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Puppy Vaccinations

Bringing a new puppy home is an incredibly special experience, but also a big responsibility. With so many things on your mind (does he need food? Does he need to go outside? Does he have enough toys?) it can be easy to overlook puppy vaccinations. But the reality is, these should be one of the very first things we book in. Why are puppy vaccinations so important? When should they happen? And what illnesses should they be vaccinated against?

Why are puppy vaccinations so important?

Just like most babies, a puppy is born with a certain level of maternal antibodies that help to protect it from common germs in its environment. But as the puppy starts to grow, these antibodies begin to fade, and the puppy will need to develop its own antibodies if it wants to stay fit and healthy. Puppy vaccinations are the boost the immune system needs to build protection against a range of highly infectious diseases that dogs are susceptible to.

When should puppy vaccinations occur?

A puppy should receive it’s first vaccinations at around 8 weeks of age (so your puppy may have already had its first vaccinations by the time you collect it from the breeder). After this the pup will need a booster shot at 12 weeks and then again at 16 weeks, followed by triannual boosters for the ‘core’ injections that are recommended for all dogs. The core puppy vaccinations protect against:

  • Canine Parvovirus-2: CPV spreads easily and can be transmitted by something as simple as a healthy dog sniffing the faeces of an infected dog. Puppies infected with CPV will usually require treatment in a veterinary hospital – untreated, the disease has a survival rate of less than 10%.
  • Distemper: This airborne virus is transmitted when dogs share things such as beds, toys or food bowls. It is often fatal and has no known cure.
  • Canine Adenovirus-2: This virus is responsible for hepatitis and localised respiratory infections. This can result in your dog struggling to maintain a healthy weight, in addition to coughing, fever and nasal discharge.

We do recommend your puppy being treated with a C5 vaccination instead of just the standard C3 outlined above. The C5 vaccination also provides protection against the 2 x leading causes of kennel cough, which commonly spreads in highly socialised environments (e.g. boarding kennel, dog shows, dog parks or puppy training schools), this is a required vaccination to enter boarding kennels, doggy daycare and also training classes.

To discuss which vaccinations are right for your puppy or to get an idea of how much puppy vaccinations cost, contact our helpful team at reception on Ph: 08 9524 6644.

 

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