Most pet parents know that having a dog comes with several responsibilities. One of the most important ones is getting your canine friend vaccinated.
But why should you vaccinate your dog? What dog vaccines are mandatory, and which ones aren’t? How much does it cost to protect your pooch? Just keep reading to find the answers to all your puppy vaccine questions!
Core dog vaccines
If you are a pet owner, you should know that puppy vaccination is important for your dog. Not all vaccines are created equal. Several puppy vaccinations are essential because not getting your Fido vaccinated against these diseases can endanger their lives.
Did you know that dogs can pass on some diseases to humans?
One of them is rabies, but there are many others, too. And you can vaccinate your dog against these zoonotic diseases.
Here is a list of necessary vaccines.
Canine distemper virus
Canine distemper is one of dogs’ most severe and contagious diseases, but not just dogs — it can affect other animals, ranging from raccoons to skunks. It is transmitted through sneezing and contaminated food and water bowls.
It is hazardous for puppies, especially since they don’t have the body resources that are necessary to put up with the abuse caused by the virus.
Clinically, dogs infected with the Canine distemper virus show discharges from the nose and eyes, diarrhea, vomiting, twitching, seizures, paralysis, and even death.
There is no treatment for this disease to date, which makes the distemper vaccine even more essential.
Canine parvovirus
Parvovirus is very contagious, too. While it affects dogs of all ages, it is especially deadly in puppies. All dogs younger than four months are at a higher risk of developing a more severe form.
This virus attacks the digestive tract. Clinically, dogs infected with parvovirus show vomiting, profuse and bloody diarrhea, fever, and lethargy. Most dogs die because they get severely dehydrated since they lose so many liquids and have no time to replenish them.
As with Canine distemper, this disease also has no specific treatment. Repeated vaccination guarantees immunity against it.
Canine adenovirus-2
Canine adenovirus-2 causes infectious hepatitis, a viral disease that affects the kidneys, liver, lungs, spleen, and even the dog’s eyes. Although the virus has nothing in common with the pathogen that causes hepatitis in people, some of the symptoms are similar.
A dog with infectious hepatitis will show vomiting, jaundice, pain around the liver, and an extended abdomen in general. To date, no treatment is available so that the vaccine can prevent this potentially deadly condition.
Rabies virus
Rabies needs no introduction. Most people know that it is zoonotic, meaning that it can be transmitted from animals to humans. While the chances of your dog catching rabies from another puppy or even a wild animal nowadays are slim, you could still face problems if you skip this vaccination.
If you want to avoid any legal problems in case your dog bites someone, you should vaccinate it against rabies.
Optional vaccinations
Not every dog has to be vaccinated against every disease. Some canine vaccinations can be administered depending on the pet’s age, medical history, travel habits, lifestyle, or environment.
For example, if you ever want to travel and you’re looking to take your Fido to a boarding facility, you should ensure your pet is vaccinated against kennel cough.
Here is a list of optional vaccines. Even if your dog has little to no chance of being exposed to any pathogens, it doesn’t hurt to consider them.
- Leptospira species
- Lyme disease
- Kennel cough (Bordetella bronchiseptica)
- Canine parainfluenza
- Canine influenza
- Canine Coronavirus
While these infections can, of course, affect your dog, some of them are even dangerous for humans. Leptospirosis, which is most often transmitted from infected wildlife to dogs via urine-contaminated soil, is a somewhat rare bacterial infection that can be transmitted from animals to humans.
In people, it causes coughing, chills, fever, headaches, diarrhea, jaundice, rashes, and irritated eyes. Severe leptospirosis can lead to renal and hepatic failure and meningitis. As you can see, while vaccinating dogs against this disease is optional, it doesn’t hurt to consider it.
Canine Coronavirus is very different from the novel Coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, a respiratory infection that can be fatal for humans. Canine Coronavirus, or CCoV, is a highly infectious intestinal infection that is especially dangerous for puppies.
Puppy shot schedule
When do puppies need to be vaccinated? The answer is complicated since almost every country creates a different vaccination plan. However, most vets recommend starting the puppy vaccination schedule around the age of 6 to 8 weeks.
The first vaccine typically immunizes the puppy against distemper and parvovirus, while the second is a polyvalent one that protects your dog against distemper, infectious hepatitis, parainfluenza, and parvovirus.
At 16-18 weeks of age, the pet receives a shot against rabies and the same polyvalent vaccine, which is repeated two to three weeks later. This vaccination is repeated yearly.
