Vaccination care for dogs

Having a puppy is a wonderful experience, but also is a responsibility assumed. Preventive treatment when you offer can increase your chances of having a harmonious development and a better state of health when he grew up. Adequate immunization is an essential part of this treatment.

To ensure healthy puppy you have to match: responsibility and a good relationship with your veterinarian. Your veterinarian will prepare a program of vaccinations and parasite control appropriate for your puppy. Type of vaccine is influenced by lifestyle and where you live puppy. Manufacturer’s recommendations are that if a baby comes into frequent contact with other dogs will have a different schedule than the one that never leaves the yard. However, owners, especially in urban agglomerations areas, frequently come in contact with other dogs, they themselves can become a vector for bringing home germs.

 If before the age of 6 months, has not made ​​all vaccines, there is no chance to develop immunity to certain serious diseases. During vaccination is very important not to take your pet to places where dogs are strong in presence, eg in the park.

But socialization is very important for puppy development. He must learn how to behave in the presence of other dogs, but this must happen in a controlled environment. Let him play with dogs who know and are vaccinated. Avoid parks and public places until they complete the vaccination (usually 4-6 months).

All about antibody

Puppies receive antibodies (proteins that fight disease) when the uterus by feto-maternal circulation and after birth through colostrum (first milk produced by mother in 24-72 hours after birth). The babies receive antibodies from colostrum who can provide protection against disease level approaching that of the mother.

These antibodies protect babies from disease by so-called passive immunity, but protection is not persistent in time. This is where the vaccine. It contains small amounts of specific antigens, fragments or inactivated protein that stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies against certain diseases.

The best strategy is to begin vaccination during the action of protective maternal antibodies decreases. The vaccine will not act until the maternal antibodies will not stop action. If baby is too soon _ is vaccinated, vaccination and maternal antibodies will annihilate each other, leading to vaccine failure. If vaccinated too often, the baby is exposed to over activity of the immune system, can give rise to autoimmune disease, anaphylactic shock or leukemia type syndrome.

In the past, vaccines were made with booster vaccination one year after the initial vaccination of the puppy. Today, veterinarians remeasuring the vaccination schedule. In 1989, American Veterinary Association (AVMA) has formed a special unit that investigated the duration of immunity provided by vaccines. The findings were published in a report recommending annual booster vaccination of dogs and cats, though some vaccines, like those against coronavirus and Lyme borreliosis, were not in the book report was written.

Since then, numerous signals that allow existing work to specify how long vaccination immunity (how long the vaccine protects the animal). Unfortunately, until 2004, regarding the duration of immunity studies are lacking, in addition to not knowing the level and duration of immunity given to each animal. Debate about how often to be made boosters are still burning.

Many vaccines, that the vaccine for Bordetella, leptospirosis and against  influenza vaccines can not provide effective immunization of more than 12 months. Your veterinarian may recommend booster depending on the risk of exposure to diseases of animals.

In the future, vaccines can be divided formally into two distinct categories, essential and nonessential. Essential vaccines (rabies, against diseases Carre, antiparvo and hepatitis) are recommended for all dogs, because diseases can be serious or highly contagious, and pose a risk to humans. Those animals are at risk of contracting certain diseases because of their lifestyles or exposure to certain diseases can benefit from some non-essential vaccines, the vaccine for borreliosis, Giardia, babesiosis, etc..

A life without diseases

When your baby becomes an adult should receive booster. Ask your veterinarian how often your dog must be vaccinated and the vaccine also must be made​​. Although debates on certain vaccines that create immunity for many years are increasingly heated, reveals a non-uniformity of this, some dogs get this strong immunity, others not. Also, overall the body, state of parasitism, nutrition, lifestyle and general dog’s medical history are factors affecting antibody levels after vaccination, and their remaining in the body. In light of these considerations, physicians recommend annual vaccination of dogs throughout their lives.

Being up to date with vaccines will help your dog, to be healthy for long.