Bringing home the little bundle of furry joy that is a puppy is one of the best feelings in the world. You think about all of the fun things that you and your dog will get to do together over the years. This pup needs to you watch out for them and care for them, so they can grow up healthy and strong. This means that you not only need to feed, train, and play with them, but you also need to think about the puppy vaccinations they will need.
Many vaccinations will be needed during the first year of your puppy’s life, and you need to make sure that they have all of them. There are many different diseases, some of which are deadly, that you can protect against with these puppy vaccinations.
What Types of Puppy Vaccinations Are Needed?
Vaccines can help to prevent several different viruses in your dog including infectious hepatitis, parvo, and canine distemper. The main dog vaccinations in Australia are for distemper, canine adenovirus for hepatitis and respiratory disease, and canine parvovirus. (xclusivepop.com) These are a series of shots that the puppy will need. They will get regular shots when they are eight, 12, and 16 weeks old. They will also receive additional shots every three years thereafter.
Parvo is a contagious virus that can affect all dogs. Those that are under four months old are at a higher risk and will need to have these shots to reduce their risk. There is no cure for parvo, and it can typically kill a dog in a matter of days. Canine distemper is another contagious virus that affects the GI tract, nervous system, and respiratory system of dogs and certain other animals. There is no cure for this disease either, but the distemper shot can help to keep your puppy safe.
The kennel cough vaccine is usually given annually. Those who may plan to have their dog in a kennel, at an off-leash park, or who take their pet to doggy day care will want to consider getting the kennel cough vaccine. This is provided as 12 and 16 weeks, and they will get a booster each year after.
When you find a good vet, talk with them about all of the required and optional puppy vaccinations that are available. They can provide you with a list of the shots that will be needed and can provide you with a schedule of when you need to bring your puppy in for the vaccinations.
