Complete Vaccination Guide For Puppies and Dogs
We want our fur babies to be cheerful, cute, comforting, and without problems or pain, don’t we? That’s where dog vaccination comes in. Vaccinating our puppies and dogs acts as prevention and protects them from multiple health diseases that can be life-threatening in some situations.
Category of Vaccines
Before understanding the whole vaccination process, it’s necessary to know the two basic types of available vaccination for dogs.
- Core Vaccines: Necessary vaccines for all breeds irrespective of environmental and other factors.
- Optional Vaccines: These vaccines are administered based on factors like environment, lifestyle, age, medical history, and travel habits.
General Vaccination Schedule for Puppies
Given that all puppies are different and live in varied conditions, there isn’t an exact vaccination schedule for them. The best practice is to discuss the course of vaccination with your veterinarian.
However, the general vaccination schedule based on the puppy’s age is as follows:
1. Between 6 – 8 Weeks
Core Vaccines: Distemper, Parvovirus
Optional Vaccine: Bordetella
2. Between 10 – 12 Weeks
Core Vaccines: DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus)
Optional Vaccines: Bordetella, Leptospirosis, Influenza, Lyme
3. Between 16 – 18 Weeks
Core Vaccines: DHPP, Rabies
Optional Vaccines: Lyme, Leptospirosis, Bordetella, Influenza
General Vaccination Schedule for Adult Dogs
After reaching adulthood, dogs are administered annual vaccinations. However, some pet parents and veterinarians avoid annual vaccinations as they believe it’s unhealthy.
The solution here is to take a titer test which can tell the number of antibodies present in your dog and then advise vaccines according to it. However, an important exception in rabies vaccination should necessarily be administered according to the respective US state laws.
The general vaccination schedule for adult dogs can be determined according to how long a vaccine stays effective. Here’s a list:
- Rabies – 3 years
- DHPP – 3 years
- Bordetella – 1 year
- Lyme – 1 year
- Influenza – 1 year
- Leptospirosis – 1 year
Side Effects Associated With Vaccinations
Though the risks of dog vaccinations are low, it does come with some side effects:
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Vomiting
- Pain/swelling around the injection site
- Loss of appetite
- Fever
- Lethargy & sluggishness
- Swelling on face or paws
- Hives
If the symptoms become severe, you should contact the vet immediately. Otherwise, it’s okay to ignore low or mild symptoms.
Need someone to care for your dog as much as you do? Book a dog walker/sitter with Cuddlytails and be surprised at how efficient and caring our professionals are when it comes to fulfilling your dog’s every need.
Visit www.cuddlytails.com or download our Android or iOS app for more information.
Thank you,
The Cuddlytails Team