There are many arguments over the subject of vaccinations. Your puppy needs shots even though you may think they are mean. Modern medicine can help prevent many health issues your dog may face. This article should help explain what shots a new puppy will need to live a long happy life.
Vaccinations are no ones favorite. Much like human vaccinations, dog shots are necessary. Once the puppies are weaned from their mothers they are no longer protected from various biological dangers. Their mothers mild provides the puppies with the needed antibodies to ward of viruses and disease. You must provide your puppy with these defenses.
A vaccination is introducing a dead virus to the body. The body recognizes this as a threat and learns what to do in defense against a live virus. The vaccine is introduced into the body by injection. Your dog will learn the needed procedure to defend itself against, for example, the rabies virus.
The foreign substance triggers the immune system. The body manufactures the very antibodies it would use to fight off the invasive viral or bacterial invasion. As a result, the vaccination provides your dog with a preventive measure of protection. Yet, you must remember. The shots do not have any power to treat the disease. A rabies shot, for example, cannot protect a dog already affected by the disease. In other words, vaccinations are a pre-emptive strike.
There are a few necessary vaccinations you should give your puppy. They can often be combined and taken care of in the minimal amount of vet visits. Below are listed the vaccinations your puppy will need.
• Canine Distemper - This is a highly contagious viral disease. It can cause a puppy death within days of its onset. Although no longer as deadly as in the past, canine distemper is preventable through vaccination.
• Infectious Canine Hepatitis - A viral disease, infectious canine hepatitis has symptoms similar to those of distemper. Affected young puppies rarely survive this disease.
• Canine Parvovirus - Parvo is a viral disease. It is treatable, but prevention through vaccine is the sensible way to handle it. Protection against parvo may be given in a vaccine combination together with the defense against distemper, parainfluenza and hepatitis.
• Rabies - This viral infection is fatal. A rabies shot is given at the same time as the other vaccines but never in combination.
Some boarding kennels may also require your puppy have a vaccination against several other diseases. These may include coronavirus, leptospirosis, Lyme disease and nasal bordetella.
Your dog should receive its first shots between the ages of 6 and 8 weeks. The first injections are called DHP. This is a combination of a few vaccines to ward of Distemper, Hepatitis, and Parainfluenza. This is the first of a series of booster shots.
Between 9 and 6 weeks old, your puppy will receive his or her next shots. This vaccination is a duplication of the initial shots. The next vaccinations, however will add rabies shots to your puppy’s protection arsenal. This will occur between the ages of 12 and 15 weeks.
After 15 weeks, your puppy will only get a parvovirus shot until reaching adulthood - at least 1 year after the final puppy vaccination. An adult dog must have its shots boosted according to the local and medical requirements. This is usually every 1 or 2 years.
Article written by Sherri Hill of ohmydogsupplies.com, check for new discounts on car seat covers for dogs online.