Puppy shots are an important part of keeping your furry friend healthy. If you’re considering getting a puppy, you’re probably wondering how many shots they need.
This article will give you an overview of the puppy vaccination schedule. We’ll also offer some advice on maintaining your puppy’s health.
Why Do Puppies Need To Be Vaccinated?
It is essential to vaccinate puppies in order to prevent diseases in the future. There is a possibility that these diseases can be deadly and can lead to serious health problems. The most effective way to protect your puppy from these diseases is to vaccinate them.
Puppies will require frequent visits to the vet throughout their first year of life to receive immunizations and vaccinations against potentially lethal but treatable infectious diseases. The worst of these is Parvo and Distemper.
The timing and interval between booster vaccines are essential to protect your puppy because their mother’s antibodies may interfere with a vaccination’s ability to elicit an immune response in your puppy.
In order for pups’ immune systems to “breakthrough” by decreasing maternal antibodies, they must undergo a series of vaccines.
If you don’t vaccinate your puppy, they risk getting serious and even deadly diseases. Some of these diseases include canine parvovirus, canine distemper, and rabies. These ailments can potentially result in serious health issues and even death. For your puppy’s protection against these diseases, vaccination is crucial.
How Often Should Puppies Get Vaccinated?
Puppies need to be vaccinated against a number of diseases, including but not limited to rabies, distemper, and parvovirus. The vaccination schedule for puppies is typically started at eight weeks of age.
Puppies usually need a booster shot at 12 weeks of age and then another one at 16 weeks of age. After that, puppies need to be vaccinated on a yearly basis.
Here is a recommended schedule for vaccinating puppies during their first year:
- Between 6-8 weeks: Distemper, parvovirus, Bordetella
- Between 10-12 weeks: DHPP, Influenza, Leptospirosis, Bordetella, Lyme disease
- Between 16-18 weeks: DHPP, rabies, Influenza, Lyme disease, Leptospirosis, Bordetella
- Between 12 and 16 months: DHPP, rabies, coronavirus, leptospirosis, Bordetella, and Lyme disease
It is recommended to keep your pup’s shots updated every year for the DHPP, Influenza, Coronavirus, Leptospirosis, Bordetella, and Lyme disease vaccines. It is also required by law to have your pets vaccinated for rabies at least once a year or 1-3 years.
How Much Do All The Shots Cost?
The cost of your puppy’s vaccines depends on a number of variables. One factor is where you live: Veterinarians in large, pricey cities will bill more than those in rural areas or small towns.
In other words, there are huge pricing disparities. However, some vaccines, such as the “core vaccines” and the rabies vaccine, are important regardless of the pricing range.
The average cost of shots for a puppy is about $100-$150. The cost will change depending on the type of vaccinations your puppy needs. Puppies must receive various vaccinations against illnesses like rabies, distemper, and parvovirus.
Vaccinations are frequently less expensive in animal shelters—around $20—or even free. If you got your dog from a shelter, he was probably already immunized up to the point when you got him.
How to Get Your Dog Ready for a Vaccine Appointment
Be an example to your dog. If you are peaceful, your pet is also more likely to be. Your pet will sense your tension if you’re anxious before the immunization visit. Give yourself plenty of time to arrive at the office and maintain a quiet, calm voice since a high-pitched voice and a hurried manner can easily cause worry in your pet.
Drives around the neighborhood on short outings will acclimate your pet to automobile travel. The pet container should be flat and covered with a towel to limit stimulation, ideally on the seat back behind the passenger seat.
It is essential that the carrier has a non-slip surface. Large dogs should also be carefully harnessed in the vehicle. Avoid loud, upbeat music since some animals find it stressful.
If your pet isn’t visiting on an empty stomach, using treats to soothe them may be more helpful. If this is the case, have a very light meal the day of the appointment and avoid giving them much food a few hours beforehand unless it’s medically necessary.
You can easily spray calming pheromones into the towel or liner of your pet’s carrier. Natural compounds that have been synthesized in different forms are available for cats and dogs to help calm agitated animals.
Veterinarians who have earned the Fear Free Certification frequently have pheromones in their workplace and person.
What Shots Do Puppies Need?
The diseases that vaccinations protect our pets from are dangerous, potentially fatal, and largely preventable. There’s no denying that having to take your dog to the vet frequently for vaccinations over the course of several months—and then again for boosters throughout its lifetime—may seem inconvenient, but it is well worth it.
Knowing which immunization shots your pup needs and which are crucial but optional can sometimes be perplexing because we hear about so many different vaccinations for many ailments. The diseases that vaccines can help your pet avoid are listed below.
1. Bordetella Bronchiseptica
A highly infectious respiratory disease in dogs is connected to the bacterium Bordetella bronchiseptica. It is a major bacterial contributor to canine kennel cough. The two primary methods of infection transmission are direct contact and airborne transmission.
2. Canine Distemper
Canine distemper is an infectious and sometimes fatal disease caused by a virus that affects pups and dogs’ neurological, gastrointestinal, and respiratory systems. All dogs are prone to the illness, but pups under four months old and those lacking the canine distemper immunization are especially susceptible.
3. Canine Hepatitis
A highly contagious viral infection, infectious canine hepatitis, affects the infected dog’s liver, kidneys, spleen, lungs, and eyes. A virus unrelated to the human type of hepatitis is what causes this liver illness.
The symptoms might range from a low-grade fever and mucous membrane congestion to vomiting, jaundice, stomach enlargement, and pain in the liver area.
