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.
The Concept Of Core Versus Non
- “CORE” vaccines: Some infectious diseases of dogs are so common, debilitating and devastating, easily spread, and/or are able to be spread to people that their vaccination against them are deemed of critical importance for all dogs, regardless of their geographic location, lifestyle, etc. These include Distemper, Parvo, Canine Infectious Hepatitis, and Rabies. The vaccines protecting against these conditions are known as the core vaccines. The first three are often administered as the combination DA2P shot.
- “NON-CORE” vaccines: On the other hand, there are diseases/conditions for which there are vaccines, but either because of their limited geographic distribution , lesser severity, specific lifestyle risk factors, or other reasons, they are not automatically always recommended for every dog. These typically include Lepto, Lyme disease, Influenza , Kennel Cough, and Parainfluenza. The vaccines that protect against these diseases are called the non-core vaccines. While theyre not necessarily needed by all dogs, they can be extremely beneficial to many dogs and in many situations.
- Not typically recommended: Then there are the vaccines that just dont work very well, are associated with more severe side effects, or the diseases they protect against just typically aren’t severe enough to be recommended for use in general.
Reasons To Vaccinate Your Pet
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Can I Let My Puppy Play With My Other Pets
If you already have a dog in your house and you want to introduce him to your pup, theres a little bit of preparation you have to put in first.
Make sure your other dogs vaccinations are up to date before you bring your new pup home. Other pets like cats should be fine to introduce to your pup just get the advice of your vet if you are unsure.
Give your puppy the very best start in life by making sure they are vet checked early and receive all the right puppy vaccinations. If youre unsure about your puppys vaccination schedule or just need friendly advice, dont hesitate to give the team at Conanvet a ring or e-mail us at
Rabies Vaccine For Dogs

The rabies vaccine is the only dog vaccination thats required by law in the United States. Part of the reason its so important is that dogs with rabies are the main causes of spreading the deadly disease in humans, especially children, in areas where the rabies vaccine isnt given.
rabies, theres a real zoonotic concern because people can get rabies, Dr. Lyon explained.
The rules regarding rabies vaccines for dogs vary from state to state, so make sure you check what regulations are like where you live.
You cant test somebody for rabies before they die, Dr. Lyon said. So we dont mess around with rabies.
Since theres no way to test someone for rabies while theyre alive, if your dog bites someone and he hasnt been vaccinated, he may need to be put down so he can be tested to confirm he hasnt spread rabies to the person he bit.
Rabies also has the highest death rate of any disease in both people and animals 99.9 percent which is why this shot is so important!
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Determining The Timing And Frequency Of Vaccinations
Your veterinarian can best determine a vaccination schedule for your pet. This will depend on the type of vaccine, your pets age, medical history, environment and lifestyle.
For puppies: If his mother has a healthy immune system, a puppy will most likely receive antibodies in mothers milk while nursing. Puppies should receive a series of vaccinations starting at six to eight weeks of age. A veterinarian should administer a minimum of three vaccinations at three- to four-week intervals. The final dose should be administered at 16 weeks of age.
For adult dogs: Some adult dogs might receive certain vaccines annually, while other vaccines might be given every three years or longer.
For kittens: Kittens automatically receive antibodies in the milk their mother produces if their mother has a healthy immune system. When the kitten is around six to eight weeks of age, your veterinarian can begin to administer a series of vaccines at three- or four-week intervals until the kitten reaches 16 weeks of age.
For adult cats: Adult cats might be revaccinated annually or every three years.
Vaccinations For Your Pet
Vaccines help prevent many illnesses that affect pets. Vaccinating your pet has long been considered one of the easiest ways to help him live a long, healthy life. Not only are there different vaccines for different diseases, there are different types and combinations of vaccines. Vaccination is a procedure that has risks and benefits that must be weighed for every pet relative to his lifestyle and health. Your veterinarian can determine a vaccination regime that will provide the safest and best protection for your individual animal.
