Vaccinating Your Puppy

The First Shots

While there are various arguments on the subject there is little doubt you must immunize your puppy. This will protect your favorite canine against different types of infectious diseases. Puppies need to have this protection. It is all a question of when and how frequently.

The Purpose of A Vaccination
Vaccinations are not always popular. Individuals argue both for and against their use. This is true in both the human and dog worlds. Yet, there is a definite need to provide your puppy this type of valuable protection. Once weaned from their mother, puppies are no longer protected from various potentially dangerous and deadly viruses. They can no longer rely on their mother’s antibodies to act as a preventive measure against diseases. You vaccinate a puppy to protect him or her.

A vaccination is a means of the body establishing a defense against specific diseases. It does this in a simple fashion. A specific dosage of a vaccine is given through a needle into the animal’s body. The vaccine contains a small amount of the disease for which it is to act as a preventive measure. For example, if your dog receives a rabies vaccination, it is being given a small dose of the fatal virus.

When the substance enters the bloodstream, the body begins to protect itself. The foreign substance triggers the immune system. The body manufactures the very antibodies it would use to fight off the invasive viral or bacterial invasion. As a result, the vaccination provides your dog with a preventive measure of protection. Yet, you must remember. The shots do not have any power to treat the disease. A rabies shot, for example, cannot protect a dog already affected by the disease. In other words, vaccinations are a pre-emptive strike.

What Vaccinations Should You Give Your Puppy?
There are several vaccinations you should insure the vet gives your puppy. Today, you can get some separately. Other shots, your vet will give your puppy in some form of combination. Below are listed the absolute minimum vaccinations your puppy will require to ensure maximum protection during his puppy years.

• Canine Distemper - This is a highly contagious viral disease. It can cause a puppy death within days of its onset. Although no longer as deadly as in the past, canine distemper is preventable through vaccination.

• Infectious Canine Hepatitis - A viral disease, infectious canine hepatitis has symptoms similar to those of distemper. Affected young puppies rarely survive this disease.

• Canine Parvovirus - Parvo is a viral disease. It is treatable, but prevention through vaccine is the sensible way to handle it. Protection against Parvo may be given in a vaccine combination together with the defense against distemper, paraininfluenza and hepatitis.

• Rabies - This viral infection is fatal. A rabies shot is given at the same time as the other vaccines but never in combination.
Some boarding kennels may also require your puppy have a vaccination against several other diseases. These may include coronavirus, leptospirosis, Lyme disease and nasal bordetella.

When Should Your Puppy Start Getting Shots?
Your puppy should receive its first vaccination shots between the ages of 6 and 8 weeks. It will receive the combination shot called DHP (Distemper, hepatitis and parainfluenza) as well as a vaccination against parvovirus. This is the start of a series of boosters.

Between 9 and 6 weeks old, your puppy will receive his or her next shots. This vaccination is a duplication of the initial shots. The next vaccinations, however will add rabies shots to your puppy’s protection arsenal. This will occur between the ages of 12 and 15 weeks.

After 15 weeks, your puppy will only get a parvovirus shot until reaching adulthood - at least 1 year after the final puppy vaccination. An adult dog must have its shots boosted according to the local and medical requirements. This is usually every 1 or 2 years.

Content provided by Carl Brown of ohmydogsupplies.com, check out our diverse collection of dog feeders online.