Vaccinations for your Puppy

Vaccines are an essential part of your pet's protection against serious infectious diseases. Some diseases are common and deadly to your puppy, making those vaccines imperative for all dogs (e.g., parvo). Other diseases are rare and not every dog needs protection (e.g., Lyme). Your veterinarian will help you determine the best protocol for your pet.

THE KEY POINT: Vaccines should be given every 3 weeks until the puppy is 4 months old.

• Stopping vaccines early, no matter how many vaccines the puppy has already had, is not advised. A dog’s immune system may not fully respond to many vaccines until it is 4 months old.
• Longer intervals between vaccines risks infection if the puppy’s antibody levels fall, making it susceptible to disease.
• Breeds at high risk for parvo (Dobermans, Rottweilers, Greyhounds, Whippets, etc.) or dogs with high exposure risk for parvo should also get a parvo vaccine at five months old (or have antibody levels tested).

Vaccines available to protect your dog:

After completing the vaccine series, an annual booster of all vaccines will be due 1 year after the final set. Then, vaccines will be required every 3 years. IVS recommends annual visits and a “staggered” vaccine protocol. Bordetella is required annually.

Heartworm prevention is important for all dogs in this region now that this disease is established in Orange County. Heartworm disease is spread by mosquito bites, injecting larvae that migrate to your dog’s heart. A pill is given to protect your dog from this parasite. These pills are started after the final vaccine series and given monthly by you for the dog’s lifetime.

A microscopic examination of the stool for parasites (fecal) is very important in all puppies. It should be repeated yearly.