Are There Any Other Vaccines My Dog Might Need
Kennel cough: Kennel cough is not usually dangerous, but can be a nuisance. Some of the viruses which can contribute to kennel cough are included in a dogs core vaccines, but the actual cause is a bacterium, and a separate vaccination is available for this. Its likely that youll need this if your dog is going into kennels. It has to be given into the nose and is only protective for six months.
Click here for more information about kennel cough.
Rabies: Although rabies is not a required vaccine for dogs in the UK, it is if youre planning on taking your dog on holiday with you to another EU country. Your dog will need to be at least 12 weeks old and already microchipped to have the jab. The injection is a requirement, among others, of getting a Pet Passport, which allows you to take your dog to another EU country and bring him or her back to the UK.
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:
Home Environment Bedding And Toys^
At home, your puppy needs somewhere comfortable to sleep and access to somewhere protected from the weather. When your puppy first arrives at home, he/she will be used to cuddling up with his/her brothers and sisters at night. This means you may experience some crying for the first couple of nights. To settle your puppy in, provide a familiar blanket and a basket or box to curl up in. You can also place a ticking clock under the blanket to simulate the mother’s heartbeat.
To keep your puppy’s bright little mind active, supply a good range of toys such as Kongs, treat balls, rope chews etc which are rotated over the period of a week. This will ensure the toys are appealing a novel each time they are given to your puppy.
If you are out and about you should have your puppy fitted with the correct lead and harness both for you and your puppy’s safety.
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Puppy Shots Dont Last For Life
When a puppy is finished with their initial puppy shot series, theyre not completely done with vaccines. Booster vaccinations will be needed throughout your dogs life. The frequency and types of vaccine boosters your dog will need throughout their life is influenced by their lifestyle, where you live and travel to with them, how common certain diseases are in your area and at different times of year, and a host of other factors.
For some dogs and for some conditions, titers may help to determine vaccination intervals and may be preferable. This is a discussion to have with your vet.
The Take Home Message
So, the answer to When can puppies go outside? is not as straightforward as you may have first hoped.
After their first vaccinations, puppies have minimal immunity and it is still not advised you take your puppy outside for walks just yet. Rather, provide access to the outdoors in a safe manner. You may choose to take them out while holding them or when they are safely inside a doggy backpack or buggy.
Even after their second vaccinations, we should still wait a week before allowing outdoor walks and contact with other puppies and dogs.
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Do Puppies Need Vaccines
Yes! While theres debate around this in the media, any qualified veterinary professional will tell you that puppies absolutely need to be vaccinated. They should be given an initial course of vaccines, and then booster injections throughout their lifespan to ensure they stay protected.
Vaccinations are effective at keeping puppies and adult dogs protected against a range of infectious diseases, some of which – like Leptospirosis and Infectious Canine Hepatitis – can be fatal.
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.”
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Side Effects And Risks Associated With Dog Vaccinations
The benefits of vaccinations far outweigh any risks. Adverse reactions to dog vaccines are rare. However, As with any medication or immunization protocol, puppy vaccinations and dog vaccinations can cause some side effects. We do recommend that you have your puppy or dog vaccinated at time when when you can monitor them after the vaccination.
If your dog does experience a reaction to vaccinations, symptoms may include:
- Fever
- Loss of appetite
- Pain or swelling around the injection site
Just as with human vaccines, mild symptoms can be ignored. The majority of reactions are mild and short lived.
Serious reactions to vaccines include
- Vomiting
- Facial or paw swelling and/or hives
- Collapse, difficulty breathing, and seizures
If these symptoms occur, you should contact our office immediately or take your pet to the nearest emergency hospital.
What Vaccines A 912 Week Puppy Might Get:
- CORE: DA2P Combination shot protecting against Distemper, Adenovirus , and “Parvo.” This vaccine may be administered as a DA2PP, which is the same thing, but also includes protection against Parainfluenza .
