The importance of Dog Vaccine Schedule for Puppies and Adult Dogs

Dog vaccinations schedule are necessary for prevention of contagious diseases in older dogs and puppies as well. Puppies receive immunity against contagious diseases in their mother milk; however, but, this protection begins to disappear around six and twenty weeks of age. The proper vaccination program for older dogs should be based on the lifestyle of your pet.

Days before effective vaccinations, dogs normally died of hepatitis, syphilis, distemper, leptospirosis, parvovirus and complications of upper respiratory infections. Current immunization programs defend your dog from these and the threat of rabies. Despite the well-known benefits of vaccination, the practice of annual vaccination of mature dogs is a healthy debate.

A few veterinarians think that annual re-vaccination is an essential and vital part of preventive medical care. Others recommend that there is slight scientific information indicating that annual vaccination of older dogs is necessary for certain diseases. There is not enough information on the duration of immunity beyond one year.

To protect the puppies during this dangerous time, a good research approach is followed: a series of vaccines is administered every 3-4 weeks until the possibility of contracting a contagious infection is very low.

The classic vaccine is a "combination" that defends against canine distemper virus, breeds, adenovirus, parainfluenza and dog parvovirus (the four viruses are generally abbreviated as DAPP). Several veterinarians also recommend the integration of leptospirosis in the vaccination series. Rabies vaccines are administered between 16 and 26 weeks of age in most areas (governed by law). All vaccines require improved immunizations ("vaccines") administered after one year.

The protective effect of immunizations against bacterial infections (such as leptospirosis and bortetella) generally does not last more than a year, so annual (sometimes more frequent) vaccines are recommended. If your older dog has a negative reaction to the vaccine (vomiting, fever, tremors, swelling of the face, hives), discuss the risk of annual vaccination with your veterinarian.

The vaccines are divided into two collections. Core vaccines are seriously important, while noncore vaccines are optional vaccinations that may be suitable for some pooches depending on lifestyle, age, and location. The three core vaccines for dogs are rabies (required by law in most developed countries), parvovirus and distemper. Parvo and distemper are normally combined into a single injection called DHPP, which covers hepatitis and parainfluenza as well.

Rabies: this is a deadly infection that needs to be vaccinating against. Veterinarians recommend that puppies receive the vaccine at 9 weeks of age. A one-year booster is recommended and should be repeated at intervals of three to four weeks. In some States in the United States, dogs are likely to be vaccinated again within 3 years. It is important that puppies are vaccinated against this infection because they can infect other dogs and even people.

Distemper: this is another deadly infection that needs to be vaccinated against as soon as possible. Dogs need vaccination at the age of 9 weeks. Although there may be some rare side effects, these will usually appear only if your puppy is vaccinated less than the recommended age. There is no need for booster because the vaccines will last seven and a half years

The combination of distemper/parvo vaccine is not regulated by law. Most specialists suggest that unvaccinated adult puppies receive two DHPPs, alienated by two to four weeks. The dog should get boosters after a year and every three years thereafter. There is no reputable organization I know that recommends continuous vaccination; formerly vaccinated adult dog can spend more than three years between DHPP.

Noncore vaccines include Bordetella, leptospirosis (which provides some protection against against kennel cough), rattlesnake, Lyme and others. For years, various vaccines like the now-withdrawn dental disease vaccine have fallen into this category.

Bordetella - This is extremely recommended by medical experts because dogs can be exposed to these infections when placed in kennels, since the infection is very common in that environment. You must give this vaccine to your dog three days before going to the kennels. It will last for six months, but will only protect three of the eight causes of Kennel Cough.

Even though vaccine schedules are still argued among veterinarians, there is an agreement developed among the well-regarded organizations that offer guidance. Formerly unvaccinated dogs older than 16 weeks should take a single rabies vaccine, followed by a booster in a year. Following rabies boosters must be administered every one to three years as required by law. Keep in mind that rabies vaccine requirements can be fairly fluid: legislatures are notoriously indecisive and regulations may change, so you should check with your veterinarian to make sure your dogs comply.

Some dog owners only take their dog to the vet when the pet is feeling sick or when something happens. But, keeping up with schedule veterinary visits is important for your dog general health. Like humans, dogs require a general check-up as well. Some dog owners believe that there is no reason why they should take their dog to a veterinarian unless there is something wrong with the pet, but this couldn't be further from the fact. Schedule visits help veterinarians determine how your dog is progressing throughout its life and can also pick up on any underlying conditions that your dog may experience later. If your pet has a serious problem that you do not know, your veterinarian can detect the problem and correct it or slow down the condition. That's why it is important taking your dog for a general check-up.