Vaccination help to keep your dog from contracting some serious diseases like rabies, distemper. What should you know about vaccination for your dog ?
Why do you need to vaccinate your dog ?
Vaccination helps to keep your dog healthy as it protects it against serious contagious diseases. Importantly, it also prevents the spreading of these diseases to other animals and even people.
Vaccination doesn’t always prevent a dog contracting a disease, but it reduces the severity of the disease and increases the chances of the animal’s survival.
Types of vaccinations
Vaccines are divided into ‘core’ vaccines, which every dog should have ; and ‘noncore’ vaccines which depends on the dog’s lifestyle, concurrent diseases and geographical region, particularly when visiting a different area.
Core vaccines include distemper, adenovirus-2 (covering hepatitis and respiratory diseases) ; canine parvovirus-2nd and rabies.
Non Core vaccines include vaccines against kennel cough and Lyme disease. Ask your vet about the vaccines necessary for your puppy or dog’s specific circumstances.
Which vaccination and when ?
At 6 weeks a puppy needs a combination vaccine against diseases in the area where you live. This vaccination needs to be repeated every 3-4weeks until 4 months old.
At 12 weeks (this may vary according to local law), a puppy must be vaccinated against rabies.
Adult dogs need core vaccination, which researchers recommend being alternated from year to year.
When you move to a new area, or take your dog with you on a trip, it may need vaccination against diseases prevalent in that area. Visit your vet before the time to make sure your pet receives the necessary vaccinations in time..
Every dog’s circumstances is different, and regulations between states and countries differ. It’s important that you speak to your vet about vaccination as soon as you take your dog home. And if you re-home a dog, make sure to get the necessary information from the previous owners.
Taking the necessary precaution can save you much heartache and expense !