- NON-CORE: Bordetella The initial vaccine can be given at this age if necessary or desired, depending on the type of vaccine used .
- NON-CORE: Canine Influenza Virus There are two different canine flu vaccines available, each protecting against a different strain of dog flu. If this is the first dose of this vaccine your pup is receiving, they will need a booster in 24 or 3 weeks later, depending on which vaccine they are receiving, for the best protection.
Where your puppy can usually go and what they can usually do after this 912 week vaccine visit:
- Start puppy classes: If a puppy hasnt yet begun their puppy socialization classes, they can do so after receiving their vaccines during this time period.
- Play with known dogs:A puppy can continue to meet other KNOWN and healthy puppies and adult dogs.
- Avoid: Sidewalks, parks, pet stores, daycare, and other areas/settings popular with other unknown dogs should be avoided.
- Socialization visits: A quick socialization visit to the groomer should be OK, so long as the shop is kept clean and there arent or havent been any sick dogs there recently. Shopping malls and home improvement stores can be great places to socialize your puppy without excessive risk of contagious dog diseases.
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Do All Puppies Have Worms
Intestinal parasites are very common in puppies. Puppies can become infected with some types of intestinal worms before they are born or later through their mother’s milk. Microscopic examination of a stool sample will usually help your veterinarian to determine the presence of most intestinal parasites. This exam is recommended for all puppies, especially during their first few veterinary visits.
“The routine use of a deworming medication that is safe and effective against several of the common worms is recommended…”
Even if a stool sample is not obtained, the routine use of use of a deworming medication that is safe and effective against several of the common worms of the dog is recommended. This protocol is followed because 1) deworming medication has little, if any, side effects and 2) your puppy does not pass worm eggs every day so the stool sample may not detect worms that are present, but not shedding eggs. Additionally, some of these intestinal parasites can be transmitted to humans. It is important that the deworming is repeated because it only kills the adult worms.
“Within three to four weeks, the larval stages of the intestinal parasites will become adults and need to be removed.”
Average Dog Vaccination Costs
- Dog vaccination costs can vary considerably, however the following prices are indicative: C3 vaccination costs around $100 to $150, C5 is around S100 to $150 and C7 is approximately $200 . Prices can vary greatly between locations, so always check with your local clinic for specific charges.
- Find out from your pet insurance provider if they cover some of the costs of your dogs vaccinations. Bow Wow Meow can help you with the Routine Care cover to cover some of these costs. .
- Parvovirus is a potentially life threatening illness. If your dog needs to be hospitalised and treated for Parvo virus, costs can easily exceed thousands of dollars. Getting your puppy vaccinated will not just save money, it could also save your pups life.
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And One More: Heartworm
Heartworms are parasitic worms that are spread by mosquitos, and the resulting disease can be devastating. When the worms enter the dogs body, they find their way to the heart and lungs where they grow and multiply until the organs become clogged and eventually fail.
Heartworm prevention medication can be administered as an injection between the ages of 12 and 16 weeks, and thereafter with an annual booster. Additionally, preventative medication can be administered as a tablet which is typically given monthly or bi-monthly.
Congratulations On The New Edition To Your Family Certain Diseases May Be Prevented By Vaccination A Protected Response Is What The Veterinarian Is Aiming For When Vaccinating Your Puppy By Boosting The Immune System To Produce Antibodies And Neutralize Infectious Organisms Before They Have A Chance To Induce Disease This Is Achieved Through A Schedule Involving Vaccines
Ideally the standard schedule is at 8, 12, and 16 weeks of age .Variations to a schedule become necessary when, for instance, a puppy is vaccinated at 8 weeks of age, then does not visit the veterinarian again until 16 weeks of age. A minimum of two injections approximately 3-4 weeks apart with the last injection occurring at greater than 12 weeks of age is necessary.
6-8 weeks of age
- 1st physical examination
- 1st DA2PPCV Distemper, Adenovirus type 2, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus, and Coronavirus.
