We all want our pups living their best life, enjoying good health and happiness! Not feeling icky and catching diseases. That’s why vaccines for puppies and dogs are super important.
Not only are vaccines safe, they literally teach your dog’s immune system how to recognize and fight off germs and disease, protecting them from all kinds of illness. Big props to modern science!
What is a Vaccine?
Like many of us, you might be curious how vaccines work. Explaining the science simply: Vaccines imitate an infection which engages your dog’s natural defenses.
Vaccines are made from miniscule amounts of non-living germs which makes them super safe, and here’s the best part: Your dog’s immune system gets right to work (thinking these buggers are real!) and they fight off the fake disease.
Even more impressive is that once a dog’s immune system has fought off the imitation, it remembers how to fight off the real disease if ever your dog encounters it. This means your pup will either not get sick or they’ll have a far-less severe illness.
Why it’s Important to Have Your Dog Vaccinated
When you get your puppy or dog vaccinated, you join the ranks of millions who’ve done the same — with great results. Experts agree that widespread use of vaccinations within the last century has prevented death and disease in — well, we just said it — millions of animals.
As you can see, we’re big on dogs getting vaccines for a ton of reasons and here are some of them:
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Vaccinations protect your pup from highly contagious and/or deadly diseases. Same goes for pet illnesses — vaccines prevent your dog from getting infected.
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No one loves wasting money on unnecessary vet costs. Vaccination can help avoid costly treatments for preventable diseases.
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Not only do vaccinations prevent diseases from passing between animals, in some cases, they prevent disease spreading from animals to people!
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Vaccines improve your dog’s overall quality of life.
And you definitely don’t want your pup getting a life-threatening disease like rabies or distemper, found in wildlife.
Another great reason to vaccinate is that most reputable pet boarding, daycare, and training services require vaccination against certain diseases so participating pups (including yours!) are protected.
Best to check your local-and-state laws as some require pets — even those who are mostly indoors — to be vaccinated against certain diseases.
What are Core (and Non-Core) Dog Vaccinations?
Now for some vaccination lingo. “Core Vaccinations” for puppies and dogs are the ones considered vital based on 3 factors:
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Risk of exposure
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Severity of disease
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Risk of transmission
Our trusted pals at the American Animal Hospital Association's Canine Task Force consider the following as core vaccinations:
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Canine Parvovirus
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Canine Distemper
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Hepatitis
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Rabies
And while these next ones are considered “non-core vaccinations,” they’re really important for most dogs who might be exposed to:
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Bordetella
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Canine Influenza (aka, dog flu)
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Leptospirosis
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Lyme Disease
As the adage says, better safe than sorry! So you speak to your vet and see which vaccinations they recommend from the lists above.
A Bit More on Rabies
Rabies doesn’t just affect dogs, humans can get it too. We’ll spare you the symptoms (they’re very unpleasant), hence why rabies vaccinations are required by law in most US states.
It’s not just “one and done” with the rabies vaccine, you must have your puppy or dog vaccinated periodically. Specific timeframes vary by state. In Illinois, for example:
Puppies / dogs receive the rabies vaccine at 16 weeks (no earlier than 15 weeks), at 1 year, and again at age 4.
Once your pup’s had their first rabies vaccine, your vet will likely remind you when the next one’s due or create a calendar alert in your phone.
On vaccination days, be sure to have Jinx treats at the ready, so your dog has some positive associations with going to the vet.
Puppy Vaccination Schedule
You want your puppy to be its sprightly, healthy, delightful self — not suffer from unnecessary illness. That’s why we typically recommend this puppy vaccination schedule:
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6 to 10 weeks: DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza), Kennel Cough
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11 to 14 weeks: DHPP, Leptospirosis, Canine Influenza, Lyme Disease
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15 to 16 weeks: DHPP, Leptospirosis, Canine Influenza, Lyme Disease, Rabies
As mentioned, dog influenza and lyme disease vaccines are also given, depending on your dog’s lifestyle.
While chatting with your vet about vaccinations, ask if your puppy needs an additional canine parvovirus vaccine after 15 weeks. A lot of puppies do!
