For dog owners, our pets are incredibly precious to us. One of the ways we protect them is by providing vaccinations against diseases. Starting when they’re puppies and continuing throughout their lives, we need to take proper preventive measures to ensure our pets are protected from diseases such as rabies, parvo, distemper, and other health risks. However, there can be some confusion about which dog shots are needed and when. Here are some things you need to know about vaccinating your pet.
When should I start vaccinating?
The simple answer is that you should begin vaccinating your dog when he’s a puppy. After that, things get a little more complicated. There are varying opinions about exactly when to start vaccinating. You might think it would be easy to say you should begin giving your puppy shots when he’s a certain number of weeks old, but there are some important factors to consider.
First of all, puppies can get varying amounts of disease immunity from their mothers. Puppies gain this immunity by nursing and drinking colostrum in the first few hours after birth, which contains temporary antibodies needed for the first few weeks. Some puppies in a litter may get a lot of colostrum, while others may get less. This means that some puppies, even in the same litter, can have more disease immunity than others. For example, if a litter is exposed to parvo, some puppies might have a mild case, while others may die due to the amount of immunity they received at birth.
Another thing to understand is that this early immunity wears off at different times, and no one—neither breeders, vets, nor owners—can accurately predict when it will disappear. For one puppy, immunity may last until six weeks, while for another it might last until nine weeks. There’s just no way to know. This is why puppies are given a series of vaccinations. If you vaccinate a puppy at six weeks and he is still immune to a disease, the vaccination won’t be effective. But if you bring him back three weeks later, when his immunity has worn off, the shot will provide the protection he needs. By the time the last of the puppy shots are given—usually around 15 weeks—you and your vet can be confident that all the early, temporary immunity has worn off, and your puppy is now protected by his vaccinations.
Most vets and breeders recommend starting vaccinations for your puppy between 6 and 9 weeks and continuing until around 15 weeks, with shots given in three-week intervals. Your puppy will then need a booster vaccination when he’s one year old. If there’s any chance your puppy is at risk of exposure to parvo, you should start vaccinating at the earlier age. This typically results in three sets of shots for your puppy, though in some cases it may require four sets if vaccinations begin very early.
Which dog shots are needed?
When it comes to which shots your puppy needs, there is generally more agreement among professionals. There are a set of five “core” vaccines that every puppy and dog needs. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) recommends the following vaccinations for all puppies and dogs: distemper, canine adenovirus-2 (hepatitis and respiratory disease), canine parvovirus-2, and rabies.
There are also a number of “non-core” vaccines for dogs. These are important vaccinations, but depending on where you live and your dog’s lifestyle, you may not need to give all of these shots. For example, coronavirus usually affects very young puppies, with adult dogs often having natural immunity. Therefore, there may be no need to vaccinate adult dogs unless you live in an area where coronavirus is prevalent.
The non-core vaccinations include leptospirosis, coronavirus, canine parainfluenza and Bordetella bronchiseptica (both of which can cause kennel cough), and Borrelia burgdorferi (the cause of Lyme disease).
Opinions vary on whether the leptospirosis vaccine is necessary or effective. Some veterinarians recommend it, while others do not. Leptospirosis is a serious disease worldwide and can be transmitted to humans, though it occurs infrequently. The disease is spread by contact with animal urine. One challenge with leptospirosis vaccines is that there are several strains of the disease, and the vaccine only covers one strain. This means animals can still become ill from other strains, even if vaccinated. It’s been estimated that up to 30 percent of vaccinated dogs may not respond to the vaccine, and there can be serious side effects.
Bordetella vaccines (either nasal sprays or injections) are commonly given to dogs who will be spending time in boarding kennels or animal shelters—places where many dogs are present. This serves as a preventive measure because “kennel cough”—a collection of respiratory illnesses similar to colds in humans—often circulates in such places. It’s easy for a dog to pick up a respiratory infection in a boarding kennel, shelter, or at a dog show, where he’s surrounded by many strange dogs. Some argue that these vaccines are overused and that the chemicals in them are harmful to your dog, but they do provide some protection against potentially serious infections. However, they typically only protect your dog against a few strains of kennel cough. As with other viruses, there are many respiratory viruses not covered by the Bordetella vaccine, so your dog can still develop a respiratory infection if exposed to a different virus.
The Lyme disease vaccine also has its detractors. Many veterinarians claim that the Lyme disease vaccines aren’t very effective. Vaccinated dogs can still become infected by a tick bite, although some say that vaccinated dogs are less likely to be infected than unvaccinated dogs. For these reasons, many veterinarians suggest not vaccinating your dog for Lyme disease unless you live in an area with a high tick population.
How often should my dog be vaccinated?
This is another tricky question. First, you’ll need to know your state and local laws regarding rabies. Many people mistakenly believe they are required to vaccinate their pets for rabies every year. In reality, many states have a two- or three-year rabies vaccination requirement. Rabies vaccines are often effective for more than one year. Ask your vet or local animal control officer what the law is in your area regarding rabies vaccination. There’s no need to vaccinate your dog more frequently than required by law, especially for rabies, as unnecessary vaccination can stress your dog’s immune system.
Second, your puppy will need a booster for all of his shots when he turns one year old. This ensures he maintains the immunity he should have gained from his puppy shots.
Third, after your dog receives his booster shots at one year of age, you should start spacing out his vaccinations. Not every shot needs to be repeated annually. Some vaccine manufacturers recommend giving their shots every two or three years. It’s best for your dog if you don’t give him multiple shots all at once every year, as this can stress his immune system and lead to adverse reactions. If you give vaccinations separately, you may need to stop using combination vaccines, but that’s fine too. There’s nothing wrong with administering individual vaccinations at different times.
You might consider rotating your dog’s vaccines, giving a different one each year, or placing your dog on a three-year schedule. There’s no need to give boosters every year. Plenty of evidence shows that vaccinations provide immunity for more than a year. If you’re uncertain whether your dog still has immunity against a particular disease, you can ask your veterinarian to perform a titer test. This involves bloodwork to check for antibodies. If your dog still has plenty of antibodies present, he should be fine.
These are some of the factors to consider when deciding which dog shots are necessary. It’s a complex subject, but with a little thought, you can ensure your dog is protected without overtaxing his immune system.
