Animal health professionals are fully aware of the characteristics of each breed of dog and the incidence of different diseases in different areas, so they are the most suitable people to help you with the vaccination plan for puppies using the appropriate vaccines.
Puppies receive their first immunity from their mothers thanks to the antibodies contained in breast milk at the beginning of lactation. This maternal immunity lasts less than 3 months (provided the puppy has breastfed properly), and then disappears, so the puppy will not be properly protected if vaccination does not begin on time. Puppies are born with parasites transmitted by the mother through the placenta and milk during lactation. For this reason, it is essential to deworm puppies before starting vaccination .
How many vaccines does a puppy need?
Puppies need several vaccines, with their corresponding doses, to be fully protected: bivalent vaccine (1 dose), polyvalent or pentavalent vaccine (3 doses) and rabies vaccine (1 dose). In addition, a polyvalent and rabies booster vaccination must be carried out annually.
Vaccination schedule When to vaccinate a puppy?
Below we tell you what the vaccination schedule for puppies would be like:
- At 45 days of age ( approximately 6 weeks ): First dose of the bivalent vaccine (Distemper and Parvovirus ). Dogs of the Rottweiler, Husky, Doberman and Golden breeds, and those that have some of these breeds in their genetic heritage, are especially vulnerable to Parvovirus, so they should be given the first dose of this vaccine before 45 days.
- At 9 weeks of age : Pentavalent vaccination, which will ensure protection against canine distemper , parvovirus, infectious hepatitis C, leptospirosis and parainfluenza. Coronavirus vaccine is optional.
- At 12 weeks of age : Revaccination with pentavalent vaccine (2nd dose).
- From 3 months of age : Rabies vaccine + third dose of pentavalent.
- Repeat the Rabies vaccine annually or biannually (depending on the legislation of the Autonomous Community).
- Repeat the pentavalent vaccination annually to ensure that our dog is protected against the main pathogens.
- Subsequently, and optionally, we can protect them against kennel cough , Lyme disease , Leishmaniasis and Coronavirus.
How do I know what vaccines my dog needs?
Vaccines are essential for your puppy’s health and protect against dangerous diseases. To find out exactly what vaccines your puppy needs, the first thing you should do is consult a veterinarian .
Each puppy is unique and has its own needs. Some vaccinations are necessary depending on the puppy’s exposure to risks, such as walks in the countryside, travel abroad or interaction with other dogs.
Your veterinarian will provide you with personalized guidance for the care of your furry friend and will create a vaccination plan tailored to your pup and his environment.
Is it mandatory to vaccinate my puppy?
Yes, there are vaccines that you are required to give your dog. The main one is the Rabies vaccine .
This vaccine is not effective before the first 12 weeks of the dog’s life. It is administered from 3 months and the dog will be protected after 14 days. For this reason, if you want to travel with your dog, we recommend that the veterinarian injects it at least one month before the trip .
Rabies vaccination is mandatory for travelling abroad with your pet. Therefore, it may happen that your dog is not allowed to enter the destination country or is placed in quarantine for 15 days.
Once the first dose has been administered, it must be repeated annually or biannually, depending on the legislation of each Autonomous Community (always consult your veterinarian).
Don’t miss this article with more information about mandatory vaccinations if you are going to travel with your pet within the European Union .
When your puppy is a puppy, you are also obliged to give him the Parvovirus vaccine , which should be one of the first to be given to the puppy due to its high mortality rate , and the Distemper vaccine. It is necessary to repeat them annually.
Your veterinarian will recommend that you include reminders for other types of contagious diseases in your pet’s annual vaccinations to prevent infection. These vaccines are optional, but we recommend their administration to avoid unnecessary scares.
Why is it necessary to vaccinate my puppy?
Remember that many infectious diseases have only been controlled by the use of vaccines. For this reason, your veterinarian will always advise you to give your puppies all their vaccines, as this reduces the risk of infection and premature death, as is the case with Distemper or Parvovirus.
In addition, if you follow the puppy vaccination schedule correctly, you contribute to creating herd immunity . Not only will your dog be protected, but you will also help prevent epidemics that could affect immunosuppressed animals or those allergic to certain vaccines.
Do you know what multivalent vaccines are?
These types of vaccines contain antibodies against several diseases at once and are given in a single injection so that your dog is protected against all of these diseases. They are usually given annually when they are adults.
The most common multivalent vaccines are:
- Pentavalent : Contains the vaccine against Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parvovirus and Parainfluenza.
- Hexavalent : Contains all of the above, plus protection against canine respiratory complex.
- Octovalent : It has the previous vaccines in its components plus other strains of Leptospirosis, kennel cough and Coronavirus.
Do I have to deworm my puppy before vaccinating him?
Yes, it is necessary to deworm your puppy internally and externally before its first vaccination. These types of parasites can affect the dog’s health and, therefore, the vaccines may not be as effective as they should be in ensuring the perfect state of defenses.
