Your dog’s mother gave them puppy immunity from some diseases for the first few weeks of their life by providing disease-fighting antibodies in her milk. After that period, it’s up to you, with the help and advice of our veterinarians, to provide that protection.
What vaccinations do you offer to new puppies?
Your new puppy needs a series of vaccinations in the first year of life to protect him/her from many dangerous diseases as their doggy immune system develops.
Standard vaccine protocol may be adjusted depending on the puppies age at initial vaccination, breed, and exposure risk. At eight weeks: Distemper, adenovirus, parainfluenza, parvo, +/- corona. At 12 weeks: Distemper, adenovirus, parainfluenza, parvo, +/- corona. At 16 weeks: parvo and rabies. In addition to the core schedule, Bordetella may be added, and Lyme and leptospirosis vaccines can be administered after 12 weeks of age.
Why is it important to properly vaccinate your puppy?
The vaccination of puppies (puppy shots) is one of the crucial steps in assuring that your puppy will have a healthy and happy puppyhood. Puppies are born with an immune system that is immature, so they are very susceptible to infection with common diseases. When puppies are not properly vaccinated, they are at risk of infection from life-threatening diseases that are easily prevented with proper and timely vaccination. As vaccines take time to build immunity and can be attenuated by maternal antibodies, we do recommend that young puppies be kept away from public areas and have limited exposure to only healthy, vaccinated dogs.
How should you prepare your puppy for its first vaccination visit?
All puppies receive a complete physical examination by our veterinarians before any vaccines are given. Handling your puppy’s ears/mouth/tail/paws and body will help him/her get used to being examined. Meeting new people will also prepare him/her for all of the new faces they will see. Please bring any paperwork, such as medical records from the breeder or rescue, so your veterinarian can include these in your dog’s file. Please feel free to discuss your puppy’s history and any questions you might have about feeding, medical issues, parasite treatment and prevention, and future care, such as microchipping, and spaying and neutering. It is also very important to remember to bring your puppy to the clinic on a leash or in a kennel to ensure his/her safety at all times.
How much do puppy vaccinations cost?
Please call our hospital at 204-269-8162 to speak to one of our team members and discuss pricing.