Puppy Vaccinations - What You Need To Know

A vaccine is something that is given often by injection, sometimes through other means, but it provides your pup with the immunity to fight off a number of different diseases. Vaccines will contain a small amount of the illness, enough for the body to detect but usually not enough to make your pup sick. Every illness spreads through a dog’s body in cells and it’s up to your puppy’s immune system to work out how to fight these off and protect themselves.

When a vaccine is given, it allows the body to learn what each illness is and how best to fight it off so that if your pup ever comes into contact with the disease, their bodies already know how to protect themselves from it!

Whilst it’s not a legal requirement to vaccinate your beloved pets, it’s strongly recommended to protect them from numerous potentially life-threatening illnesses that are easier to combat and avoid with the proper immunisation protocol.

No vaccine will guarantee that your pup doesn’t contract an illness but they do help to prevent it. Vaccines are a vital part of maintaining your dog’s health and welfare as so many diseases can now be protected against. While it’s not a part of pet care that is legally enforced, it does mean that you are taking steps to prevent the suffering of your beloved pet. By building up a form of immunity against a number of illnesses with puppy injections, there’s a far lower chance of your pup becoming sick which keeps them happy and healthy!

Living with a puppy pal can be an expensive extra family member, and while cutting corners and not vaccinating might save you money in the short term, if your pet contracts a virus, not only will they suffer but treatment is bound to be far likely much more expensive than a vaccination. Many of the more serious illnesses we vaccinate against such as distemper and parvovirus usually require around-the-clock care which means staying in the vets for several nights in a row. This around-the-clock care comes at a price so you won’t just be paying for the medication and supportive treatments, you also have to pay just to have a professional keep an eye on your furry family member all day and night.

If you live in a multi-pet household and one dog becomes unwell, the risk of contaminating your other pets can be very high depending on the illness and the vaccination status of your other pets. If you have a number of unvaccinated pups living under one roof, the chance of them all getting sick is much higher when their immune system isn’t prepared.

Financial and welfare reasons aside, many businesses like dog walking, dog boarding and doggy daycare businesses require all dogs they interact with to be fully vaccinated. Even taking your pooch to puppy training classes requires them to be fully vaccinated. Anywhere there’s going to be a number of dogs or a professional person interacting with multiple dogs, they’re going to want to protect themselves, their business and all the pups they actively care for. Therefore, these businesses will usually insist on seeing proof of your pooch’s history of vaccinations before you can book with them.

You can vaccinate your pup against a number of diseases and illnesses. Dogs can be vaccinated at any age but puppies will usually get their initial vaccination at six to eight weeks followed by a second course either two to four weeks later to make sure their immune system is robust. You usually only need to give annual boosters after this to keep it strong.

You can vaccinate a puppy against:

●      Canine distemper

●      Canine parvovirus

●      Kennel cough

●      Leptospirosis

●      Parainfluenza

You can also vaccinate against rabies however, as the UK is a rabies-free country it’s not part of the standard vaccines but if you plan to travel with your pup, they may need this too.

The Canine Distemper Virus is a highly contagious disease that affects the respiratory system, gastrointestinal system and eventually the nervous system. It’s given as part of a puppy’s initial course of vaccinations. What makes distemper an important virus to vaccinate against is how severe it can become along with how easily it’s spread.

Some wildlife are able to spread the disease as well. Foxes and domesticated ferrets are also able to contract and spread the disease. Pregnant mothers can infect their puppies before they’re born and transmission can even occur between food bowls and shared toys, as well as any equipments an infected pooch may have come into contact with.

Treatment includes a supportive therapy of treating the symptoms rather than the disease itself and quarantining infected animals to limit the further spread. Signs to look out for include:

 

●      Runny eyes

●      Fever

●      Nasal discharge

●      Coughing

●      Lethargy

●      Reduced appetite

●      Vomiting

●      Walking in circles

●      Head tilt

●      Muscles twitches

●      “Chewing gum fits” jaw moves in chewing motions

●      Paralysis

Seeking veterinary care as early as possible and providing the support they need can mean the difference between something they can overcome with help and distemper being fatal.

 

Canine Parvovirus is another of the diseases a puppy’s first vaccines will cover. Developing an immunity to parvo is very important, especially for puppies. While adult dogs are less prone to developing symptoms of parvo, it’s a nasty disease that once it comes into contact with a surface can remain there for months and infect your pooch. Under the right conditions, it can even survive for a year outside, so when you’re walking your pooch at the local park where plenty of other people also walk their dogs, having an unvaccinated pup means they’re always at risk.

Parvovirus is a virus that causes gastrointestinal issues most commonly in puppies. It spreads easily through faeces and vomit and it’s hard to keep contained once contracted. As the virus attacks cells in the intestines, a puppy becomes unable to process nutrients and becomes weak very quickly. Once symptoms occur without treatment, it can be fatal from 24 to 48 hours after they become unwell. They can shed the disease both before and after contracting the virus, so they may continue to spread it even after a full recovery.

There is no cure for parvovirus, but supportive fluids and treatment can be provided by a vet to give a pup the best chance at survival. One study found that between 2008 and 2019, if a dog survived the first five days after contracting the illness, their chances of survival were 86.5% so with quick acting and supportive treatment, the survival rate is very positive.

