Puppy Vaccinations
By Roxanne Willems Snopek
Vaccine recommendations vary in different locations, and individual dogs have different needs; here is what is available:
The "Puppy Shot"
The "distemper vaccine" or 5-in-1 DHLPP, protects against:
- Distemper: an upper respiratory and/or gastrointestinal virus with a mortality rate in puppies of over 50%.
- Infectious Canine Hepatitis: causes viral liver damage.
- Leptospirosis: the Leptospira organism causes vomiting, seizures and kidney damage. (4-in-1 vaccine without Leptospirosis is also available.)
- Parainfluenza: causes viral upper respiratory infections.
- Parvo: deadly and contagious virus, causes severe diarrhea and vomiting.
Optional Vaccinations
- Corona: causes viral vomiting/diarrhea.
- Borreliosis (Lyme Disease): recommended wherever the disease is prevalent.
- Rabies: mandatory in most areas due to human health implications.
- Bordetella: causes "Kennel Cough," a non-life-threatening but severe tracheobronchitis. Required before boarding, it is available by injection or intranasal drops (intranasal form provides best immunity).
- Giardia: causes diarrhea, transmissible to humans.
Vaccine Schedules
- First vaccination: 8-10 weeks DHLPP, Bordetella, Corona
- Second vaccination: 3-4 weeks later DHLPP, Bordetella, Corona
- Third vaccination: 3-4 weeks later DHLPP, Bordetella, Corona, Rabies
- For mature dogs, all vaccines are repeated annually (some rabies vaccines last three years after the first year).
Article courtesy of Suite101.com.
