We got our first dog, Mitchell, a year ago and just got our latest puppy, Marin, in early December. They are so much fun! As one of my friends said, it’s kind of like having two perpetual toddlers in the house–FOREVER! We love our dogs and want to keep them healthy and happy. There are so many things we all need to do to keep our wonderful pets healthy, right? Today, I’m focusing on vaccinations. I don’t know about you, but this is confusing–which ones to get, and how often. I can hardly remember which vaccines I’ve had, much less Mitchell & Marin!
The first thing to do is get a good, physical exam for your dog or cat. I spoke to veterinarian Mike Escobedo, D.V.M., of Cornerstone Animal Clinic in Dallas, (pictured here with our new baby, Marin!) who was a wealth of information. According to Dr. Escobedo, a new puppy should begin vaccinations at 6 weeks of age, and no earlier. Then, administer vaccines at 6, 9, 12 & 15 weeks until they are about 4 months old. The goal is to build up an immunity and maintain it.
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Here are the guidelines & timeline:
- First set/6 weeks: Distemper, Parvo, Corona (yes, it’s a vaccine, not beer being injected!)
- 9 weeks: Boosters for Distemper, Parvo, & Corona;
- 12 weeks: Boosters again for the previous 3, plus they are old enough to get their first Rabies vaccine. Also, they are old enough for the Bordatella vaccine. Bordatella is the “kennel cough” that you hear about dogs catching when they are boarded in kennels, dog parks or any scenario where they are around a lot of other animals. While not required, many pet owners choose to get Bordatella boosters if their dog is going to be around a lot of other dogs.
- 16 weeks: Distemper, Parvo Boosters
Also, a heartworm prevention regimen should begin. This medication is administered by pill or liquid and is prescribed by your pet’s weight. I personally prefer giving this to my dogs in pill form rather than the liquid. I just wrap it in a piece of cheese and slyly give it to them as a “treat”! Dr. Escobedo says heartworms, which are carried by mosquitoes, are a problem in many states, including Texas. “We see a lot of cases in my practice. We often use a drug called Immidicide to treat heartworms and it is very effective,” he says.
For cats, the basic core vaccines include: Feline Distemper at 6, 9, 12 & 15 weeks; Rabies at 12 weeks; Leukemia at 9 & 12 weeks.
So, what about the controversy surrounding overvaccinating pets? Dr. Escobedo agrees that the push to do less is good, and that’s what he does. “The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has done a lot of research studies. These studies have helped shape the basic core guidelines of what vaccines to provide to your pet.”
Hope this helps. Let us hear from you–do you have a dog or cat? Do you believe in the “less” is more mentality of getting pet vaccines?
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awesome blog! the puppy pictured (marin?) is quite striking!!
There’s so much confusing information out there – thanks for the easy to follow guidelines. BTW, Marin is adorable!
As you know, we lost “Sugar” girl, our beloved mini schnauzer in 2009 to a rare disorder called “Evans Syndrome.”
Sugar was a normal happy little dog who progressively became low energy, laid around, lethargic, poor appetite and drank alot of water. She only weighed 13 pounds and was only 9 years old when she suddenly died within 72 hours of her diagnosis. I racked my brain to anything abnormal and could only recall a severe reaction Sugar had to a rabies vaccination one year prior to this deterioration of her health. She had been slowly losing blood platelets and it went undetected this entire time. After two blood transfusions in an overnight, emergency diagnostic animal hospital and a $4000 bill, Sugar died. It made me furious this syndrome has had little research and can strike any dog, any breed, at any time. After talking to a few people in the emergency hospital, they all knew someone where their dog passed away suddenly. I firmly believe more research needs to be invested into this heart breaking syndrome. The ER doctor’s personal opinion was the weakening of her immune system from the regular vaccinations she received through the years. Here is a link to Evans Syndrome http://www.petplace.com/dogs/what-is-evans-syndrome-in-dogs/page1.aspx