Why Puppies Need More Than One Dose of (Some) Vaccines
Without extensive (and expensive!) tests, it’s impossible to know when a puppy will lose the natural, immune-system protections it gets from its mother. An early decline in these maternal antibodies can leave dogs susceptible to infections at a very young age.
That’s why vets give first vaccinations, otherwise known as a “priming dose,” early-ish in your puppy’s life. Later doses help boost their immune response, giving your dog stronger, longer-lasting immunity.
Keep Your Pup’s Vaccinations Current
When dog medical experts tell you, “Stick to this vaccination schedule,” they have good reasons for saying it. Missed or delayed puppy vaccinations make them far-less effective in combating disease and illness, or worse, not effective at all.
By showing up for all your pup’s vaccinations and booster appointments, you’re showing the world (and yourself!) that you’re a responsible pet parent who cares deeply for your dog’s well-being.
Puppies deserve every chance to be healthy and vaccinations, on-schedule, play an important role. Don't run the risk of your pup contracting one of these awful diseases when they’re so easy to prevent.
Dog Vaccination Schedule
Once your pup reaches adulthood — and all their core puppy vaccines have been given — you and your vet can begin with, yes, you guessed it — your adult dog vaccination schedule!
What to expect? Periodic adult boosters are essentially a combo of the DHPP vaccines your puppy received, along with several other helpful vaccines.
On your dog’s 1-year vet visit, we recommend a booster of:
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DHPP
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Leptospirosis
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Rabies
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Canine Influenza
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And Lyme (if your dog’s lifestyle requires one)
For dogs with lots of social interaction — or those who board or do doggie daycare — be sure to get your pup a Kennel Cough (Bordetella) vaccine as well.
Remember that yummy treats can make the whole vet-and-vaccine experience more pleasant for your dog. It may help your pup feel less-weary of future vaccines.
FAQs
How often will my dog need vaccinations?
That depends… A lot of vaccines provide adequate immunity when given every few years. Others are given more often to ensure your pooch stays protected.
Knowing your dog and their lifestyle, your vet will create a vaccination plan suited to your pup’s specific needs.
Do vaccinations ensure protection?
For most dogs, getting vaccinations — as recommended and at the required time points — is pretty darn effective in preventing disease.
After a dog’s been fully vaccinated, only rarely will their immune system fail to fight off a disease.
How do vets give vaccines to dogs?
While there are some “nasal vaccines” given through your dog’s snout, most vaccines are injected to maximize their effectiveness — kickstarting your dog’s immune system into action.
Some vaccines are injected “subcutaneously,” or under the skin. Others are injected “intra-muscularly,” or into their muscles.
Can a vaccination make my dog sick?
Most of the time, puppies and dogs are just fine after getting their vaccinations. Some develop mild lethargy or soreness for one to two days — just like humans after our Covid, flu, or tetanus shots.
On occasion, a lump may form at the vaccination site which usually goes away. If it’s painful or persists for more than a few weeks, chat with your vet.
In rare cases, dogs can have more severe reactions like an allergy to the vaccination. This usually happens within minutes but it could take a few hours. If your dog salivates, vomits, develops diarrhea, hives, or has difficulty breathing — call your vet asap.
How long does it take a vaccine to produce immunity?
Simply put, vaccines are incredible. Within only a few hours, your dog’s immune response is stimulated. That said, it usually takes 10 to 14 days before there’s a reasonable level of protection. As mentioned, some vaccines require a 2nd dose for adequate protection.
Because young pups have natural antibodies from their mother — which can hinder protection until later in their vaccine series — it’s best to keep your vaccinated puppy away from dogs or puppies (with an unknown vax history) until your pooch has finished its vet-recommended course of vaccines.
And once they complete their course, it’s time to celebrate with cuddles, play time, and tasty beef treats!
Is the same amount of vaccine given to small dogs and large dogs?
Whether they’re giant, tiny, plump, or thin — all dogs are given the same dose of a vaccine. When pet-medical experts and scientists test a vaccine, they make sure it’s safe and works for all dogs, regardless of their size.
Getting less than the standard vaccine dose might not adequately protect your small dog and there’s no evidence that a reduced dose decreases the chance of a vaccine reaction.
Closing out our blog post on dog vaccinations, we want to thank you for being a curious, caring dog parent! Here’s to keeping our pups healthy and protected, for years to come.
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