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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:
Puppy And Dog Vaccinations
- Vaccinations protect pets from diseases that remain a high risk and can kill
- Puppies will need to be vaccinated against the killer infections from six to nine weeks of age
- They will then be protected against parvovirus, distemper, leptospirosis and adenovirus 1 and 2
- If you do not know if your pet has been vaccinated, it does not hurt to repeat the course
- Some booster injections are needed annually, with others required up to three years apart
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Why Is The Same Amount Of Vaccine Given To A Small Dog And A Large Dog
Vaccination doses are the same for all dogs, regardless of size. When these vaccines are tested, all dogs in the test group receive the same dose of vaccine and have been proven safe for dogs of all sizes at the recommended dosage. Smaller doses of vaccine may not adequately protect small pets. In addition, there is no evidence that smaller doses of vaccinations are associated with a decreased likelihood of vaccine reactions.
What Are Core Dog Vaccinations
Make no mistake, a dog vaccination schedule is essential to protect your puppy from serious illnesses he could contract from other dogs or even wild animals. And in some cases, puppy shots protect humans from zoonotic diseaseinfectious diseases that spread from animal to human. So the vaccinations arent something to take lightly.
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Do Vaccines Provide 100% Protection
Vaccines have been highly successful in protecting the majority of dogs against disease. As a direct result of vaccination, previously common diseases such as distemper are now rare. But there are situations in which the dogs immunity may be overcome and a vaccinated dog may still develop disease. In such cases the disease is generally milder than it would have been had the dog not been vaccinated.
Some causes for apparent vaccine failure are:
Maternally derived antibodies. As mentioned above, when a puppy is born and after it suckles its mother, it acquires a proportion of antibodies from the mother. A well-vaccinated female will transfer antibodies to her puppies for the diseases she has been vaccinated against, as well as any others she has acquired naturally. Such antibodies protect the pup against those diseases for the first two or three months of its life, the most critical time. However, during this same period, the maternally derived antibodies can block the pup’s ability to respond to vaccination.
“Maternal antibody interference has been a particular problem with canine parvovirus vaccination.”
Incomplete immune response. There is variation between dogs’ immune systems. Some respond less well to vaccination, so immunity may be incomplete or shorter-lived than normal. Certain breeds and genetic lines have a tendency for such problems.
What Is Maternal Immunity

Newborn animals have not yet had a chance to make their own immunity so they need protection against infections present in their environment. They receive this immunity from their mother, as maternal antibodies. Part of this passive immunity is transferred across the placenta while the pup is still in the uterus, but most of it is transferred in the first milk or colostrum.
“This maternal immunity is only temporary.”
This maternal immunity is only temporary. It declines steadily over the first few weeks of life and is largely gone by twelve weeks. The rate of decline is variable, depending on many factors.
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Why Are Puppy Shots A Series Why Is The Timing Important
Every puppy is different. A puppy who was one in a litter of 3 puppies may have been able to suckle more colostrum from Mom, than a puppy that was one in a litter of 13.
Although if the Mom of the litter of 3 wasnt well vaccinated herself, or she didnt produce good milk or do a good job of nursing her pups, then it may not necessarily be the case.
Similarly, some puppies are born with deficiencies in their immune system, or their immune system may develop more slowly because of dietary or other factors. So we never 100% know a pups starting immune status, how well they are initially protected by maternal immunity, or how well their immune system will respond to the vaccines we’re administering.
So to provide the best level of protection to the greatest number of puppies in the greatest number of situations, the puppy shots are administered as a series of “initial shots” and “booster shots” over the course of the first several months of their life. This gives their maternal immunity time to wane while their own immune system is fully developing in response to and conjunction with their “shots.”
Do Vaccinations Have Side Effects
It is common for pets to experience some or all of the following mild side effects after receiving a vaccine, usually starting within hours of the vaccination. If these side effects last for more than a day or two, or cause your pet significant discomfort, it is important for you to contact your veterinarian:
- Discomfort and local swelling at the vaccination site
- Mild fever
- Sneezing, mild coughing, “snotty nose” or other respiratory signs may occur 2-5 days after your pet receives an intranasal vaccine
More serious, but less common side effects, such as allergic reactions, may occur within minutes to hours after vaccination. These reactions can be life-threatening and are medical emergencies. Seek veterinary care immediately if any of these signs develop:
- Persistent vomiting or diarrhea
- Itchy skin that may seem bumpy
- Swelling of the muzzle and around the face, neck, or eyes
- Severe coughing or difficulty breathing
- Collapse
- A small, firm swelling under the skin may develop at the site of a recent vaccination. It should start to disappear within a couple weeks. If it persists more than three weeks, or seems to be getting larger, you should contact your veterinarian.
