defect or contagious disease that causes severe illness or death of the pet animal. (b) Serious health problem does not include (i) parvovirus if the diagnosis of parvovirus is made after the seven-business-day requirement in subsection (1) of section 54-647 or (ii) any other contagious disease that causes severe illness or death after ten calendar days after delivery of the pet animal to the purchaser. Section 54-646 - Seller; written disclosure statement; contents; receipt; notice of purchaser's rights and responsibilities; health certificate; retention of records (1) A seller shall deliver to the purchaser at the time of sale of a pet animal a written disclosure statement containing the following information regarding the pet animal: (a) The name, address, and license number of any commercial dog or cat breeder or dealer as such terms are defined in section 54-626 or, if applicable, the United States Department of Agriculture license number of the breeder or any broker who has had possession of the animal prior to the seller's possession; (b) The date of the pet animal's birth, if known, the state in which the pet animal was born, if known, and the date the seller received the pet animal; (c) The sex and color of the pet animal, any other identifying marks apparent upon the pet animal, and the breed of the pet animal, if known, or a statement that the breed of the pet animal is unknown or the pet animal is of mixed breed; (d) The pet animal's individual identifying tag, tattoo, microchip number, or collar number; (e) The names and registration numbers of the sire and dam and the litter number, if applicable and if known; (f) A record of any vaccination, worming treatment, or medication administered to the pet animal while in the possession of the seller and, if known, any such vaccination, treatment, or medication administered to the pet animal prior to the date the seller received the pet animal; and (g) The date or dates of any examination of the pet animal by a licensed veterinarian while in the possession of the seller. (2) The seller may include any of the following with the written disclosure statement required by subsection (1) of this section: (a) A statement that a veterinarian examined the pet animal and, at the time of the examination, the pet animal had no apparent or clinical symptoms of a serious health problem that would adversely affect the health of the pet animal at the time of sale or that is likely to adversely affect the health of the pet animal in the future; and (b) A record of any serious health problem that adversely affects the pet animal at the time of sale or that is likely to adversely affect the health of the pet animal in the future. (3) The written disclosure statement made pursuant to this section shall be signed by the seller certifying the accuracy of the written disclosure statement and by the purchaser acknowledging receipt of the written disclosure statement. In addition to information required to be given to a purchaser under this section, at the time of sale the seller shall provide the purchaser with written notice of the existence of the purchaser's rights and responsibilities under the Dog and Cat Purchase Protection Act or a legible copy of the act. (4) If the pet animal is sold to a purchaser who resides outside of the state or intends that the pet animal will be relocated or permanently domiciled outside of the state, the seller shall provide the purchaser with a health certificate signed by a licensed veterinarian who has examined the pet animal and is authorized to certify such certificate. (5) The seller shall maintain a copy of any written disclosure statements made and any other records on the health, status, or disposition of each pet animal for at least one year after the date of sale to a purchaser. Section 54-647 - Recourse to remedies; purchaser; duties; notice to seller; remedies (1) In order to have recourse to the remedies available to purchasers under this section, a purchaser shall have the pet animal examined by a licensed veterinarian within seven business days after delivery of the pet animal to the purchaser. The pet animal shall be declared unfit for sale and the purchaser may obtain one of the remedies listed in subsection (2) or (3) of this section if (a) during such examination, the veterinarian diagnoses the pet animal with a serious health problem that the veterinarian believes existed at the time of delivery of the pet animal to the purchaser or (b) within fifteen months after the date of birth of the pet animal, a veterinarian diagnoses the pet animal with a serious health problem or states in writing that the pet animal has died from a serious health problem that the veterinarian believes existed at the time of delivery of the pet animal to the purchaser. (2) If a pet animal is diagnosed with a serious health problem under subsection (1) of this section, the purchaser shall notify the seller within two business days after the diagnosis and provide the seller with the name and telephone number of the veterinarian or a copy of the veterinarian's report. After such notification, the purchaser may obtain one of the following remedies from the seller: (a) A refund of the full purchase price of the pet animal upon return of such pet animal to the seller; (b) An exchange for a pet animal of the purchaser's choice of equivalent value, if such pet animal is available, upon return of the pet animal, if alive, to the seller; or (c) Reimbursement for reasonable veterinary fees, not to exceed the full purchase price of the pet animal. (3) If a pet animal dies from a serious health problem as determined under subsection (1) of this section, the purchaser shall notify the seller within two business days after receipt of the written statement of the veterinarian by the purchaser and shall provide the seller with a copy of such written statement. After receipt of the written statement by the seller, the purchaser may obtain one of the following remedies from the seller: (a) A refund of the full purchase price of the pet animal; or (b) A pet animal of the purchaser's choice of equivalent value, if such pet animal is available, and reimbursement for reasonable veterinary fees not to exceed one-half of the full purchase price of the pet animal. (4) For purposes of this section, veterinary fees shall be deemed reasonable if the service is appropriate for the diagnosis and treatment of the serious health problem and the cost of the service is comparable to similar services provided by licensed veterinarians in close proximity to the treating veterinarian. Section 54-648 - Denial of refund, reimbursement of fees, or replacement; conditions No refund or reimbursement of fees or replacement of a pet animal under section 54-647 shall be required if one or more of the following conditions exist: (1) The serious health problem or death of the pet animal resulted from maltreatment, neglect, or injury occurring after delivery of the pet animal to the purchaser; (2) Any written disclosure statements provided by a seller pursuant to subsection (2) of section 54-646 disclosed the serious health problem for which the purchaser is seeking a remedy; or (3) The purchaser failed to follow through with preventative care, including, but not limited to, vaccinations, deworming treatment, or medication, recommended by a licensed veterinarian examining the pet animal. Section 54-649 - Purchaser; file action; seller's rights; limit of recovery (1) If a seller does not comply with a demand for remedy by a purchaser under section 54-647, the purchaser may file an action in a court of competent jurisdiction. (2) If a seller contests a demand for remedy by a purchaser under section 54-647, the seller may require the purchaser to produce the pet animal for examination or autopsy by a licensed veterinarian designated by the seller. The seller shall pay for all costs associated with such examination or autopsy. The seller shall have a right of recovery against the purchaser if the seller is not obligated to provide the remedy sought. (3) The prevailing party in a proceeding under this section shall be limited to a recovery of actual costs and no more than five hundred dollars in reasonable attorney's fees. Section 54-650 - Other rights and remedies not limited; act; how construed Nothing in the Dog and Cat Purchase Protection Act shall limit any rights and remedies otherwise available under the laws of this state. Any agreement or contract entered into by a seller and a purchaser waiving any rights under the act is void. Nothing in the Dog and Cat Purchase Protection Act shall be construed to limit a seller to offering only those warranties, express or implied, required by the act.