When we adopt a pet into our family we acquire many new responsibilities and one of the most important is our commitment to their health. Welcoming a new member into our home requires us to be committed to their care and well-being through feeding, keeping them fit and also to their veterinary appointments and vaccination programme. This treatment in animals is the most effective method of combating viral and microbial diseases and it is extremely important to know the guidelines to follow.
In addition, keeping your pet’s vaccination schedule up to date is a must. The most important diseases require these treatments and not carrying them out can result in a fine, in addition to the vulnerability to which our companions are exposed to these diseases.
Dogs have a stipulated vaccination schedule that is usually reported periodically from the shelters, the different institutions or from the veterinary clinics themselves, with the aim of making these treatments more accessible to the largest possible number of animals. Additionally, in this post, we will reveal which are the most important vaccinations for your dog from the time it is a puppy.
Vaccination in puppies The importance of deworming
- Puppies receive their first immunity from their mothers thanks to the antibodies contained in their mother’s milk at the beginning of lactation and until 6 weeks of age they do not usually need their first treatments, although during this time they should not have any contact with other dogs to avoid infection.
- Mandatory vaccinations protect against canine distemper virus, parvovirus and rabies. Failure to have these vaccinations up to date can result not only in potential danger to your dog, but also in a fine.
- There are also other optional vaccines that protect puppies against leptospirosis, parainfluenza, bordetella kennel cough, Lyme disease, leishmaniasis and coronavirus.
- The side effects of vaccines in puppies are not usually very serious, as before the puppies receive the doses, they have been tested and proven to be completely safe. However, they may experience numbness, listlessness, intestinal disturbances, inflammation at the injection site, respiratory problems and aphallaxia.
The importance of deworming
Before the first vaccination it is important to deworm your puppy internally and externally, as some parasites can alter the health of the dog and therefore affect the vaccination and not guarantee a perfect state of defences. Once the vaccination plan has been completed, you should deworm your dog internally on a regular basis every 3-4 months and before each revaccination.
Basic vaccination schedule for dogs in Spain
- At 6 weeks: primovaccination or first vaccination.
- At 8 weeks: Polyvalent. This type of vaccine includes antibodies to several diseases at the same time and is given in a single injection so that your dog is protected against all these diseases.
- At 12 weeks: Reminder of the polyvalent.
- At 16 weeks: Rabies. Rabies vaccines in dogs cause the animal to create an immune response against the virus. If it has been administered correctly, the effectiveness of this treatment is 100%. The first administration of the vaccine lasts for 1 year and thereafter increases to 2-3 years.
- Annually: Reminder of polyvalent and rabies.