Dog Vaccinations
Because vaccinations are so important to a dog’s long-term health and well being. They protect your puppy from contracting deadly and debilitating diseases.
Puppies do get some protection against diseases from their mother, but this only lasts a very short time. Vaccinations help your puppy develop his or her own immunity to disease.
What diseases should my puppy be vaccinated against?
The severe and life-threatening core diseases that all dogs should be vaccinated against are:
- Canine parvovirus
- Canine infectious hepatitis
- Canine distemper
The “C3” vaccination is used for these three diseases.
Depending on your puppy’s environment and lifestyle, your vet might also recommend vaccinations for other diseases, such as canine cough, which is caused primarily by canine parainfluenza virus and Bordetella bronchiseptica bacteria.
Through contact with other dogs and from environments where other dogs have visited. That’s why it’s so important that your puppy is protected early, before you ever take them to the park.
Your puppy will need a course of vaccinations: Your veterinarian will talk to you and together you will decide on the most appropriate vaccination protocol for your puppy. In general your puppy will have the first vaccination at 6-8 weeks of age. Your puppy will then have another 1 or 2 vaccinations finishing anywhere between 10 weeks of age and 16-18 weeks of age.
Once your puppy has finished this “puppy course” of vaccinations, your puppy is regarded as fully vaccinated. Wait about 7 days following the last vaccination before taking your puppy out to the park.
Following these puppy vaccines, your puppy may need boosters at intervals determined by your veterinarian.
Remember, even if your puppy was already vaccinated when you brought him or her home, they may still need more shots. Your veterinarians should be able to advise you on this.
PawClub can remind you when your puppy is next due for vaccination. Register today or update your puppy’s details and we’ll send you emails to remind you about this important appointment.
Register for PawClub vaccination reminders
Vaccinations may be administered to your puppy as:
- an injection between their shoulder blades
- liquid into their nostrils.
Vaccinations are fairly straightforward and side effects are not common. If your puppy does experience anything, it will usually be mild and short lived:
- pain when the vaccine is administered
- pain and or lump formation at the site of injection
- fever
- loss of appetite
- lethargy.
Very rarely, more serious side effects may occur including allergic and/or anaphylactic reactions.