Puppy Shots

Puppy shots aren't optional - they're essential! Learn what vaccinations your pup needs, why he needs them and when to give them, right here.

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Vaccinations save the lives of puppies, just like yours, every single day. They protect your precious new pup from some of the most common, contagious (and often deadly) dog illnesses around.

The most important shots for puppies include those formulated to guard against:

Canine Adenovirus-2 (aka CAV-2 or Canine Hepatitis) - viral disease affecting the liver

Canine Parvovirus (aka 'Parvo')- viral disease which affects the intestines, lymph nodes, bone marrow and sometimes the heart

Distemper - viral disease affecting the intestines, lungs and brain

Rabies - viral disease affecting the central nervous system

What Puppy Shots Does My Puppy Need?

Keeping your pup's vaccination schedule up to date is one of the most important things you can do to keep your new family member happy and healthy.

If you've bought a purebred puppy, chances are the breeder has already given him at least one set of shots.

If he's a pound-pup or from a private rescue, he will definitely have had some. Either way, you need to be sure and get some kind of written record of what he's been vaccinated for and when.

That way your own vet will know where to start.

There are certain canine 'core vaccines' which are recommended by the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association).

These are the ones that protect against the four diseases listed at the beginning of this page -

• Canine Adenovirus/Hepatitis,
• Canine Parvovirus,
• Distemper
• Rabies

They can be given as a 3-in-1 shot for the Distemper, Adenovirus and Parvo, or a 5-in-1 option is available which also includes protection against Leptospirosis and Canine Parainfluenza.

Rabies vaccination is given later (between 12 and 16 weeks of age) and is required by law.

There's also a 7-in-1 puppy shot option which gives additional protection against other strains of Adenovirus and Leptopsirosis.

Additional, optional, puppy shots that your veterinarian might recommend (depending on the area you live in and your pups exposure to large numbers of other dogs) include vaccinations for:

• Corona Virus (a viral disease affecting the intestines)

• Bordatella (commonly known as Kennel Cough, a bacterial illness which affects the upper respiratory system)

• Giardia (a internal parasitic disease)

• Lyme Disease (a bacterial illness usually affecting joints, but can also spread to major organs).

If your pup will be boarded, kenneled, attend dog training classes or be 'out-and-about' a lot (which hopefully he/she will to get those valuable puppy socialization experiences ) you need to have the Bordatella vaccine given.

There are two options for administering the Bordatella vaccine - a 'shot' or nasal drops. Personally I prefer the nasal drop option as it works faster and doesn't need to be repeated in 4 weeks the way the shot does.

If your dog isn't a hugely social animal, then annual boosters are enough. BUT if he travels a lot, goes to doggie day care, is boarded or at the dog park regularly then having the vaccine given twice a year is recommended.

Puppy Shots Timeline

Giving puppy immunizations is good, but giving them at the right time is essential if you want them to work!

Very young puppies have a certain amount of natural immunity that they get from their mothers milk, but that begins to diminish somewhere between 5 and 8 weeks of age.

If a puppy is vaccinated while he still has a significant level of maternal antibodies in his bloodstream, the vaccine won't be effective.

Some studies have indicated that at 6 weeks old only 25% of puppies vaccinated respond to the vaccine by producing antibodies, whereas by 18 weeks that figure has risen to 95%.

The box below shows a 'puppy shots timeline' that covers the general recommendations for a puppy immunization schedule here in the USA:

6 - 8 weeks......

Combination Vaccine + Corona + Bordatella if needed

If your pup is under 8 weeks the Combination vaccine with Leptospirosis is NOT recommended

9 - 11 weeks......

Combination Vaccine + Corona + Lyme Disease if needed

12 - 14 weeks......

Combination Vaccine + Corona

16 weeks......

Rabies + 4th Parvo shot if needed

This puppy shots schedule is a guideline, not set-in-stone, but these vaccinations are the ones that you need to give your pup if you want to protect him.

There are a lot of factors that can influence when, and how often your puppy gets his vaccinations. These include the area where you live, his breed, his age, your veterinarians recommendations etc.

Generally once your puppy has had three sets of the combination puppy shots, plus the Rabies shot, he will be protected for one year against the most common, serious canine illnesses.

Protection isn't immediate though, and I would recommend waiting at least a week after your pup has received his final set of puppy shots before venturing out into public areas.

There are also, sadly, no guarantees and even after three sets of combination vaccines occasionally puppies still get sick.

So always be careful to avoid dogs who might appear sick, or areas where stray dogs may roam.

Vaccinations For Adult Dogs

Adult dogs must by law receive annual dog 'booster' vaccinations for Rabies (although some vaccines provide 3 years of protection).

