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Is it safe to bathe my new 7-week-old puppies if they are dirty?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Female | unspayed | 2 months and 4 days old

My neighbors are giving me two puppies. They are approximately 7 weeks old. When I went to see them last week, I noticed their area was not very sanitary. They were living on their pee pad, that also had poop stains on them. It was obvious they weren't changed very often. Can I bathe them once I get them home?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Anna M., DVM

Veterinarian

Published on October 5th, 2017

Sorry for the technical difficulties - my link doesn’t seem to be attaching! Regardless, there are lots of good oatmeal-based shampoo options!

I also recommend taking them in to the vet soon for their first distemper/parvo vaccine, as well as their deworming. Pups are generally born with intestinal parasites.

Hope this helps!

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Anna M., DVM
Veterinarian
Hello, and thank you for using PetCoach. Congrats on your puppies - cute picture! Yes, you can bathe the pups and it’s a good idea to do so if they’ve been in an unsanitary environment. I recommend using an oatmeal based shampoo that will be soothing and won’t dry out their skin, and do your best not to let water get down in their ears, as it looks like they’ve got heavy floppy ears that may be a bit more susceptible to ear infections.

There are lots of good dog shampoo options, but here’s an example:
0Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Anna M., DVM
Veterinarian
Hmm, it seems my answer was cut short. Here’s that link again:
0Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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