Always inform your veterinarian if your pet has had prior reactions to any vaccine or medication. If in doubt, wait for 30-60 minutes following vaccination before taking your pet home.
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Vaccines Are Vital To Protect Your Puppy’s Health Here’s The Lowdown On The Core Vaccines Your Puppy Really Needs And The Optional Ones You Might Want To Consider
Puppies have all their shots, is a familiar line you read when combing adoption ads. It sounds reassuring and its one less thing you have to pay for once you bring your puppy homebecause, lets face it, the cost of everything you need before you get a puppy can add up quick. But the real truth is puppies need more than one course of dog vaccinations. Sure, there are optional non-core shots for added protection that you may not need, depending on the type of exposure your four-legged friend may encounter, but even just the basics is going to entail more than one round. Heres what veterinarians recommend:
The Kennel Cough Nosode
Although a range of remedies have been successfully employed in the prevention of this condition such as Drosera and Ignatia, the kennel cough nosode has been shown to be very effective and has impressive results, as obtained by DVM Christopher Day in his clinical trials measuring the use of the nosode during a kennel cough outbreak. The results shows minor symptoms were expressed by 42.5% of the dogs, with 59.7% of vaccinated dogs showing minor symptoms, compared to 26.7% of unvaccinated dogs. This study shows that nosodes can be effective in disease prevention, and when dogs do contract disease, the severity of symptoms can be reduced with their use.
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How Should I Prepare My Puppy For Their First Vaccination Visit
You and your puppy should not be scared to come to visit us at the veterinary clinic. Before your puppys first vaccination appointment with us, schedule a time to come in just for a visit, step on the scale, meet our staff and get some treats. We want to ensure you both know that the veterinary clinic can be a fun place, and not just for check-ups and vaccinations. By taking that first car ride and visit with us before the first vaccines, it ensures that the next time you come in will be way less stressful for you both.
Why Does My Puppy Need To Have Vaccinations
When puppies are first born, they completely rely on the antibodies provided in their mothers milk. This will protect them against any harmful microorganisms.
However, this protection fades over time, meaning the puppy will become vulnerable to catching infectious diseases. The right vaccinations at the right age will help prevent your puppy from developing any of these diseases or infections.
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Why Is The Parvo Vaccine Important For Dogs
The parvo vaccine is so important so much so that its considered a core vaccine because parvovirus is an incredibly serious and contagious disease.
With the vaccine, parvo is so easily preventable. Without it, any dog is in danger of getting infected, regardless of his age, location or other lifestyle factors.
All inadequately vaccinated dogs are at risk, Dr. Bustamante said.
When you adopt a puppy, you might learn that your puppy is up to date on all his shots. However, that doesnt mean hes fully vaccinated, so you should always bring him to the vet to check in order to keep him safe.
Many people think that the puppy they recently adopted or purchased is fully vaccinated, Dr. Bustamante said. Most of them have received appropriate vaccines for their age, but this does not mean that they are fully protected or fully vaccinated.
Dog Vaccination Chart Form Samples :

dog vaccination chart template example
example of dog vaccination chart template
dog vaccination chart template sample
sample of dog vaccination chart template
You can choose when you want to vaccinate your dog and starting what age you want them to be done. It is highly recommended that you do them as soon as possible to protect them faster. You shouldnt forget to keep making sure that your vet updates the dog vaccination chart. You should also always bring the chart when your dog is going to get vaccinated. The older your dogs get, the more vaccines there are available. You could get them all together at the same time or you could do them separately too. After your dog gets its first vaccine shot, it will also need to regularly get other shots as well. This is to ensure that they are protected at all times because the immunity system on a dog can fade over time. For a free example of this kind of chart, you can download one at the bottom of this page too.
Dog Vaccination Chart Template | Excel
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