Depending on your lifestyle and your dog’s infectious risks, you can vaccinate your dog against Influenza, Leptospirosis, Bordetella, Lyme disease, and Coronavirus.
How much does it cost to get your dog vaccinated?
It depends on the vaccine and the country where you live. In North America, you will pay around $75 to $100 for the entire vaccination plan, which includes the first three vaccines. The rabies vaccination is usually paid separately, costing approximately $20 to $30.
If you adopt a dog from a shelter, the pup’s vaccine schedule has likely started. As you might have noticed, vaccines tend to cost more during the first year of your dog’s life — mainly because there are several of them.
Maternal immunity
The vaccination plan begins at six weeks because puppies whose mothers were vaccinated are protected for a short time. Newborn animals receive maternal antibodies, but these don’t last long.
This is called passive immunity, and it can be transmitted through the colostrum (the mother’s first milk) or placenta during gestation. In any case, it is merely temporary and usually disappears after the puppy reaches 12 weeks of age.
Herd immunity
As popular as the anti-vaccination movement has become in the past decade, the fact is that vaccines save lives — in all species, including humans.
If you don’t want to vaccinate your canine companion, you’re putting his health and life in danger and making it impossible for herd immunity to do its job.
This means that if your dog gets an infectious disease, they will spread it to other unvaccinated animals, too. Vaccinating your pet is a responsibility for both of you, but it is also responsible for the whole community of pets and pet parents.
Side effects of vaccines
Now that we have established that some vaccines are necessary to prevent potentially deadly diseases let’s examine what adverse reactions they could cause.
Most dogs experience light fever over the first 24 to 48 hours following the shot, but this happens in humans, too, so it is a common side effect.
Some dogs are allergic to the ingredients in the vaccine, but it’s almost impossible to know whether your canine friend will have this problem unless you have tested him for a variety of allergens.
Here are some probable side effects after vaccination:
- Sluggishness
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
- Swelling or pain around the injection site
The following adverse reactions are rare.
- Facial or paw swelling (allergic reaction)
- Anaphylactic
Most mild symptoms go away naturally in less than two days. If you think your dog might be suffering from a more severe reaction, contact your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Dangerous substances in vaccines
Vaccines have done wonders for animals and humans alike, helping to prevent dangerous or deadly diseases over time. However, not all vaccines are great, especially regarding their ingredients.
We’ve already mentioned swelling at the injection site as a side effect, which can happen because of the way the shot was performed and some substances in the vaccine itself.
The most dangerous substances that some vaccines contain are thimerosal, aluminum, formaldehyde, and mercury. Thimerosal is neurotoxic, and aluminum is a carcinogenic substance.
These ingredients have serious side effects, some of which might not be visible right after the vaccination, but they can affect the dog’s health in the long run. It would be a good idea to talk with your vet and tell them your concerns so that they can choose an appropriate and safe vaccine.
Keep your dog up to date
Once your dog has received their initial vaccinations, continuing with regular booster shots is crucial to maintain immunity against various diseases.
Vaccination is not a one-time event; it requires ongoing care to ensure that your dog remains protected throughout their life.
Booster shots help refresh and strengthen the immune response. Over time, the immunity gained from initial vaccinations can wane.
Without boosters, dogs may lose protection against severe diseases, making them vulnerable to infections that could jeopardize their health.
For example, core vaccines for canine distemper, parvovirus, and adenovirus are recommended at specific intervals during a dog’s early life. Depending on the vaccine type and the vet’s recommendations, boosters are typically required every one to three years.
Regular boosters ensure your dog’s immune system can prevent these potentially fatal diseases.
Moreover, booster shots can be crucial for dogs that may be exposed to higher risks, such as those frequenting dog parks, boarding facilities, or areas with a higher prevalence of specific diseases.
Keeping vaccinations up to date safeguards your pet and helps maintain community health by reducing the risk of outbreaks.
Work with your veterinarian to establish a vaccination schedule tailored to your dog’s needs.
Final thoughts on dog vaccines
If you want to ensure that your dog will lead a long, happy, and healthy life, you should follow the vaccination schedule recommended by your veterinarian.
Not all vaccines are necessary, especially if your puppy has no chance of getting that disease. However, the core vaccines are critical and can prevent life-threatening conditions.
With a Ph.D. in veterinary oncology, Cristina Vulpe is a lifelong lover of pets. She’s passionate about infectious diseases, animal welfare, nutrition, and pathology. She manages a cat blog, My Feline Buddy, where she advises on preventing and treating feline diseases.