Now that you're a puppy parent, making sure she gets her puppy shots is one of your first, and most important, jobs (no pressure!)
Vaccinations are vital to little Fifi's health as there are several common but very serious, and often potentially fatal,
dog illnesses
that you MUST protect her from.
On this page you'll find a puppy immunizations schedule showing a list of the puppy vaccinations that are essential, as well as a few that are optional. It'll help you figure out when Fifi's next vaccination is due.
Remember, giving your furchild her shots is a very important part of being a good puppy parent!
What puppy shots does she need, and when?
Depending on the country, or even region, that you live in vaccination regulations may vary a little. This is a puppy immunizations schedule which shows the general recommendations for essential puppy shots:
6 - 8 weeks DHLPP + Corona
9 - 11 weeks DHLPP + Corona
12 - 14 weeks DHLPP + Corona
16 weeks - Rabies
Once your little one has had her three sets of combination vaccinations plus the Rabies shot she will need to have them repeated on an annual basis.
The DHLPP puppy shot is a combination vaccine that protects against 5 separate diseases :
Distemper
Hepatitis
Leptospirosis
Parainfluenza
Parvovirus
There are additional puppy shots that your veterinarian may recommend. These include vaccinations for Bordatella (commonly known as Kennel Cough), Giardia and Lyme Disease.
If your puppy will be spending much time at a doggy daycare, or if you expect to have to board her at a kennel or similar facility, she will need to have her Bordatella (Kennel Cough) vaccination too.
Whether or not little Fifi needs these particular puppy shots will depend on variable such as where you live and whether or not she will be spending a lot of time at puppy day care etc.
Some dog breeds are particularly sensitive to the Parvovirus and require a 4th Parvo vaccination. These include, but are not limited to, Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers and American Bulldogs. If you own one of these dogs be sure you discuss this with your veterinarian.
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Allergic reactions can happen
It is possible that your puppy could have an allergic reaction to a particular vaccination. These kind of reactions can be:
Mild Most reactions are mild and symptoms can include a slight fever, lethargy or a depressed appearance and/or decreased appetite. Most of these type of symptoms are short lived (but can appear several days to weeks after the puppy shots were given). They usually don't need veterinary treatment.
Moderate Symptoms of a more serious allergic reaction usually involve swelling and/or hives. Often particularly noticeable around the mouth, face and neck, although welts can appear anywhere on your puppy's body.
This kind or reaction usually occurs within a few hours of the vaccination. It can progress and become severe, so if you notice any swelling or hives appearing on your pup, take him back to the veterinarian's office right away. Treatment usually involves steroids and maybe anti-histamines.
Severe The most serious allergic reaction to puppy shots is anaphylaxis. This is a life-threating condition which usually strikes within minutes of the vaccine being given. It may start out with vomiting/diarrhea and a loss of balance. It causes a sudden drop in blood pressure and swelling which can result in breathing difficulties, seizures and even death.
It's an emergency situation and if you have already left the veterinarian's office you need to return there immediately. your puppy may need oxygen, IV fluids or other medical intervention.
Luckily moderate to severe allergic reactions to puppy shots are pretty rare and are generally much less of a danger to your puppy than the diseases they prevent.
There seems to be a higher incidence of allergic reaction to the vaccines for Rabies, Parvo and Leptosirosis.
There are some dog breeds that are more prone to these kind of reactions than others. They include, but aren't limited to, Miniature Dachshunds, West Highland White Terriers, Old English Sheepdogs, Akitas, Portuguese Water Dogs, Weimaraners, and Harlequin Great Danes.
The bottom line is that you need to watch your puppy closely for the first day or so after he's had his puppy shots. Any major reaction is most likely to occur within 24 hours. A allergic reaction of any sort is unlikely to happen after the first shot though, it's subsequent ones that you should pay particular attention to.
Don't panic about this though, thousands of puppies are vaccinated every day with no ill-effects, it's vitally important to protect your dog from the deadly illnesses that these shots prevent.
Why are puppy shots necessary?
You wouldn't dream of refusing to get your child vaccinated would you? Of course not. Well, your little fur-child needs her shots for the very same reason, to protect her from getting sick.
Little puppies have a certain amount of natural immunity that they get from their mothers milk, but that wears off somewhere between 5 and 8 weeks of age. After that they are at serious risk of contracting any serious, and often potentially fatal, canine disease.
So, take little Fifi to your veterinarian (need help choosing a vet? Then
click here
) just as soon as you can. Make sure that she's up to date with all her needles, and is on a puppy immunizations schedule, so that she has the chance to grow up into that happy, health dog of your dreams.
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You wouldn't dream of refusing to get your child vaccinated would you? Of course not. Well, your little fur-child needs her shots for the very same reason, to protect her from getting sick.
