Vaccinations

What vaccinations does my puppy need?

All puppies should be vaccinated against Parvovirus, Leptospirosis, Distemper virus, Infectious Hepatitis Virus and Parainfluenza Virus. This is because these viruses are very common and diseases can be very severe. The Kennel Cough vaccine is needed if your dog goes into boarding kennels.

When should puppies be vaccinated?

Young puppies (6-8 weeks old and at 10 weeks)

Puppies initially have antibodies from their mother’s milk in the first few days of life. If the mother was vaccinated the puppy will have some protection against disease for the first few weeks of life. These antibodies also stop vaccines from being effective in very young puppies. We advise giving the first vaccine from six to eight weeks old, when the maternal antibody levels have dropped. A second dose at ten weeks is needed to ensure full immunity.

A puppy should not be allowed outside (where he might come into contact with unvaccinated dogs) until a week after the first vaccine, when the immunity has had time to develop.

Booster vaccinations (annually and tri-annually)

Booster vaccinations are needed on an annual basis as the protection from the primary course of immunisation does not last forever and so you will receive a reminder by post when your dog’s booster injection is due. The cost of the vaccination includes a full health check and clinical examination by the vet, together with advice on any area of your puppy’s healthcare.

We recommend you vaccinate against Leptospirosis and Parainfluenza Virus yearly, then Distemper, Hepatitis and Parvovirus every three years after the initial booster. We will record your pet’s vaccinations on our computer system, so this will be done automatically for you.

Main viruses affecting puppies

Parvovirus

Causes severe vomiting and diarrhoea in susceptible puppies, often resulting in death. This virus is highly resistant in the environment and direct contact with an infected dog is not needed.

Leptospirosis

Can cause either a sudden severe disease with a fever, vomiting, dehydration (and often death), or a more chronic disease leading to progressive kidney and/or liver failure. It is usually caught from contact with rodent urine (which might be present in stagnant water), or urine from an infected dog.

Distemper Virus

Causes a fever initially, sometimes vomiting, diarrhoea, coughing, thickening and cracking of the nose, hard thickened foot pads, and later fits and sometimes pneumonia. It is usually caught from contact with the ’aerosol’ produced when an infected dog coughs or sneezes.

Infectious Hepatitis Virus

There is often vomiting with a painful abdomen and the dog quickly collapses in shock, and often dies. A ’blueness’ of the eye may be noticeable. It is caught from contact with urine, faeces or saliva from an infected dog.

Parainfluenza Virus

Can cause a mild form of ’ kennel cough’ on its own, or a severe form if caught along with Bordetella bronchiseptica.

Bordetella Bronchiseptica (Kennel Cough)

Causes coughing, sometimes sneezing and a discharge from the nose. It is caught from direct contact with an infected dog, or simply being near an infected dog when it coughs.