Symptoms of Canine Parvovirus include:

●      Persistent and bloody diarrhoea accompanied by a foul smell

●      Vomiting

●      Loss of appetite

●      Collapse

●      Lethargy

●      Fever

●      Weight loss

●      Sudden death

 

Kennel cough is an infectious disease that can be spread by a number of different viruses and bacteria. It tends to present itself very similarly across all strains and is an airborne disease which means that the dog only has to be in an environment after an infected pooch to contract it. The kennel cough vaccine is not part of the initial puppy vaccination course, however they can be vaccinated as early as eight to fourteen weeks. The vaccine for kennel cough is squirted up the nose for your pup to inhale and allow their immune system to develop a barrier against it.

Since there are so many strains of kennel cough, the vaccine can’t reduce the chance of your pup catching it by 100% but it does help their immune system know how to react to it. Most dogs will recover speedily and may not even need treatment however older pooches and flat-faced breeds are more at risk of suffering from severe symptoms that may need treatment.

Symptoms include:

●      Loud and repetitive coughing

●      Discharge from the eyes or nose

●      Swollen tonsils

●      Lack of appetite

●      Lethargy

●      Wheezing while breathing

In the first weeks of life, your pup will be getting all the immunity they need from their mother’s milk. Once a pooch stops nursing, this maternal protection begins to fade, and we need to give them a boost through the use of vaccines with a dog vaccine schedule.

Puppy vaccination schedules, or puppy needle schedules, are done in a batch of course to help them develop immunity to common and serious infectious diseases. The type of vaccines your puppy receives will largely depend on where you live, as some locations have different disease risks than others.

The core vaccines protect your canine against a few of the most dangerous dog diseases. Many of these diseases are highly contagious and rapidly fatal, which is why it’s important that all puppies be vaccinated. They include:

·       canine parvovirus

·       canine distemper

·       canine adenovirus, also known as infectious hepatitis

·       leptospirosis

In addition to these core vaccines, there are some non-core options that they may need based on your geographical location and disease prevalence in the area. The most common of these include a canine cough, or kennel cough, which protects against parainfluenza virus and the bacteria, Bordetella bronchiseptica. Rabies is another non-core vaccine that you may come across. The disease is fatal but luckily it’s not present in the UK. If you decide to move abroad, they may need to have this vaccine.

Most puppy vaccination schedules consist of two vaccinations, given two to four weeks apart. The first vaccine should be given at six to eight weeks old, with a second booster given at 10-12 weeks of age. If your puppy was quite young at their first vaccine, they might need a third booster, however, your veterinarian will explain this at their first appointment. Puppy immunisation charts often come in handy.

At their young age, most puppies are not ready to leave their mum before eight weeks of age, so your breeder is responsible for ensuring they receive their very first vaccines. Make sure that you obtain records of these before purchasing your new family member and take these records to your first vet appointment.  Your vet will be able to make a healthcare plan for them and tell you the exact dates they are due for their next vaccinations.

The cost of a vaccination appointment can vary from clinic to clinic and will also depend on the type of vaccines that your pup needs. Puppy vaccinations cost on average around £70 per vaccine and can include the cost of your vaccine, plus any consultation fee that may be applicable. Our Community Pet Clinics aim to make pet care accessible and affordable, offering vaccinations from just £33. Pop by to one of our Community Pet Clinics near you and discuss your pooches’ vaccines with one of our friendly vets.

We understand you want to show your new puppy the world and watch them explore, but it’s important to keep them safe and confined while they build immunity. It’s not all doom and gloom however, there are some great places you can explore with them to start socializing. Puppy school is an excellent place for safe play in the early weeks of life, and you can also play games in your garden at home. Doggy play dates are also ok if you have friends or family with fully vaccinated dogs, just make sure to do this at home.

In these early days, it’s best to avoid visiting areas with high-density dog populations, such as dog parks, beaches, and pet stores until your pooch is fully vaccinated.

It’s typically recommended that your puppy waits two weeks after their second set of vaccinations before going outside and socialising with other dogs, but it’s always worth checking this with your local vet.

Whilst your puppy is immunised roughly two weeks after their second set of vaccinations (it’s best practice to confirm these timings with your vet), their preventative care doesn’t stop here. Immunity from vaccinations does not last a lifetime, and they’ll need annual boosters to keep them protected through life.

The frequency of boosters depends on the product used. Most C3 vaccines will need a booster every three years, while canine cough and leptospirosis boosters need to be given annually. Your veterinarian will be able to provide an exact plan for your pup's ongoing care.

Puppy vaccinations are an important component of their healthcare and help create immunity to potentially life-threatening infections. It’s crucial that they receive their full puppy vaccination schedule before venturing out into the world, and that they have regular boosters to help keep them strong, happy, and healthy throughout their life.

Side effects are uncommon but as a pet parent, it’s always best to be aware of any possible complications that can occur after your puppy receives a vaccination. In the majority of cases, you will notice no changes, and they will continue to bound around your house causing mischief wherever they go! Some may be a little sleepy, preferring to rest rather than play, and they may also be a little off their food. Some will develop a mildly painful or itchy swelling at the vaccination site and others may run a fever. Serious complications are rare, including anaphylaxis, allergic reaction, facial swelling, vomiting, diarrhoea, seizures, or collapse. If you are worried about how your pup is behaving after their vaccination, give your veterinarian a call.

Get started on the right paw of your new happy life together and enquire about dog jabs for your new furry addition today.