When puppies are born, they do not have an immune system that is fully capable to fight off diseases which in turn makes them susceptible to infections. Antibodies that do help the puppies initially come directly from their mothers milk i.e. colostrum. Thereafter puppies have to be vaccinated mostly against certain commonly known harmful diseases such as distemper, rabies, canine parvovirus etc. Pet owners also need to remember that the dog vaccination schedule should ideally begin only once the antibodies present in colostrum are minimized in the puppy. Else if the vaccine is administered, these antibodies will identify the vaccines as harmful organisms thereby nullifying the effect.
Typically, a vet will recommend that for an average puppy the first vaccine against Parvovirus be administered when the puppy is almost 5 weeks old. Thereafter, when the puppy is between 5 – 9 weeks old the vet will administer a combination vaccine, which will safeguard the puppy against adenovirus cough, hepatitis, Para influenza, parvovirus and distemper. When the puppy reaches around 12 weeks of age and is an overall healthy puppy, it is then administered a vaccine against rabies as per the dog vaccination schedule. Rabies is a highly dangerous and often fatal viral infection which directly attacks the functioning of the dog’s central nervous system and brain. Additionally this disease is contagious in nature is can be easily transmitted from dogs to humans or vice versa via blood or saliva that has been infected. Hence in most countries it is now legally mandatory that all puppies have to be administered the rabies vaccine. When the puppy is between 12-16 weeks old, the vet will generally administer vaccines against diseases like Leptospirosis, Lyme and Coronavirus. These dog vaccines are generally administered if the puppy is likely to travel to areas where such diseases are rampant. Once the puppy is of around 6 months of age and is basically an adult it is has to go for regular visits to the vet where he is physically examined and given booster shots against the above mentioned diseases and Kennel cough and de-worming as well. Booster shots are generally given on an annual basis.
Most people are under the misconception that the smaller the size/breed of the puppy the smaller is the vaccine dose to be administered, however this is incorrect. All puppies once they are of the stipulated age, irrespective of size, breed, gender, weight etc have to be administered the same type and quantity of the vaccine dose.
