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
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Copyright 2004. All rights reserved.
