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.
Ways To Protect An Unvaccinated Puppy
The risk of catching something from another dog will be lower if:
- The other dog has been completely vaccinated for more than two weeks.
- Your dog does not come in direct contact with the other dog
- The two dogs stay more than five feet apart at all times.
- Dont let the two dogs play with each other. Avoid public places.
- Dont take your unvaccinated puppy to dog parks, doggie daycare, or boarding kennels.
- Avoid unvaccinated dogs of all ages
Can You Get Rabies From A Dog That Has Been Vaccinated
While it is unlikely to get rabies from a vaccinated dog, there is still a slight risk. Both vaccinated and unvaccinated pets that bite a person must be quarantined for 10 days. If the dog or cat was infectious at the time of the bite, signs of rabies in the animal will usually follow rather quickly and certainly within 10 days.
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Is It Time To Go To The Dog Park Or Take A Puppy Class
The places your new puppy is allowed to go and the other pups and people they can meet along the way is influenced, in part, by what vaccines theyve had. So we’ve put together this overview of the “shots” that puppies should have during their first several months of life, as well as the why and when. Take a peek and discuss with your veterinarian to ensure that your new pup is as protected as they can be from the conditions that can sicken or cause them harm.
Going Out In The Yard
In mild weather, even newborn puppies can be taken out to your own garden or backyard, as long as they’re supervised and confined to a small, safe area. Of course, nursing puppies would likely be taken out along with their mother and the rest of the litter. Once they’re big enough to start wandering around on their own and going to the bathroom without Mom’s assistance, they’re big enough to start going outside to be potty trained, says Christopher Carter Veterinary Surgery. Again, they should be closely supervised, and trips outside should be kept short.
If you’re not raising a puppy from birth, chances are by the time you adopt your pup he’ll be fully weaned and big enough to explore the yard under your watchful eye. Dogtime recommends taking your newly adopted puppy outside for potty breaks every one to two hours. By this point he’s also old enough to be introduced to a collar and leash in preparation for going on walks or being taken out to public spaces.
Similarly, puppies are particularly susceptible to heat-related illnesses. If you’re facing hot weather, keep visits outside short, and never leave your puppy outside unsupervised on a hot day.
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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:
What Vaccinations Do You Provide New Puppies
There are two different categories of vaccines Core and Non-Core.
Core administered to all healthy dogs. Non-Core administered selectively based on geography, lifestyle and exposure risk.
Core Vaccines include:
- Distemper Complex Protects against distemper, adenovirus , leptospirosis, parainfluenza, parvo and coronavirus. These diseases attack the respiratory system, liver, kidneys, intestines, cause joint pain, lethargy, and some can be spread to humans.
- Rabies Fatal and incurable. Rabies affects the nervous system and can be spread to humans. This vaccine is required by law.
Non-Core Vaccines include:
- Bordetella More commonly known as kennel cough. Required when boarding dogs in a kennel or daycare.
- Lyme Disease spread by the deer tick. Recommended for dogs who live in or travel to Lyme endemic areas.
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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
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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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.
If you are on benefits and live in an area covered by Blue Cross, you may also be eligible for help with veterinary care. Click here to find out more about our veterinary services.
Page last updated 12/07/2021
Carry Or Hold Your Puppy
Go on lots of outings to a variety of places where you can carry or hold your puppy so they can see, hear, smell and experience all the things their new life holds from relative safety. As they are not yet sufficiently protected against disease, they cant interact too much with other dogs or people – or put their paws on the floor – but this early exposure to a variety of places and experiences can be invaluable in their social development. The more things a puppy encounters in a positive way in these early weeks, the better for their future development and behaviour.
These outings can be anywhere from the park to watch people and other dogs, to standing in the street and watching traffic from a distance, to going to the pub, to sitting outside coffee shops, to short trips on public transport, going to the beach or woods, or just out for a drive Anything you can think of that is going to be part of your dogs future life – and where you can hold and carry them throughout.
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What If I Rehomed My Puppy From A Charity Or Animal Home
If you adopt a puppy or dog from us, we’ll have already given them initial vaccinations. That’s one of the reasons we charge an adoption fee when we rehome an animal. You should still register with your vet, and talk to them about additional vaccines in the future.
Start your search for a puppy today or take a look at our puppy buying guide for advice on getting a healthy, happy puppy from a breeder. When you’re ready to bring your pup home, we have lots of great tips about the puppy buying process to help you welcome your new pup to the family, and you can also learn more about caring for your puppy.
