A puppy requires love, affection, food and owners who take good care of it. Part of that good care is taking your pooch to receive his vaccinations. Vaccinations protect your dog against dangerous, and sometimes deadly, illnesses. Take your puppy to the veterinarian as soon as you obtain him so he can get on the right path to staying well.
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Purpose
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Puppies are born with natural immunities they obtain from their mother, says Dr. Race Foster of Doctors Foster and Smith. While these immunities protect them against some illness, they cannot prevent all of them. The mother can only provide antibody protection for vaccines she has received herself. For instance, if she has not been vaccinated against parvovirus, she cannot protect her puppies from the deadly virus. In addition, this immunity wears off after a few weeks. Therefore, puppies should receive immunizations to prevent them from contracting these dangerous conditions.
Types
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A variety of different illnesses in the environment can attack your puppy. The good news is that vaccines are available to prevent just about every one of them. The first and perhaps most important vaccine puppies receive is the distemper combination vaccine. Along with distemper, the vaccine also protects them against parvovirus, adenovirus, coronavirus and hepatitis. This vaccine could also include protection against leptosporosis. When the puppy is older, she will also receive her rabies vaccine—a shot that is required by law in most states. Vaccines that can provide protection against Lyme disease and kennel cough are also available.
Administration Age
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Although it can differ from vet to vet, the general consensus is that puppies can begin to receive their distemper combo vaccines between six and eight weeks of age. However, according to Foster, some veterinarians recommend administering the parvovirus vaccine to puppies as young as five weeks of age if they live in environments in which the virus is prevalent. Puppies can begin to receive their rabies and Lyme disease vaccinations at about 12 weeks of age.
Vaccination Schedule
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Most vaccines require multiple doses before they become fully effective. For instance, the distemper combo vaccine is typically given every three to four weeks until the puppy is at least 16 weeks old. Lyme vaccines require one booster two to three weeks after the initial doses. All vaccines require yearly boosters, including kennel cough, Lyme and distemper. Every state varies as to how long they consider the rabies shot to be effective; consult with your veterinarian for booster information.
Side Effects
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Some puppies react to vaccines in undesirable ways. For instance, they can experience lethargy and fever after getting the shot is given, states Dr. Holly Nash of Doctors Foster and Smith. Puppies can also experience swelling, vomiting, diarrhea, lameness and neurologic disease. While rare, it is also possible for the puppy to go into anaphylactic shock because of the vaccine. If your puppy displays any symptoms of a vaccine-related side effect, contact the veterinarian immediately.
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