Vaccinations FAQ
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How Many Vaccines Do Puppies Need?
Puppies need 3 vaccines averaging 3-4 weeks apart upto 16 weeks old.
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What is The Most Common Puppy Vaccines?
Most puppies get whats called a 5-way vaccine also known as (5 in 1) or a Basic Combo. It usually covers: Distemper, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus, and Hepatitis which is also known as Adenovirus Type 2
What is The Most Common Puppy Vaccines?
Most puppies get whats called a 5-way vaccine also known as (5 in 1) or a Basic Combo. It usually covers: Distemper, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus, and Hepatitis which is also known as Adenovirus Type 2
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What is a 6-way vaccine or a 7-way vaccine?
Basically the 6-way and 7-way vaccine cover all the same things as the 5- way vaccine except they usually have added “lepto” and / or “corona virus” vaccines. We do not recommend giving vaccines with “lepto” to young puppies. LEPTO is a very dangerous vaccine and should only be given in extremely rare circumstances. Talk to your vet!
Basically the 6-way and 7-way vaccine cover all the same things as the 5- way vaccine except they usually have added “lepto” and / or “corona virus” vaccines. We do not recommend giving vaccines with “lepto” to young puppies. LEPTO is a very dangerous vaccine and should only be given in extremely rare circumstances. Talk to your vet!
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Is My Puppy Protected after its (1st) puppy shot?
No, just one puppy vaccine will not protect your puppy. Puppies need all 3 sets of puppy vaccines. If you are serious about protecting your puppy against the common deadly puppy diseases then you need to strengthen your puppies immune system by building anti-bodies they can fight against these life-threatening disease. You do this by keeping your puppy CURRENT on ALL their puppy vaccines.
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Protect Your Puppy From Deadly Diseases?
Don’t take your un-vaccinated puppy to public places where alot of dogs come and go. For example: front yards, parks, doggie day care, training classes, out for walks around the block, pet hotels, petstores, grooming parlors etc….etc… All these places are high risk to your puppy because other people’s animals or even stray animals leave “viruses / germs” in the grass which makes it easy for young puppies to get infected and sick. Have your new puppy around dogs that you know are current on vaccinations. You have no idea what other puppies has been exposed to and their dog could be incubating the diseases (and therefore contagious to your puppy) even if it’s not showing signs of illness. Always make your kids & the neighbor kids wash up after they have been outside playing before they interact with the new puppy. Once your puppy has had all 3 vaccines, then you can relax and be more comfortable taking it to public places but until then be smart about where you take your new puppy but don’t become paranoid to the point your puppy doesn’t get properly socialized. Talk to your vet about what they suggest.
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How Are Vaccines Given?
Vaccinations are usually administered by a shot, subcutaneously, which basically means it’s injected under the skin. There are some Intranasal vaccinations, which is where they drop the liquid into the nose.
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What Are Low Cost Vaccination Clinic?
If your puppy is healthy and not having any medical symptoms or issues then you might consider a low cost vaccination clinic. They are extremely popular because all you pay for is the vaccinations itself and not the actual “vet visit.” For those that have never been to one, your puppy won’t actually see the vet for a check up. Usually the vet techs just take the puppy in the back, give the vaccine, then you pay & check out. Sometimes pet stores offer them (like Petco or Petsmart) and then of course many local vet offices will do them as well. We suggest arriving early because they are usually on a first-come first-serve basis and often crowded. Low cost spay/neuter clinics can also save you alot of money.
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What is a Puppy Pack?
Alot of vets will put together a “puppy package.” These are really nice because it normally covers all the basic medical work your puppy will need at a lower cost than if you paid for each thing separate. Some of the things that might be included in the puppy package are: vet checks, fecal testings, dewormings, all puppy vaccines, rabies vaccine, micro-chip implant and even the spay / neuter surgery. Not all vets offer these, but they are worth checking around your area and finding a vet that does them as it can save you alot of money.
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How Common are Bad Reactions to Vaccines?
Honestly, it’s pretty rare for puppies to have bad reactions to the basic 5-way puppy vaccine. Usually they might be tender where the shot was injected for a couple days or even tired for a day or two but usually that’s it. However, the Rabies & Lepto vaccine can be common to trigger a bad reaction. If your real worried just talk to your vet about it.
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Swelling or Hives after a Vaccine?
If for some reason your pet does have a reaction just quickly take them back to the vet so they can administer a couple of shots (an antihistamine like benadryl & some cortisone like prednisone) that will usually do an excellent job in stopping any bad reactions. If you’re really worried about it you can request the vet give something (like benadryl) to prevent a reaction a few minutes before actually giving them the vaccine. Also, we personally suggest getting vaccinations done in the morning. That way, if they do have a reaction, your not stuck having to take them to the E.R. But again, it’s NOT that common to have a reaction to your basic 5-way vaccine. But it IS common to have mild, severe, or even life-threatening reactions to rabies & lepto. Just remember, vaccinations are here to protect your pet against very cruel life threatening diseases like distemper, rabies, or parvovirus. So any risks associated with vaccine reactions are slight when you compare it to horror & fatality the puppy can endure if they become infected with those diseases.
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Is It Safe to Give Benadryl to Pets?
Yes, we have been told by several vets that it’s safe to give liquid childrens benadryll if your pet is having an allergic reaction. We have been told 1 teaspoon per every 10 pounds. It can take a 1/2 hour to 1 hour to start working. If you own pets it’s a good thing in general to have liquid childrens benadryl on hand, especially when you go camping, hiking etc… with your pets. Make sure when you buy the Benadryl from your local store that you also get a syringe with measurements written on it so you an administer it. Your local pharamist can tell you where it is. If your pet is having an allergic reaction to something (food, bee sting, spider bite, grass, pollen etc…) and you give them the benadryll it’s always best to take them to the vets right away to make sure everything is okay. If your pet is swelling along with hives its always best to give them the benadryl before you get in the car to go to the vets so that the benadryll can start working to reduce the swelling before it blocks your pets breathing.
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Can My Puppy Still Die From the Diseases If they Are Vaccinated?
Yes, there is never a 100% guarantee on anything. But what you must understand is that the vaccines prepare your puppies body for battle & gives them a fighting chance and it DOES improve their chances for survival tremendously. But these diseases are very serious, so sometimes they are just too much for the puppies body, even if they have been vaccinated against them. However, studies have shown that most of the puppies that do die from the diseases are the ones that have had NO vaccines or are NOT kept current with All their vaccines.
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Disclaimer: This article was written & created by Spoiled Rotten Schnauzers. We Are NOT Licensed Vets. DO NOT try to diagnose or treat animals based off this or any other information you find on the internet. This page is just BASIC INFORMATION that we have learned over the years and thought it would be helpful to anyone interested. If your pet is having any kind of medical issue, please seek PROPER professional treatment from a licensed vet who is trained and set up to handle such matters.