When it comes to maintaining your health, you have heard ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.’ The same goes for your furry friends. Like spaying and neutering, preventative health measures go a long way to keeping your pooch happy and healthy. To that end, the biggest step you can take is making sure your dog is getting their necessary vaccinations. Unsure what vaccines those are? That’s what we are here for!
Core vs Non-Core Dog Vaccines
All vaccines work under the same principle, exposing the immune system to antigens of a disease, allowing the body’s (human or animal) immune system to develop a plan of defense. However, not all vaccines are necessary. Vaccines for dogs are broken into two categories, ‘core’ and ‘non-core.’
Core vaccines will prevent extremely widespread diseases. They are easily transmitted as well as fatal or difficult to treat. Some are even transferable to humans.
Non-core vaccines are determined by the likelihood of exposure, lifestyle of the animal, risk of infection or the severity of the disease. The best way to determine what vaccines are considered non-core for your dog is to have a conversation with your veterinarian. They will know what diseases are common in your region, or prone to afflicting dogs of your breed and lifestyle.
Core Vaccines for Dogs
- Canine distemper
- Canine Parvovirus
- Rabies
- Canine adenovirus
All of these diseases can be fatal for dogs, and in some cases, such as rabies can be transferred to humans. These are all diseases that can afflict dogs of all ages if they are incompletely or entirely unvaccinated but are especially dangerous in puppies. While parvovirus and distemper may not outright be fatal (so long as they are caught and treated early), rabies is always fatal. All of these diseases are treatable with a simple, cheap vaccine that will not only save your dog’s life but also the hefty medical costs that come in treatment for the lucky that survive.
Non-Core Vaccines for Dogs
Some non-core vaccines include:
- Lyme disease
- Canine influenze
- Canine Cough Complex (Bordetella and parainfluenza)
- Leptospirosis
Non-core does not mean that these diseases are any less serious, just that the vaccine may not be as crucial to receive whether because of climate or other causes. You vet will know better which are the most crucial to receive, maybe bumping non-core into almost core territory depending.
Plenty more info for vaccines for dogs and cats can be found over at the ASPCA site.
A Basic Schedule for Dog Vaccines
Dog’s Age Vaccination
6-8 wks. Distemper, measles, bordetella, and parainfluenza
10-12 wks. Distemper, adenovirus (hepatitis), parainfluenza, and parvovirus (also known as DHPP)
12-24 wks. Rabies
14-16 wks. DHPP
12-16 mons. Rabies, DHPP
Every 1-2 Yrs. DHPP
Every 1-3 Yrs. Rabies
Pup already older than some of these ages? Then it is critical to get them their vaccines as soon as possible. If you are ready to get your pet the vaccines they need then contact us and we can give their health the best odds.