A dog shot timeline will also often include annual 'boosters' for Distemper, Canine Parvovirus and Hepatitis. However many vets no longer recommend yearly dog vaccinations, preferring to leave a longer period between the shots (except for Rabies as mentioned above).

Your vet can check the antibody 'titers' (basically the level of antibodies in your dog's bloodstream to any particular disease) and vaccinate only if they are too low. These tests do cost money, but they can help to prevent over-vaccinating your dog, which may lead to auto-immune problems and other illnesses.

Some canine vaccines are only effective for somewhere betweeen 6 and 12 months. These include the vaccines against Bordatella (Kennel Cough), Leptospirosis and Lyme Disease. You'll need to have these redone annually.

The best advice I can give you is to ask your own veterinarian about this, and follow his/her advice and recommendations about canine vaccination procedure.

If you've adopted an older pup or adult dog and don't know their puppy shots history, then the minimum vaccinations you'll need to get them are against Distemper, Parvo and Hepatitis. They will need two rounds of shots, given 3 weeks apart.

Again though, individual areas (and each veterinarian) may have different recommendations, so talk to your own vet to find out what he/she thinks is best.

Allergic Reactions To Puppy Vaccinations

Although most puppies hardly even notice when their puppy shots are given, and show no ill effects afterward, it's not terribly unusual for a pup to have an allergic reaction of some sort to a vaccine.

Most of the time these reactions to puppy vaccinations are mild, and last only a day or two. But now and then they can be severe enough to warrant a trip to the veterinarian.

All puppy owners should be aware of the signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction, because if your puppy does have a bad reaction, you need to know!

Symptoms vary from mild or moderate to severe, and may include:

• Mild Reactions
  Luckily most reactions are mild, and symptoms can include a lump/swelling/knot at the site of the injection itself, a slight fever, lethargy or a depressed or sad looking little pup!
  
  Sometimes there will be some loss of appetite, and maybe even loose stools for a day or so. BUT, don't worry, in these cases your puppy is just feeling a little tired or 'off color' and the symptoms are short lived and don't usually need veterinary treatment.
  
  Note: Although these symptoms usually show up within a 3 - 24 hours of vaccination, they can appear much later, sometimes several days to a week after the puppy shots were given.


• Moderate Reactions
  Symptoms of a moderate allergic reaction to puppy immunizations usually involve swelling and/or hives. Often particularly noticeable around the mouth, eyes, 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. As an interim measure you can give your little guy/gal some Benadryl to help reduce this swelling - but do check this with your vet first.
  
  The correct dosage for a dog is 1/2mg per pound of body weight, given every four hours. I'd recommend using tablets rather than the liquid because liquid Benadryl contains alcohol which is bad for dogs. With very young pups or tiny breeds, even this dosage may not be safe... so again TALK TO YOUR VET FIRST! Veterinary treatment for this type of reaction may also include steroids and other anti-histamines.


• Severe Reactions
  The most serious allergic reaction to puppy shots is anaphylaxis. This is life-threatening and 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 your puppy's blood pressure, and generalized 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 get your pup back there immediately. He/she may need oxygen, IV fluids or other medical intervention, so don't waste any time.

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.

IMPORTANT: If your puppy does have a bad reaction to his shots, it's important to remind your veterinarian about that at his next vaccination appointment.

Some vets may want to give a puppy like this an antihistamine before giving the shots, and/or to monitor him for a while afterwards... just to be safe.

It's also possible that your vet will recommend giving the vaccines separately rather than as a 'combo' vaccine to reduce the risks of a reaction.

Although a puppy or dog can react badly to any canine vaccine, there seems to be a higher incidence of allergic reaction to the vaccines for Rabies, Parvo and Leptosirosis.

Also, there are some dog breeds that are more likely to suffer an allergic reaction, these include (but aren't limited to)

Australian Shepherds

Miniature Dachshunds

West Highland White Terriers

Old English Sheepdogs

Akitas

Portuguese Water Dogs

Weimaraners

Harlequin Great Danes

Scottish Terriers

Shetland Sheepdogs

Also dogs who are mostly white in color, or have 'diulted' coat colors (such as blue or fawn, or blue-fawn) and merle or black/white color combinations seem to be more at risk.

So, 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 (often much sooner).

An 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.

Although it's necessary to be aware of what could happen, don't panic about this! Thousands of puppies are vaccinated every day with no ill-effects, or only a very mild reaction.

The risks you run if you don't vaccinate your pup are much higher, so protecting your puppy is way too important to be forgotten or avoided.

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