Vaccination

VACCINATION
  • There are several diseases that can be fatal to the dogs but, fortunately, some of them can be avoided with timely vaccination. However, vaccines only work if the adequate timing is respected. Ideally the first round of vaccinations must be done at the age of 6-8, 12 and 16 weeks of age; this schedule may vary depending on several factors.
  • The schedule of routine vaccination protects the dogs from seven diseases:
    • Distemper - an airborne viral disease of the brain, lungs and intestines. It´s considered the most serious viral dog disease in the world that kills around 90% of the non-immunized, infected dogs.
    • Parvovirus - a viral disease of the intestines; adult dogs generally recover from a viral diarrhea; in puppies it can be fatal.
    • Leptospirosis - a bacterial disease of the urinary system.
    • Infectious Hepatitis - a viral disease of the liver not as common as it once was, but still a dangerous disease; adult dogs generally survive but to puppies are often fatal.
    • Parainfluenza - infectious bronchitis. It is a highly contagious though self-limiting respiratory disease.
    • Coronavirus - a viral disease of the intestines.
    • Rabies - a viral disease that attacks nerve tissue; it is contagious and fatal to humans and other animals.
  • The first six diseases are included in a combined vaccine (6-way vaccine), that is administered at 6-8, 12 and 16 weeks of age. The rabies vaccine is administered between 3 and the 6 months of age. The vaccine boosters are administered once a year; the rabies inoculation can be made at the same time or included in the same vaccine. These are the core vaccines. If your dog attends training classes or is occasionally sent to a kennel or other dog boarding facility, it would be advisable to administer the vaccine for the Bordetellosis (cough of the kennel), a noncore vaccine but that, in this case, is more than appropriate.
Last modified: Thursday, 7 June 2012, 9:57 AM