A Typical Puppy Vaccination Schedule:
- First vaccination: 6 to 8 weeks DHP
- Second vaccination: 9 to 11 weeks DHP
- Third vaccination: 12 to 15 weeks DHP
- Fourth vaccination: 16 to 20 weeks DHP
- Booster DHP: 1 year of age or 12 months after the last puppy shot, then as recommended
- Rabies vaccination: typically required by law at 3-6 months of age with a booster 12 months later, then a booster every 1-3 years.
- Bordetella, Parainfluenza, and Canine Influenza recommended for social dogs .
- Lyme or Leptospirosis: May be recommended by your veterinarian if you live in or travel with your dog to an area where these are endemic.
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What To Do If I Think My Dog Is Suffering
The symptoms of kennel cough can be easily identified. If you believe your puppy is presenting any of these symptoms you should consult a vet. They will carry out a number of tests to identify whether your puppy has contracted the condition and be able to recommend the best course of treatment.
To make sure your dog has the best chance of avoiding kennel cough when in close quarters with other dogs, always let your vet know early so they can administer the vaccination within the required time limits.
How To Protect Your Puppy
In order to protect your puppy against contagious diseases, the following precautions are recommended in puppies younger than 16 weeks of age:
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At What Age Should I Bring In My Puppy For Their Vaccinations
At 8 weeks of age, your puppy will receive their first dose of the distemper complex, which includes vaccines for distemper, adenovirus , parainfluenza, parvo and leptospirosis. This vaccine is usually given by the breeder or rescue before you adopt your new puppy.
At 12 weeks of age, your puppy will receive a booster of the original distemper complex in order to boost their immunity to these dangerous diseases. They will also get their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine at this time. This is usually your puppys first time meeting your own veterinarian and will be an exciting visit for everyone.
Lastly, at 16 weeks of age, your puppy will receive their last booster of the original distemper complex, their second dose of the coronavirus, and will now get the rabies vaccine. During this visit, you may also opt to get your puppy the Bordetella and Lyme vaccines as well, based on the puppys lifestyle and exposure risk. This decision will be based on a discussion with your veterinarian during your appointment.
Does My Dog’s Lifestyle Factor Into What Vaccinations My Veterinarian Will Recommend
For the most part, there’s a core set of vaccines that we recommend for all dogsparvo, distemper, rabies. But there are some other vaccines, depending on whether the dog goes to dog parks or to boarding a lot. With dogs like this, I’m going to recommend Bordetella, which is kennel cough, and we may also recommend the flu vaccine. There is a vaccine for leptospirosis, and that is also a zoonotic disease. It’s transmitted through the urine of wildlife, rats especially.
If you live in a high rise, the chances of being exposed are much less, but many dogs can be exposed to lepto. But there, again, it just kind of depends on the dog’s lifestyle as to which other vaccines we’re going to recommend.
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Can A Vaccinated Dog Still Get Parvo
While the parvovirus vaccine is incredibly effective, there are some instances where a vaccinated dog can still get parvo.
Unfortunately, even those who are already vaccinated against parvovirus could potentially become infected, Dr. Simon told The Dodo.
One way this happens is if your dogs exposed to parvovirus before hes received all the necessary doses of the vaccine.
Many owners do not realize the vaccine protocol for puppies includes booster vaccines every three to four weeks until 16 weeks of age, Dr. Burch said. If the booster vaccines were not continued through 16 weeks of age, your dog might not have mounted an appropriate immune response.
But sometimes even dogs who completed the required vaccination rounds can still get parvo.
It is technically possible for those who are fully vaccinated to become infected, Dr. Simon said. This, however, is rare.
This can happen if your dogs sick when he receives his parvo vaccines, since his impaired immune system wouldnt have been able to create all the antibodies he needs to stay safe from the disease.
Despite being vaccinated for parvovirus, dogs who have a breakthrough infection may not have responded to the vaccine appropriately due to the individual’s immune system, Dr. Burch said. The body may not have produced the appropriate antibodies needed to protect against infection.
Sometimes, your dogs parvo vaccine can be less effective if it wasnt stored properly before he received it.
Vaccination Risks And Should You Do It
Generally, studies show and most vets consider vaccinations to be safe for healthy dogs, and the basic core vaccines protect against far more serious diseases compared to side effects of vaccines. In short, the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks.
Moreover, vaccines not only protect your dog, but also the community: they prevent the spread of viruses from your pet to other pets and, in zoonotic cases, even humans.
A good vet will walk you through potential risks and side effects of canine vaccines before injecting your puppy. Post-vaccination, if you notice any change in your dog or at the site of the vaccine, contact your veterinarian immediately.
