The Core Vaccines for Pet Dogs

While people are lining up for their COVID vaccines, we should not also forget bringing our pets to the vets for their pet vax. Vaccination is truly important for us and our pets to ensure our immunity against being infected by particular diseases. In the case of our pets, it is the single most important thing to do to ensure their well-being.

Undoubtedly, being a pet dog parent can be stressful when your fur baby becomes suddenly becomes sick and lacking of life and vigor. To avoid such scenarios, vaccination, especially the core vaccines, should never be missed. Core vaccines for pet dogs are mandated by state laws and these include rabies, distemper, heartworm, and leptospirosis. All these were common causes of dog fatality in the past and it’s good that vaccines against them have long been discovered.

Rabies

Rabies is a dreaded infection of the central nervous system. It can affect all canines and can be easily transmitted through direct contact with the saliva or central nervous tissue of an infected mammal. It can also be transmitted to humans through bites and saliva.

Rabies vaccine during the puppy series is given once. When your pet dog becomes an adult, vaccination should be done once every after three years. Rabies is a mandatory vaccine for all dogs and other pets like cats and horses.

Heartworm

Heartworm or otherwise called as dirofilariasis is a potentially fatal disease that can affect your pet dog. The blood-borne parasites can be seen in the heart and adjacent blood vessels of an infected dog. With vaccination as early as the puppy days, heartworms can be prevented. It is done yearly, so it can be more convenient to coincide it with your dog’s annual physical exam.

Distemper

Although this vaccine is not mandatory like rabies vaccine, your dog should never miss on this. It includes four different viruses which are all life-threatening to dogs. These are distemper, adenovirus, parainfluenza, and parvovirus.

Taking this vaccine is like shooting four birds at the same time.  It is important that your dog start getting those shots while it is puppy. It is given as a series until your dog is one year old. After that, it can be administered once every after three years.

Leptospirosis

Leptospirosis is a highly contagious disease that can damage the kidneys. It can also affect humans and is life-threatening. This vaccine can be given as part of the distemper vaccines when your dog is still a puppy and is given annually to adult dogs.