The moderate version of the illness is treatable by many dogs, while the severe type can be fatal. Although there is no known treatment, doctors can manage the symptoms.
4. Canine Parainfluenza
The respiratory symptoms of parainfluenza are similar to those of canine influenza in dogs, but that is where the similarities end.
Both are highly contagious and frequently occur in places with large canine populations, such as dog race tracks, shelters, and kennels. Since they are quite different viruses, they call for various medications and immunizations.
A component of infectious tracheobronchitis, sometimes known as “kennel cough,” is the extremely contagious viral lung infection caused by the parainfluenza virus.
Dogs all across the world frequently contract enteric canine coronavirus infections, and potential cases of coronavirus enteritis have also been noted in wild dogs.
Alphacoronaviruses that are similar to or the same as these have been found in cats, raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides), and foxes.
The intestinal illness brought on by canine coronavirus is comparable to that brought on by enteric coronaviruses in other species; malnutrition, malabsorption, and eventual diarrhea are brought on by the loss of mature enterocytes lining the intestinal villi.
6. Heartworm
Consult your veterinarian about beginning a heartworm prevention regimen when your puppy is between 12 and 16 weeks old.
Although there is no vaccine to prevent this disease, your veterinarian will prescribe a heartworm treatment that should be taken daily.
Heartworm infections in dogs with advanced disease can cause coughing, lethargic behavior, loss their appetite, and respiratory difficulties, but fresh heartworm infections are often symptomless. It is possible for infected dogs to become exhausted after light exercise.
In contrast to most of the illnesses listed here, mosquitoes spread heartworms. Therefore, the diagnosis is based on a blood test rather than a fecal check.
7. Kennel Cough
Just as numerous viruses can cause human colds, numerous viruses can also cause kennel cough. A bacterium known as Bordetella bronchiseptica is one of the most frequent offenders. Most dogs who contract Bordetella also contract a virus at the same time.
Canine adenovirus, canine distemper virus, canine herpes virus, parainfluenza virus, and canine reovirus are among the viruses that have been linked to increased risk of Bordetella infection in dogs.
8. Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection, unlike the majority of the illnesses on our list, and some dogs may not even exhibit any symptoms. Leptospirosis can be found in water and soil all around the world. It can be transmitted from animals to humans because it is a zoonotic disease.
Symptoms manifest include jaundice, stiffness, muscle pain, infertility, kidney failure, vomiting, abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, lack of appetite, and extreme tiredness and lethargy (with or without liver failure). The earlier antibiotics are administered, the better; they are effective.
9. Lyme Disease
Dogs do not have the infamous “bull’s-eye” rash that individuals who have been exposed to Lyme disease frequently notice. An infectious, tick-borne illness known as Lyme disease (or borreliosis) is brought on by a spirochete, a type of bacteria.
An afflicted dog frequently begins limping, his lymph nodes enlarge, his temperature increases, and he stops eating after contracting the tick-borne disease.
If neglected, the illness can harm his joints, kidney, heart, and other organs, as well as cause brain issues. A round of antibiotics is quite beneficial if taken as prescribed, although relapses can happen months or even years later.
10. Parvovirus
The canine parvovirus infection, also called CPV, is a highly contagious viral disease affecting dogs.
There are two ways in which this illness can present itself. The type that occurs most frequently is the intestinal form. This manifests in a number of ways, such as nausea, vomiting, anorexia, and weight loss.
A dog often contracts the CPV virus between six weeks and six months. The good news is that young dogs’ chance of contracting it has decreased as a result of early immunization.
11. Rabies
All warm-blooded animals are susceptible to the acute encephalitis brought on by the rabies virus, which usually nearly results in death. Lethargy, fever, vomiting, and anorexia are a few examples of non-specific early signs of rabies.
Within days, symptoms escalate to odd behavior, hostility, self-mutilation, ataxia, weakness, paralysis, seizures, trouble breathing, difficulty eating, and cranial nerve damage.
Tips For Keeping Your Puppy Healthy
While a new puppy may be a joyous addition to the family, getting one is a big responsibility and requires a lot of commitment.
They need regular vet care, including vaccinations and worming. They also need plenty of exercises and a well-balanced diet.
Before you take home a new puppy, make sure you are prepared to take on this responsibility. They are so cute and cuddly; it’s hard to believe they can be sick. But they can, and sometimes they do. Here are some tips for keeping your new puppy healthy.
Make sure they are up to date on all their vaccinations. There are many diseases that puppies can get, and some of them are fatal. Make sure you talk to your veterinarian about what vaccinations your puppy needs and when they need them.
Keep them away from other dogs that may not be vaccinated. Puppies are susceptible to diseases that adult dogs may not even get. So it’s important to protect them by keeping them away from other dogs until they are old enough to be vaccinated.
Watch for changes in their behavior. Call your veterinarian if your puppy seems off or is not acting like that. They may be sick and need to be seen.
Also, puppies need to be dewormed on a regular basis. Using a monthly spot-on treatment is the best way to protect your puppy from worms.
In addition to vaccinations and worming, you can do a few other things to keep your puppy healthy. Puppies need plenty of exercises, but they shouldn’t overdo it. It’s also important to make sure they’re eating a well-balanced diet.
Conclusion
Puppies are a lot of work, but they are so worth it. They bring so much joy to our lives. Just remember, with a new puppy comes a lot of responsibility. Make sure you are prepared to take on this responsibility before you bring them home.
With a little bit of work, you can have a healthy and happy puppy that will be a part of your family for many years to come.