There are ways that you can reduce the risks of your dog having a negative reaction to a vaccine. This will depend on each individual situation, so discuss it with your vet. Sticking to a proper puppy shot schedule will further reduce the risks.
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Vaccinatable Conditions Of Dogs
The core vs. non-core category of each vaccine is provided below for guidance, but the situation can be different for every dog and every situation. Your veterinarian is your best resource for helping to determine which vaccines your new pup would benefit from, and when. They are the only ones who have the medical training and understanding, as well as the first-hand knowledge of your dog and home/environmental situation necessary to best guide you.
Not all vaccines can completely prevent infection and disease, but even if they dont completely prevent infection, they will at least minimize the effects of infection and often shorten the course of the infection.
Note that some of the vaccinatable conditions of dogs listed below can be zoonotic, meaning that they can also infect and cause disease in people.
How Do Dogs Get Parvo
Dogs often get parvo by coming into contact with poop from an infected dog.
The problem is even if you pick up the poop, the virus itself is pretty strong, can survive even in extreme temperatures and is resistant to a lot of household cleaners. So if an infected pup has an accident indoors at your dogs daycare facility, for example, your pup is at risk even if the mess is cleaned up.
Parvovirus is highly infectious and can cause dogs to become extremely unwell, Dr. Simon said.
Thats why the best way to keep your dog from getting parvo is by getting him vaccinated and making sure he receives every dose.
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How Much Will Vaccinations Cost
Your puppys initial set of vaccines will cost between £30 and £60, but this is far less than the cost of treating the diseases themselves. It will also save your dog from pain, discomfort and even death, and means that you and your family will be spared the stress of coping with a seriously ill pet. Regular booster vaccines will cost less than the initial vaccinations.
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Page last updated 17/01/2022
What Are The Risks Of Puppy Vaccination
As with any medication and vaccines, whether for animals or humans, there’s always some risk of potential side effects. However, studies show that all core puppy vaccines on the essential puppy shot schedule, like the DA2PP or rabies vaccine, are completely safe.
Most today’s core vaccines for dogs were developed over 50 years ago. After decades of scientific discovery and testing, enough effort has been put into making these vaccines safe and reliable for animals.
In very rare instances, some vaccines may cause adverse effects in puppies that are typically unpredictable. Fortunately, most of those negative reactions dogs have to vaccinations are minor and easily managed.
Your vet will ask about the health of your puppy prior to vaccinations and, if necessary, may perform some tests. If your dog is sick, the vaccine may have to be put on hold due to a dog’s compromised immune system. If given during that time, the vaccine could be ineffective or cause side effects.
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The Amount Of Time Each Vaccination Is Effective Is As Follows:
- DA2PP – 1 year
- Pain or swelling around the injection site
- Collapse, difficulty breathing, and seizures
Just as with human vaccines, mild symptoms can be ignored. The majority of reactions are mild and short lived. If you suspect a more severe reaction to puppy vaccines or dog vaccines, such as facial swelling, vomiting or lethargy, you should contact our veterinarian immediately.
What Should My Puppy Be Vaccinated Against
The mandatory vaccinations include:
- Distemper: This can take several forms, which often makes diagnosis difficult. In general it can cause high temperature, respiratory problems , digestive problems , ocular, cutaneous or nervous problems, and may often be fatal.
- Canine hepatitis: The symptoms range from slight fever and congestion of the mucosa membrane to vomiting, jaundice, stomach enlargement, depression, reduction of white blood cells, pain in the liver and severe hepititis.
- Canine parvovirus disease: Parvovirus is highly contagious and attacks the gastrointestinal system, creates loss of appetite, vomiting, fever and often severe, bloody diarrhoea. Extreme dehydration can come on rapidly and can be fatal within 48 – 72 hours.
- Leptospirosis: Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease which comes from bacteria transmitted by rodent urine, and can be transmitted to humans and certain animals. For dogs, symptoms include fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, severe weakness and lethargy, stiffness, jaundice, muscle pain, infertility and kidney failure .
The recommended vaccinations include:
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Vaccination Advice For Dogs
As vets and pet owners, one of the most important things we can do for our puppies and dogs is to make sure they are protected against infectious disease by vaccinating them. At their annual health check appointment, your vet will carry out a full physical health check and let you know what vaccinations they recommend your pet receives.
What Are Dog Vaccines And Why Are They Important
Vaccines help prepare a dog’s immune system to defend itself from any invasion of disease-causing organisms. Vaccines contain antigens, which mimic disease-causing organisms in a dog’s immune system, but don’t actually cause disease. The purpose of puppy vaccines and dog vaccines is to mildly stimulate the immune system by having it recognize the antigens present. This way, if a dog becomes exposed to the real disease, it’s immune system will recognize it, and therefore be prepared to fight it off, or at the least reduce its effects.
