Home
>
Pet
>
Dog Vaccinations - What You Need to Know to Protect Your Dog

Dog Vaccinations - What You Need to Know to Protect Your Dog

Almost all communities in the U.S. require at least one shot for your dog or puppy, and that's rabies. The rabies vaccine should be given when the puppy is twelve to sixteen weeks old, and then another one year later. Following, he'll need just one every three years. At around eight to sixteen weeks of age, the puppy's natural immunity from its mother's milk has worn off and it becomes at risk to a number of environmental hazards. For an older dog (above one year old), follow the same regimen as for a puppy. Be sure that you have proof that your dog or puppy has had his required rabies shot.

There is another shot recommended by many veterinarians, especially for puppies. This shot is often referred to as the five-in-one as the shot contains vaccines for Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Para influenza and Parvo, known officially as DHLP-P or CORONA. For puppies, the first shot is given at six weeks, another at nine weeks, a third at twelve weeks, a fourth at sixteen weeks and once a year following. For older dogs, the shots can be administered once, then again after three weeks and once a year thereafter. Some veterinarians will also recommend shots against Bordetella, although this vaccine has been shown, in certain studies, to only last from six to eleven months, and hardly ever past one-year. It can be given to puppies as early as three weeks of age and to older dogs every year.

If you think that you're going to take your dog out into the wild outdoors; hunting, running, or if you live on a farm or near forests, you may consider vaccinating against Lyme disease. However, this vaccine is one of the most controversial as many dogs have died as a result of its side effects. If you groom your dog often and if it has short hair, you may be able to find and loosen any deer ticks, which cause the disease. It will take a tick one to two days to transmit the disease to your dog. If you pull a tick off of your dog, keep it in an airtight plastic container in case you have to visit a veterinarian. He can then test the tick as well as your dog for the disease. If your dog acquires Lyme disease, treatment is available and often involves the use of the antibiotic doxycycline over a period of three to four weeks. If Lyme disease reoccurs, continued treatment with antibiotics is the only sure option.

Another important preventative measure to ensure your pet's protection is the use of a heartworm preventative. If you live in a climate that's warm all year round, consider giving your dog the monthly pill. If temperatures fall below freezing for the winter, you can discontinue the use of the pill until spring returns. Wet and sloppy ground allows the worms to spread easily to your dog. Be especially wary of open grassy fields, such as cow pastures. Your dog will have to be tested for heartworms before he starts taking the medicine for the first time, or for each following year. Treatment for heartworms involves poisoning the dog's blood in hopes of killing off the worms, which reproduce in the dog's heart. It is a painful and deadly experience for your pet, so prevention is the best treatment.

It should be mentioned that some veterinarians out there, keen on alternative medicine for your dog, believe that vaccinations should be avoided at all costs. It has been shown that repeated vaccinations might actually weaken the immune system to the disease it's trying to prevent. There is also speculation that vaccinations, when combined, may actually cause an animal to have a higher chance of getting one of the diseases he is being vaccinated against. Your best bet is to ask a veterinarian you trust. Bring up the issues that concern you. Do research. A good option, if you do decide to vaccinate, is to keep a calendar or doggy passport that documents your pet's treatment with a signature and stamp.

About the Author:
Tina Spriggs is an expert dog lover whose lifelong interest in canines provides the motivation for her site. To learn more about dogs or to find gifts and toys for them visit her site at dog gifts and toys for dog lovers.

Copyright 2004. All rights reserved.

Wood Dale Chicago prom limo .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare

In The News:

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents

Internet browsers are useful, but they can be dangerous. Clicking on malicious links can direct you to dangerous websites that steal information or infect your device.

Apple's latest iOS update introduces advanced artificial intelligence capabilities, which may be capturing and analyzing sensitive information.

Breach site confirmed 56,904,909 Hot Topic users' data leaked online. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says the company's silence makes matters even worse.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how an innovative Easy-Way kit turns standard strollers electric, simplifying navigation for parents.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about T-Mobile being hacked in broad cyberattack on global phone and internet companies.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson shows you how to add, customize and manage widgets for quick access to apps and info from your iPhone home screen.

Wrong Google searches can not only compromise your device and personal data. They can also bring law enforcement to your doorstep. Hackers are targeting Google searches.

China's Shanghai Kepler Robotics has developed a new humanoid robot that can carry up to 35 pounds per hand for commercial applications across various industries

Checking your hearing has gotten easier with the new hearing test feature in AirPods Pro 2. You can take reliable hearing tests using your iPhone or iPad.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how a VPN — virtual private network — works and how running it can slow down the operation of your device.

The WalkON Suit F1, an exoskeleton developed to help people with disabilities, can actually walk over to a person in a wheelchair, solving a major problem.

ClickFix, a new scam targeting computer users, is on the rise in the U.S. The scam prompts its targets to click on a link to fix a problem.

Skydweller is the world's largest unmanned solar-powered aircraft that can stay airborne for weeks, and even months, without refueling.

The U.S. government said it is investigating after People's Republic of China hackers targeted commercial telecommunications service providers in the U.S.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Scammers are using increasingly sophisticated ways to lure unsuspecting victims, and some are impersonating an email help desk or support team.

You can unsend or edit your iMessages with the latest iOS updates. Kurt the CyberGuy explains how you can save yourself some potential embarrassment.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says there’s been a rise in cybercriminal services using hacked police and government emails to send subpoenas and data requests to U.S. companies.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how Axiom Space and luxury designer Prada are collaborating on NASA's Artemis III spacesuit design.

Voice assistants may cause confusion across devices. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers some solutions to fix it.

Shameless scammers trick veterans into giving personal info or cash. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explores five common scams.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson helps you honor our heroes with these powerful podcasts, audiobooks and documentaries this Veterans Day.

Dog Vaccinations - What You Need to Know to Protect Your Dog

Pet