Animal health professionals are well versed in the characteristics of each breed of dog and the incidence of different diseases in different areas, so they are the best people to assist you in your puppy vaccination plan with the appropriate vaccinations.
The cachorros puppies receive their first immunity from their mothers thanks to the antibodies contained in the mother’s milk at the beginning of lactation. These antibodies are transmitted during the first 24 hours of life by suckling and then disappear, so the puppy will not be properly protected if vaccination is not started in time. Puppies are born with parasites transmitted by the mother through the placenta and milk during lactation. It is therefore essential to deworm puppies before starting vaccination.
Rottweiller, Husky, Dobermann and Golden breed dogs, and those that have some of these breeds within their genetic heritage, are especially vulnerable to Parvovirus, so they should be given the first dose of this vaccine before 45 days of age.
When to vaccinate a puppy?
Here is what the vaccination plan for puppies should look like:
- At 45 days of life: First dose of Parvovirus vaccine.
- At 9 weeks of age: Second vaccine, which will be for protection against Canine Distemper, Adenovirus type 2, Infectious Hepatitis C and Leptospirosis. And second dose of vaccine against Parvovirus. The vaccine against Coronavirus is optional.
- At 12 weeks of life: Repeat one dose of the previous vaccine and the third Parvovirus vaccine.
- From 4 months of age: Rabies vaccine.
- Repeat annually the pentavalent vaccine (Parvovirus / Hepatitis / Parainfluenza / Leptospirosis) and Rabies. MoquilloHepatitis / Parainfluenza / Parainfluenza / Leptospirosis) and Rabies.
- Subsequently, and optionally, we can protect them against Parainfluenza, Lyme disease, Leishmaniosis and Coronavirus. tos de las perrerasLyme disease, Leishmaniasis and Coronavirus.
So… How many vaccinations do puppies need?
Puppies need 6 vaccines, counting the different doses, to be fully protected: Parvovirus (3 doses), Tetravalent (2 doses) and Rabies (1 dose).
Do I have to vaccinate my puppy?
Although there are more and more detractors of the use of vaccines both for their price and for the excessive revaccination, the truth is that there are vaccines that you are obliged to give to your dog. The main one is the Rabies vaccine.
This vaccine is not effective before the first 12 weeks of the dog’s life. It is administered after 4 months of age and the dog will be protected after 14 days. For this reason, if you want to travel with your dog, we recommend that the veterinarian injects it at least one month before the trip. It may happen that in the country of destination they do not let your dog enter or put him in quarantine for fifteen days. Once the first dose has been given, it is necessary to repeat it annually.
When the puppy is a puppy you have the obligation to provide the Parvovirus, which should be one of the first to provide the puppy because of its high mortality rate, and the Distemper. It is necessary to repeat them annually.
Your veterinarian will recommend that you include in their annual vaccination reminders of other types of contagious diseases to prevent contagion. These vaccinations are optional, but we recommend their administration to avoid unnecessary scares.
Do you know what multivalent vaccines are?
This type of vaccines include the antibodies of several diseases at the same time and are given in a single injection so that your dog is protected from all these diseases. They are usually used annually when they are adults.
The most common multivalent vaccines are:
- Pentavalent: Contains Distemper, Hepatitis, Kennel Cough, Parvovirus and Parainfluenza vaccines.
- Hexavalent: Contains all of the above, plus vaccine for Leptosipirosis and another strain of Parvovirus.
- Octovalent: It has the above vaccines in its components plus, other strains of Leptosipirosis, Parvovirus and Parainfluenza, and in addition the Coronavirus vaccine.
Why is it necessary to vaccinate my puppy?
Remember that many infectious diseases have only been controlled through the use of vaccines. For this reason, your veterinarian will always advise you to vaccinate your puppies, as this reduces the risk of infection and premature death, as in the case of Distemper or Parvovirus.
In addition, if you follow the puppy vaccination schedule correctly, you contribute to building herd immunity. Not only will your dog be protected, but you will help prevent epidemics that could affect immunosuppressed animals or those allergic to certain vaccines.
Can a vaccine have side effects on your puppy?
The side effects of puppy vaccines are not usually very serious, as they have been tested and proven to be completely safe before your dog receives its dose.
The most frequent side effects that have been detected are the following:
- Numbness: The dog would be more sleepy than usual.
- Apathy: He may show little desire to go outside or play with other dogs. Either because of numbness or the stress of having taken him to the vet.
- Intestinal disorders: Some vaccines may cause stomach pain, diarrhea or vomiting, so it is common for the dog to show poor appetite.
- Swelling at the injection site: The appearance of a lump in the puncture area is due to the fact that the vaccine liquid has not been absorbed. With the passing of the days it disappears, you just have to be careful not to scratch the area to avoid wounds.
- Respiratory problems: It is the least common, but the dog may present mucus, cough or some flu-like symptoms.
- Aphalaxia: The most serious of all. The dog will not be able to breathe well because its throat or muzzle has swollen. It will have a weak pulse, diarrhea or vomiting. In this case, the dog should be taken to the veterinarian as soon as possible.
Do I have to deworm my puppy before vaccination?
Yes, it is necessary to deworm your puppy internally and externally before its first vaccination. This type of parasites can alter the health of the dog and, therefore, the vaccines may not be as effective as they should be guaranteeing the perfect state of the defenses.
Once the vaccination schedule has been completed, your dog should be dewormed internally on a regular basis every 3-4 months and before each revaccination.
Remember that in cold and vaccination seasons you can help your pet’s immune system with vitaminas to prevent their defenses from dropping.
