Becoming a responsible pet owner involves more than feeding your puppy on time and cleaning up after them. Getting puppy vaccines is also critical for preventative care during that stage of your pet's life. At Arbor Ridge Pet Clinic, we offer puppy vaccines to all young canines in Fitchburg. If this is the first time you're securing vaccinations for a pet dog, allow us to help. Use the information in this article to learn more about canine vaccinations and other relevant topics.
What Vaccines Are Necessary for Proper Puppy Care?
When consulting a veterinarian about your pet's vaccinations, you'll quickly discover that they comprise a schedule of shots, divided into core and non-core vaccines.
Core vaccines, as the name implies, are the shots your dog must get regardless of their living situation or current health condition. These vaccinations protect against diseases that pose a serious threat to young canines. Core vaccinations your puppy must receive during their visits to the veterinary clinic offer protection against canine distemper, canine hepatitis, canine parvovirus, and rabies. Notably, all Wisconsin residents are required to vaccinate their dogs against the rabies virus.
The veterinarian may also recommend certain non-core vaccines to improve your pet's resistance against canine influenza, kennel cough, and Lyme disease. The exact lineup of non-core vaccines the vet may suggest will change based on your pet's immediate surroundings and medical history. Don't be surprised if they prescribe different sets of shots for your puppies. These varied vaccine lineups are designed for proper puppy care.
When Should Your Puppy Start Receiving Vaccinations?
Vaccinations are critical for preventative care, but when should your puppy start getting them? Generally, you can wait a few weeks before scheduling a visit with a veterinarian near you. Since maternal immunity remains in effect for a while, your pet will have a natural resistance to potentially life-threatening diseases during their first few weeks. Your puppy can start receiving their first round of vaccinations by the time they reach six weeks of age.
In some cases, a veterinarian may recommend waiting two more weeks before they start the vaccinations. From there, the vet will schedule additional shots three to four weeks apart. They will continue following those intervals until your puppy's full regimen of vaccinations is completed. Additional vaccines are required for adult dogs. The vaccine schedule for adult dogs is more spread apart. Those shots may be given annually or once every three years.
Start Setting Your Puppy's Vaccination Appointments
Shoring up your puppy's immunity against deadly diseases is only possible through timely vaccination. Contact us at Arbor Ridge Pet Clinic to schedule your puppy's shots. You can also set those appointments after visiting our clinic in Fitchburg, WI.