Vaccinations are highly effective in keeping your dog healthy and disease-free. Vaccines work by stimulating an immune system response to a weakened or killed form of a virus or bacteria so that the next time your dog encounters the virus or bacteria, cells will “remember” that it is foreign and immediately work to remove it.
Puppies: Developing Immunity
Puppies are vaccinated beginning as young as 4-5 weeks and will undergo a series of immunizations, or shots, in the first few months (approximately every 3-4 weeks) after their first shot to bridge the gap, or “window of susceptibility,” between the protection provided by their mother’s immune system and their response to a vaccine. A final booster shot is typically given between 14 and 16 weeks of age, at which time most puppies will be fully protected by the vaccine. Some veterinarians recommend that revaccination take place one year after the final booster, and then every three years or so thereafter, depending on your dog’s vaccination schedule, environment, health, and other factors.
In some veterinary offices and many shelters, it has become the standard to vaccinate animals for more than one disease in a single immunization. These combination vaccines help to decrease the number of shots required by your pet, but may not be necessary or recommended for booster vaccinations.
Core versus Non-Core Vaccines
Vaccines are broken down into core and non-core. Core vaccines protect against potentially deadly diseases acquired by viruses and bacteria that are present throughout most environments. Examples include parvovirus (severe stomach virus), rabies (fatal neurological disease), distemper (respiratory/neurologic disease), some respiratory illnesses, and hepatitis (liver disease). It is recommended that animals in shelters and/or with an unknown vaccine history receive core vaccines as part of their initial visit with a veterinarian.
Administering non-core vaccines depends upon an animal’s lifestyle and exposure to certain environments and other animals, and may not be recommended for all dogs. For example, the non-core vaccine for Lyme disease, a tick-borne illness, is recommended for dogs living in or around wooded areas, where infected deer ticks are prevalent. Some respiratory infections may also be prevented with a non-core vaccine, though the best way to control the spread of these highly contagious illnesses is to prevent exposure to other dogs.
Many combination vaccines used today provide protection against both core and non-core illnesses.
Visit the Vet
Wondering which vaccines your dog should receive? You veterinarian can recommend a vaccination schedule for your pet based on his age, breed, health status, lifestyle and environment. If you plan to go away with your dog, it is important that you take him to the vet to make sure he is up to date with his vaccines before he enters a new environment. In the end, a healthy dog is a very happy dog.
Posted Under:Expert Advice | 7 Comments
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Fri, 02/12/2010 - 21:36 — norbertherrera
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Mon, 02/01/2010 - 15:23 — jejekula
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Sat, 01/30/2010 - 11:17 — Rudyjoyee
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While all dogs are
Tue, 12/01/2009 - 12:20 — stuart
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Records are important!
Tue, 10/13/2009 - 20:31 — chloe712
Good advice - you never know when you'll need to have your vaccination report handy. I once had a family emergency that required me to travel. I misplaced my dog's records so boarding her at a kennel would have been impossible. Frantic searching eventually saved the day, but I should have just kept them somewhere safe to begin with!
My Pup
Wed, 05/06/2009 - 03:04 — Mouse17
I vaccinate my own puppy and he is very healthy. I vaccinate everything but rabies of course! I recomend it to everyone cuz of the economy and it is a great way of knowing EVERYTHING about your dog. Just keep record of all his shots!