- Fecal analysis for parasites
- Deworming
Annual Adult Vaccination
After the third booster your pet will not be due for another vaccination until a year later.
It is recommended to have your dog vaccinated on an annual basis as well as a fecal analysis for intestinal parasites.
Heartworm Disease
Heartworms are large roundworms that live in the right ventricle . Heartworms survive on nutrients which they take from the dogs bloodstream. Heartworms can grow to a length of 15-30 centimetres, and in severe cases a dog may be infested with hundreds of worms.
Damage can occur to the heart, lungs and liver as well as obstruction of blood flow resulting from this infestation. Eventually, fluid may build up in the lungs and restrict the dogs breathing. When damage to the internal organs is severe enough, death may be the result.
Please talk to our doctor about customizing a plan to protect your dog against this preventable disease.
Canine Distemper
Canine Parvovirus
Bordetella
Adenovirus
Rabies
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What If My Puppy Misses A Vaccine In The Series
The manufacturer’s recommendation says it should be given within a certain period of time. So if it’s been a long time, your veterinarian will determine the age and week when the dog received each of the vaccines and they will then determine the new series for your dog. For example, if your dog had its first vaccine at 8 weeks and then there was no proof of a vaccine after 8 weeks and your puppy is now 15 weeks, the vet will give one right away, and then another vaccine in 3-4 weeks when your puppy is about 18 weeks. It is best for your dog to adhere to the vaccine schedule to guarantee 100 percent efficacy.
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.
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Mike Galguts Border Collie, Lucky, was diagnosed with epilepsy which needs to be treated for the rest of his life. The daily medication helps to reduce the number the fits, but is also very expensive. Bow Wow Meow has been a big help in covering treatment costs.
How Soon After Vaccinating Can I Bring My Puppy Out Walking
This is a really important question as it is important to get your dog out walking as part of their socialisation and training window, which for many dogs closes between 12 14 weeks. Dogs older than this are not untrainable, but will be much more fearful if they have not been exposed to a wide variety of stimuli before this age. At Petcare Vets we generally recommend taking your puppy outside for short walks one week after their first parvovirus vaccination, however, we would also recommend getting tailored advice for your pup from Your Local Vets, as there will be restrictions in place as to where your dog can walk, and how long they can go for, depending on breed and which vaccinations they have been already given and the particular risk the local area in which you live represents. Dogs will not be covered for Leptospirosis and so it is recommended to avoid high risk areas and drinking from puddles until they are covered
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When Can You Take Your Puppy Outside To The Yard
Some people will have a very puppy safe fenced yard that is not likely to pose any dangers to a puppy, whether they are vaccinated or not. However, if your own yard is home to local wildlife, including rats and foxes, your puppy is at risk from potentially fatal infections such as Leptospirosis.
So, it is important you may a risk assessment of your yard. If there are rats who urinate on your lawn, it is vital you wait until your puppy is fully vaccinated before they can go out on it.
What Can Be Done About Fleas On My Puppy
Contrary to popular belief, the majority of the flea life cycle is spent off the dog only the adult lives on the animal. The egg, larva, and pupa feed and develop in the environment. Therefore, flea control must include treatment of the environment, as well as the pet. Many of the flea control products that are safe on adult dogs are not safe for puppies less than two to three months of age. Be sure that any flea product you use is labeled safe for puppies. Consult with your veterinarian to determine which flea medication is appropriate for your puppy.
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When Do Puppies Need To Be Vaccinated
For most, their first vaccine is given between 6 and 8 weeks of age while still with the breeder. Two to four weeks later, it is time for the second vaccination. These vaccines protect dogs against infectious canine diseases, including Parvovirus, Distemper and Leptospirosis.
Those who breastfeed from their mother will consume maternal antibodies which offer some protection from infectious diseases. However, as they stop nursing, their antibodies wane and they are highly vulnerable to infections. We aim to vaccinate them at this time, to ensure their immunity stays strong.
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