Did you know that there is such a thing as over-vaccinating your pet, and if you do not believe us, ask your vet? You need to find a good vet for your pets, and to do so you need to do your homework. If you need any suggestions, you should check out the North Shore vet services from Gordon Vet.
Only your vet and you are able to decide which vaccines your dog needs and which are necessary. You should not put your dog through the discomfort of over-vaccination when that is not necessary. Since there are many different vaccines, it might be difficult to know which ones are important, which is why this article will help.
Make sure you give your furry friend the attention he needs
Why do we vaccinate our pets?
Vaccinations were created to protect our pets from any of the usual diseases that often make them sick. They work by injecting a few infectious organisms into our pets. These organisms will be able to protect the pet’s immune system against many dangers. However, not all vaccines are necessary for every dog, so keep that in mind.
Age is important:
- From 6-8 weeks: Distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza, bordatella.
- From 10-12 weeks: Distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza, coronavirus, leptospirosis.
- From 14-16 weeks: Distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza, lyme.
- Annually: Rabies, distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza, bordatella.
- Every 3-years: Distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza, leptospirosis.
However, you are not the one who needs to decide which vaccines your dog needs. Make sure that you contact your veterinarian and you ask anything that might interest you. Only a vet can decide on which vaccines are absolutely necessary for your dog.
Common vaccinations
As you can see above, there are the common dog vaccinations that you need to know about. But, before you get to know about the vaccines you also need to understand about the most common diseases that your dog can get.
Some vaccines can save your dog’s life
Parvovirus
This is an extremely contagious disease and it can be caught through feces of an already infected pet. Unfortunately, puppies with low immune systems tend to die if they catch parvovirus, which is why the vaccination against this is so important.
Coronavirus
The intestinal tract is attacked by this disease, and it usually does not last that long but it does carry a lot of side effects and many complications. Coronavirus is usually passed through saliva, but it can also be passed through feces.
Rabies
You have probably already heard about this disease and how serious it is. Rabies is a viral disease and it is one of the few zoonotic diseases, which means that humans can catch it as well. It is usually transmitted when we are bitten by an infected dog. Rabies can infect our nervous system and eventually cause death.
Adenovirus Cough and Hepatitis
These two are contacted as the adenovirus type 1 is what actually causes hepatitis. Dogs who suffer from this will experience cell damage and swell in their liver, which can result in death. This is a virus that can easily be caught through the feces or urine of an already infected dog.
Final word
It is very important that you know which vaccines your dog needs and which are not necessary. Just like that you also need to know the risks of the vaccines and the diseases. This is why it is important that you set an appointment for dog vaccinations when your dog is still young because some diseases can lead to death.
