Vaccinations for Poodles

In general, all canines receive the same non-elective vaccinations. Preference of the owner dictates whether the dog will be administered elective vaccinations. Vaccinations do vary by breed and canine size to some degree. Poodles require different vaccinations for each size group, though there is some overlap. It is also important, however, to consider the dosage and frequency of vaccinations. Many vaccinations occur annually, though this timeline is often debated.

  1. Core Vaccinations

    • Core vaccinations are the vaccinations essential to the health of a dog. Generally they are time-tested and applicable across all dog breeds. Examples of core vaccinations include the parvovirus vaccine, as well as vaccinations against rabies, distemper and hepatitis. The primary goal of core vaccinations is disease prevention. Prevention extends to human owners as well because many canine diseases are contagious. Dogs who receive core vaccinations usually require additional booster shots later on to re-strengthen their immune system.

    Non-Core Vaccinations

    • When prevention fails and a disease is expected in a canine, non-core vaccinations are an option to consider. These vaccinations protect against Lyme disease, kennel cough and even the effects of rattlesnake venom. One reason owners may opt to not use non-core vaccination is the risk of dosage issues. Sometimes a dosage is too large for the relative size of the canine, resulting in toxic effects on the dog's body. Other disadvantages include cost, the ineffectiveness of some vaccines and instances where vaccinations actually aide development of the disease they were designed to prevent.

    Vaccination Schedule

    • Core vaccinations generally follow a similar schedule of vaccinations from puppy to adult. At five weeks the parovirus vaccination is administered to at-risk puppies. A combination vaccine is administered between six and nine weeks. Combination vaccines treat several conditions, including parovirus in puppies not at risk, parainfluenza, distemper, hepatitis and adenovirus cough. Though the age for a rabies vaccination can vary by locality, the general age for treatment is 12 weeks or older. If the canine is considered at risk, a second combination vaccine is administered between 12 and 16 weeks containing treatment for leptospirosis, coronavirus and Lyme disease. When the canine becomes an adult, its boosters are administered. These provide an additional dosage of rabies treatment, as well as a reinforcement of the second combination vaccine as needed.

    Choosing Vaccinations

    • When vaccinations are administered to a poodle, it is essential to be aware of what vaccinations are appropriate for each size. Poodles come in three sizes: toy, miniature and standard. However some conditions are experienced by all sizes, including hip dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy, sebaceous adenitis and paterllar luxation. Toy poodles are susceptible to prcd-PRA, legg-calve-Perthe's Disease and sebaceous adenitis. Miniature poodles experience epilepsy, prcd-PRA, legg-calve-Perthe's disease and Von Willebrand's Disease. Standard poodles can suffer from gastric torsion-bloat, epilepsy, Von Willebrand's Disease and Addison's Disease.