Kolkata · updated 8 August 2026
Healthy puppies in Kolkata
How to tell whether a puppy is healthy before you buy it in Kolkata — the physical checks that take ten minutes, what each one tells you, and the signs that should stop the conversation.
Short answer
A healthy eight-week puppy has clear eyes with no discharge, clean ears, a moist nose, pink gums, and a coat with no bald patches or scratching. It should be curious about you within a minute or two, move without limping, and feel solid rather than bony or bloated. A pot belly with a thin body usually means worms.
Ten minutes, done properly
Nobody expects a buyer to examine a puppy like a veterinarian. But the checks that catch most real problems are simple, physical, and take about as long as the conversation you were going to have anyway.
The list below is what we would look at ourselves. Work through it in the room, not from memory afterwards.
The one that matters most
Look at the mother. Her condition tells you how the litter has been kept better than anything you can see in a single puppy — a thin, anxious or poorly kept mother is a fact about the whole operation, not about her.
If the mother is not available, ask why. There are honest answers to that question, but “she is at another location” on the day you visit is worth pressing on.
Age is not negotiable
Eight weeks. A puppy separated from its litter earlier misses the period where it learns bite inhibition and basic social signalling from its siblings, and the consequences appear months later as behaviour that is hard to correct.
Anyone offering a six-week puppy is either uninformed or in a hurry. Neither is a good sign.
Checklist
- Eyes clear and bright, with no discharge, cloudiness or crusting at the corners.
- Ears clean inside, with no dark waxy build-up and no strong smell.
- Nose moist and free of thick or coloured discharge.
- Gums pink rather than pale — pale gums can indicate anaemia or a heavy worm burden.
- Coat even, with no bald patches, scabs or persistent scratching.
- Body solid to the touch: ribs felt but not sharp, and no distended belly on a thin frame.
- Movement even on all four legs, with no limping or reluctance to bear weight.
- Behaviour curious within a minute or two — a puppy that will not engage at all may simply be tired, but ask.
- Rear end clean, with no staining or signs of diarrhoea.
- The mother present, in good condition, and behaving normally around the litter.
What each sign usually means
| What you see | Common cause | How serious |
|---|---|---|
| Pot belly on a thin puppy | Worm burden | Treatable, but ask when it was last dewormed |
| Discharge from eyes or nose | Infection, possibly distemper | Serious — do not proceed without a vet |
| Dark wax and head-shaking | Ear mites | Common and treatable |
| Bald patches, persistent scratching | Mange or fungal infection | Treatable but contagious |
| Pale gums | Anaemia, often from parasites | Needs a vet before purchase |
| Limping or reluctance to move | Injury or joint problem | Serious in a large breed |
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What every puppy leaves with
- Vaccinated & dewormed Age-appropriate DHPPi course and deworming complete, with a vaccination card showing dates and batch numbers.
- KCI papers where eligible Where the parents are registered and the litter qualifies. The registration paperwork follows after purchase — not every puppy qualifies, and we say so upfront rather than after.
- Hand-carried delivery A handler travels with the puppy the whole way. Free across Kolkata and its suburbs, a flat charge beyond — we absorb the rest of the journey cost.
- After-sale support Feeding, vaccination schedule, house-training and the first vet visit — call us any time, for as long as you have the dog.
Questions people ask
How do I know if a puppy is healthy before buying?
Spend ten minutes on the physical checks: eyes, ears, nose, gums, coat, body condition and movement. Then watch it interact. A healthy eight-week puppy is curious, solid and moves evenly on all four legs.
What does a pot belly on a puppy mean?
Usually worms, especially when the rest of the body is thin. It is treatable, but ask when the puppy was last dewormed and whether it is recorded on the card — an honest answer there matters more than the belly.
Should I bring a vet when I go to see a puppy?
If you can, yes, though most buyers do not. Failing that, take photographs of the eyes, ears, gums and rear end and send them to a vet before you pay. Any decent seller will let you.
What health guarantees do you give?
Every puppy leaves with a written vaccination and deworming record so any vet can pick up the history. If something worries you in the first weeks, call at any hour — we will talk it through and put you in touch with a vet we work with.
Are Indian breeds healthier than imported ones?
Indigenous and long-established breeds like the Indian Spitz generally cope with local conditions with less management, and have fewer of the structural problems bred into some pedigree lines. That is not the same as being immune to anything.
What if the puppy falls ill in the first month?
Call us first, at any hour. We will talk you through it and connect you with a vet we work with. The vaccination card means any vet can see the full history immediately rather than guessing.
Reviewed and updated .