Puppy Vaccinations: What Do They Need?

By John Morgan | Dated December 15, 2017

Puppy vaccinations are an integral part of ensuring your puppy lives a happy and healthy life. It’s important for your new puppy to be examined a veterinarians as soon as possible. Your vet will discuss with you how to keep your new puppy in good health through vaccinations and any other treatments needed at this time.

Your puppy needs the necessary disease-fighting antibodies that will help stimulate their immune system to produce their own antibodies and fight off infection. This is why it is important it is to get your puppy vaccinated early.

Which vaccinations your new puppy will need and when, will depend on where you live and what your puppy’s life-style is like. Your vet will help you understand which vaccinations your pup will need and provide you with a schedule and accurate reminder system for keeping your puppy’s shots up to date.

 

When Should Your Puppy Be Vaccinated?

Our friendly and professional veterinarians will provide you and your new friend with a Puppy Vaccination Schedule after your puppy’s first consultation with us.

Puppies usually have a course of three vaccinations that are normally given 3-4 weeks apart:

1) 6 – 8 Weeks: First Vaccination
2) 10 – 12 Weeks: Booster Vaccination
3) 14 – 16 Weeks: Final Vaccination

Not only do vaccines protect your puppy, they also prevent your puppy from infecting other dogs in your local community. Vaccinating your puppy early will also allow you to socialise your puppy with other dogs, which is important for good social pet behaviour.

You will also need to keep an up to date vaccination history if you need to use boarding kennels, or want take your puppy to a doggy day care or one of our puppy training classes.

 

What Do Vaccinations Protect Against

Getting your new pup vaccinated early will help to boost your puppy’s immune system. When they receive the vaccine, the puppy’s white blood cells are encouraged to produce antibodies that work together with other white blood cells to help fight off infections.

The vaccinations your puppy will receive will help them against:

• Parvovirus – a hardy virus which can survive for 12 months or more. The virus can only be killed in the environment with the use of hospital grade disinfectant. It’s highly contagious and is usually contracted through contact with contaminated faeces or soil.
• Distemper – highly contagious and potentially fatal. The virus affects a dog’s respiratory, gastrointestinal and central nervous systems causing symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhoea and often a visible thick discharge from the eyes and nose is apparent.
• Infectious hepatitis – caused by the canine adenovirus and is highly contagious. Contracted through direct contact with contaminated bodily fluids (nasal discharge, urine) as well as through sharing cages, runs, bowls, toys with infected others.
• Parainfluenza virus and Bordetella Bronchiseptica – very contagious respiratory diseases and commonly referred to as “Kennel Cough”. Puppies who contract Kennel Cough can often suffer quite severe complications as they have weaker immune systems.

 

Vaccinating Your Puppy at Gordon Vet Hospital

At Gordon Vet Hospital, your puppy will receive a comprehensive examination by one of our veterinarians during their vaccination. We will also give you plenty of advice at the time of your appointment. If any other tests are required, our hospital is fully equipped for your convenience and peace of mind. Book your visit today!