The CORE Vaccines Your Dog Needs

You've just brought your new puppy home! Hooray! One of the first things on many new pet owners' minds is vaccinations.

Maybe your breeder or the animal shelter has started your new pets' vaccination series, or maybe that responsibility has been given to you in the first week of bringing them home. Either way, what an important topic, and you have come to the right place to get the information you need to get your pet off to a healthy start in life!

When puppies are born, they have a very fragile immune system. They will receive lots of antibodies to fight disease from their mom, but those will run out by around 4 months of age. There are a few vaccines that you should take into consideration for your new family member. Some of these vaccines are considered Core - important for all pets no matter where in the country they live - others are considered Recommended - important for certain areas of the country or certain lifestyles. Please call your Veterinarian to schedule these vaccines.

While it may be tempting to give these vaccinations yourself, there are SO MANY REASONS NOT TO! Your Veterinarian is highly trained in not only administering the CORRECT vaccines, at the CORRECT times, but also in the CORRECT places. And, they are there for you in the rare case of a reaction to the vaccination.

First, let’s chat about puppy vaccines.

DA2PP (Distemper, Adenovirus 2, Parvo, Parainfluenza): One of the most important vaccines due to its many components.

Source: Clinician's Brief

Distemper is a neurologic and respiratory virus that is often deadly. No, it has nothing to do with changing your dog’s “temperament” as I am often asked.

Adenovirus 2 is a viral respiratory disease that can cause kennel cough or bronchitis.

Parvo is a highly fatal intestinal disease, and in my opinion the most important of the 4 components of this vaccine.

Parvo leads to lethargy, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, intestinal sloughing, and a quickly progressive failure to thrive that leads to death.

The final component of this vaccine protects against Parainfluenza. This is another viral cause of kennel cough and other respiratory diseases in dogs. Puppies should receive three boosters of this vaccine at 8, 12 and 16 weeks. Mom’s antibodies will disappear around 4 months of age and this final booster at this specific time is so important to protect your puppy for the year going forward! The following year, your dog can get a three year vaccine.

Rabies: This is an almost always fatal neurologic disease contracted by the bite of an infected animal. Not only is this vaccine required by law, but it is a zoonotic disease (meaning you can get it from your pet).

More than 59,000 people die of Rabies each year, which is about 1 person dying of Rabies every 9 minutes. Let’s prevent that in your family! Your puppy should receive this vaccine around 16 weeks of age. The first vaccine is counted as a 1 year vaccine, then he/she can receive a 2 or 3 year vaccine depending on what state you live in.

Lyme Disease: Lyme Disease, spread by ticks, is an extremely debilitating musculoskeletal disease. Not only can it affect your puppy’s muscles/joints, but long term effects include lethargy, inappetence, kidney failure, auto-immune disease (the pet’s own body will attack it’s red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets leading to bleeding disorders), neurologic disease, and death.

Lyme Prevalence in US: Source - AAHA

Most of my years in practice were in an area with many many many cases of Lyme Disease each year. Your puppy should have his/her first vaccine at 12 weeks, then a booster at 16 weeks. A yearly booster is then needed.  If you live on the East Coast, in the Midwest, or plan on traveling to these areas with your dog, this vaccine is a must! While not as big of a concern in the Western states as I write this post, with the movement of animals over time, it is likely that Lyme will become more common in the Western states over time.

Leptospirosis: This is another zoonotic disease (yes, you can get this one from your dog as well), spread by urine of infected wildlife, and found in water sources…...rivers, streams, ponds, even puddles on the road or in your yard. Lepto causes liver and kidney failure.

Source: Merck Animal Health

This vaccine is most important for those dogs with an active lifestyle, hunting dogs, dogs you take on runs/hikes, even your little dog who likes to explore the backyard. Your puppy should have his/her first vaccine at 12 weeks, then a booster at 16 weeks. A yearly booster is then needed. There are over 200 serovars (types) of Lepto, but we vaccinate for the most common 4 strains.

Bordetella: This bacteria leads to kennel cough. While most cases of kennel cough are self-limiting (meaning they go away in 2-3 weeks on their own), some cases can become more serious and progress to pneumonia. Consider getting this vaccine for your dog if you will be frequenting boarding facilities, grooming facilities, or dog parks. Your puppy can get this vaccine after 10 weeks of age.  The vaccine will last for one year, but many boarding facilities and daycares will require it every six months.  Consider this…..if one dog coughs in a confined setting, all the other dogs around can get it!

The fact that vaccines save lives has been proven over and over and over again. So, let’s do it!  Now that you have your new puppy off to a healthy start, get out there and enjoy life with them, knowing that you have started them off on the right path to a long life!