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When Should Puppies Be Vaccinated
Puppies are typically vaccinated at eight and ten weeks with the second dose usually being given two to four weeks later. Speak to your vet about the best timings.
Your puppy will then require a booster vaccination at 6 or 12 months. As your puppy grows into an adult dog it’s important to ensure you visit the vet and keep your dog’s vaccinations up to date.
How Often Should My Pet Be Vaccinated
Some vaccines stimulate long lasting immunity. Currently, we administer these vaccines, including DHP vaccines for dogs, and rabies vaccines, every three years. Some other vaccinations dont stimulate such a long lasting immunity and require re-vaccination annually. Examples of these include leprospirosis vaccination and kennel cough vaccination. At your pets annual health check your veterinarian will be able to tell you which vaccinations are currently due.
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What Age Should My Puppy Be Vaccinated
When they are first born, puppies receive protection against infectious disease from their mother in her colostrum. Unfortunately this protection doesnt last very long, and as it starts to fade, we need to vaccinate them so they produce their own immunity. We want the period of time when they are unprotected to be as short as possible, so vaccinations are usually started from 8-10 weeks of age, though they may be given younger if there is a risk they inherited little protection from their dam.
As we dont know exactly when the protection from the dam wanes, young puppies are given more than one dose of vaccine, to maximise their chance of responding to them.
Here at Orchard Vets, our routine puppy vaccination program is as follows:
- 8-10 weeks of age: First distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and leptospirosis vaccination.
- 2 weeks after first vaccine: Second distemper, hepatitis and parvovirus vaccination
- 4 weeks after first vaccine: second leptospirosis vaccination.
Can You Vaccinate Against Kennel Cough I Heard There Were Too Many Strains For Vaccination To Be Effective
The more technical name for kennel cough is infectious canine tracheobronchitis. It is generally caused by two possible infectious agents or pathogens.
The first of these is a bacteria known as Bordetella bronchiseptica. This is quite closely related to the bacteria which causes whooping cough in people. Infection with B bronchiseptica causes an unpleasant, harsh cough. Even with treatment this cough can persist for up to three months. This bacterial pathogen doesnt generally take the form of multiple strains.
The other component of the kennel cough vaccine is a viral pathogen known as parainfluenza. As the name suggests, this is fairly similar to, though not closely related to, the human flu virus. Viruses often mutate rapidly and thus multiple strains of virus might
be circulating at any one time. Vaccination with one strain will confer some protection against other, similar strains .
A similar situation occurs with leptospirosis vaccination there are multiple different strains or serovars of Leptospira interrogans, the bacteria which leads to leptospirosis. However, most cases of disease in dogs are caused by a small number of these strains, so currently vaccinations for dogs are against four serovars of leptospira bacteria.
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What Is The Parvo Vaccine Schedule Like
Most dogs will get their first doses of the parvo vaccine when theyre puppies, so their vaccination schedule will start when theyre only a few weeks old.
Parvovirus vaccine protocols vary on the vaccine and veterinarian, but usually puppies receive their first parvo vaccine at 6 to 8 weeks old, then every four weeks until 16 weeks , Dr. Bustamante said.
Once your pup is fully vaccinated, hell get a booster every year or so, just to maintain his immunity.
As adults they receive the vaccine every one to three years, Dr. Bustamante said. Adult dogs can and do get parvo therefore, it is very important to appropriately vaccinate your pets.
What Vaccines A 1517 Week Puppy Might Get:
- CORE: DA2Pbooster The final Distemper combo shot in the puppy shots series should be given around this time , Parvo shot. Note that this may be given as a DA2PP, which is the same thing, but also includes protection against Parainfluenza
- NON-CORE: Lepto booster
- NON-CORE: Lyme booster
Where your puppy can usually go and what they can usually do after this 1517 week vaccine visit:
- Freedom! One week after this final puppy vaccine visit, most pups have enough vaccine protection against the common vaccinatable conditions of dogs to be able to get a full groom and go to the dog park, doggie daycare, and other places where large groups of unknown dogs frequent and congregate. Of course, it’s still a good idea to keep an eye out and avoid any obviously sick dogs.
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Can A 3 Month Old Puppy Get Rabies Shot
Defending these diseases in the right way is vital to the success of an animal. All dogs three months to 12 weeks of age or older are required to receive a current Rabies vaccination. A population of animals at any one of these ages is defined by the Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control*.