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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How To Safely Socialize Your Puppy
Now that you have made sure your puppy is safe, how can you ensure that he gets properly socialized during the critical socialization period? The following scenarios are generally considered safe zones where your puppy can try out his budding social skills in a disease-free environment:
When socializing your puppy, make sure you are pairing every interaction with dog treats and praise to help him develop good social skills. It is also helpful to follow the rule of seven: every day, your puppy needs to have seven positive, novel experiences that help him develop a positive relationship with the outside world.
Using these guidelines, you should be able to avoid any situations that can present a contagious disease risk to your puppy while still providing plenty of positive interactions to allow for proper socialization during the critical age window of 9-14 weeks of age.
Do Puppy Vaccinations Have Side Effects
The short answer is yes, but only sometimes.
Its the same idea as when people get the flu shot. For some, the influenza vaccine can make them feel drowsy or even a little bit sick, but for others, the vaccine has no side effects. This is because your immune system is unique and customized to you, and while similar to the general public, it may react differently to potential irritants.
Fun Tip: this is why people experience allergies to different products.
Always ask your vet about potential side effects for each vaccine, as they will vary. Its important to keep a close eye on your puppy for the first 24 hours after any new vaccine, as they may have a reaction to it.
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How Can I Toilet Train My Puppy If They Cant Go Outside
Probably the first thing you will be thinking about when wondering when can my puppy go outside? is toilet training. Ideally you will have a puppy proofed garden, although they should still be supervised outside at all times. To help reduce the risk of disease, it is best to use a space where no other dogs have access, except ones that you know the vaccination history of – such as your own or other family dogs. While this doesnt eliminate the chance of your puppy picking up an infectious illness, it does reduce the likelihood of this happening. This way, your puppy is already getting the experience of being outside in a safe environment.
Is It Safe To Get Multiple Dog Vaccinations At The Same Time
99.9% of all dogs tolerate all the vaccines at one time, just like kids do. Just remember, when you have babies, they get numerous vaccines when they’re brand new infants, which to me is amazing. But dogs tolerate it. There’s an occasional dog that’s a little more sensitive to vaccines, and we may pretreat or spread them out for that dog in particular, or if clients have specific concerns.
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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.
When Can I Take My Puppy Outside After Vaccinations
As much as you might want to show off your new puppy to friends and family, its recommended that you wait a few weeks after your puppy has had its second set of vaccinations before you venture out for a walk together.
Your puppy should also not socialise with any other dogs outside of your household during this time. This is simply to reduce the risk of your pup picking up a disease before it is fully vaccinated.
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Jumpstart Your Puppys Immune System
In their first year of life, puppies will need to visit their veterinarian numerous times to get vaccinated for and become immunized against potentially fatal, yet preventable infectious diseases. The worst of these are Distemper and Parvo.
The timing and interval between booster vaccinations is critical to ensure your puppy is protected, as their mothers antibodies can interfere with a vaccinations ability to mount your puppys own immune response. Thus, puppies need a series of vaccinations to allow their immune system to break through waning maternal antibody.
Vaccination Myths Vs Reality
Myth: Once Ive had my puppy injected, theyre immune for life.
Reality: Unfortunately, this isnt true. Its important to have your dog vaccinated every year to maintain his or her immunity against these diseases. While some of these vaccinations last for more than a year, dogs need to be boosted against at least one of the most serious diseases every year.
Myth: My puppy is confined to the house and garden, so they wont have contact with disease.
Reality: Many of the diseases we vaccinate against arent spread directly from pet to pet, meaning your puppy could still catch an illness from something as simple as venturing outside. For example, canine parvovirus can be caught off pavements or in parks, while canine leptospirosis is contracted by drinking from ponds or puddles which rats may have contaminated.
Myth: The vaccinations will make my puppy feel poorly.
Reality: These days, this is extremely unlikely. Most vaccines are a modified form of the disease that they protect from. The most your puppy may feel is a little sleepy for a short period of time, but these symptoms will soon pass.
Myth: Pets are given boosters too often.
Reality: Vets will never prescribe vaccinations unnecessarily. Instead, we always determine the correct intervals between vaccines according to your pets age, their potential exposure to diseases, and the brand of vaccine .
Myth: I missed giving my pet a booster last year, but I can just give them one this year instead.
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How Many Times A Year Does My Dog Need Vaccination
In general, most dogs should have an update of some vaccines once a year. Some boarding facilities require bordetella every six months, so we may need to see you mid-year. But for the most part, once a year is adequate for most dogs. And even some of the vaccines, we can extend the time a little bit after a year. Rabies can go to three years in some states, and I think its annual in other states. Its crucial to check in with your veterinarian once a year and make sure you’re up-to-date on all your vaccines.