Vaccination Schedule for Puppies and Adult Dogs

From the moment a puppy is adopted, many responsibilities come with it. They are fed with the highest quality food, a space is planned for them to adapt to the home, and they are shown plenty of love so that they can have the most enjoyable moments. While all these elements are important for the healthy development of dogs, they are not sufficient; our प्यारे friends, just like humans, need to be vaccinated from puppyhood.

Although there are breed differences, the puppyhood period of dogs lasts an average of 1 year, and during this period, some basic vaccinations should not be neglected in order for them to be healthier both during puppyhood and in adulthood. You can find all the details in our article about the dog vaccinations that must be done during puppyhood and adulthood and their timing.

Puppy Vaccination Schedule

While some vaccines in the puppy vaccination schedule can be administered to all dogs, the application of other vaccines may vary depending on factors such as the dog's place of residence, the risks in that environment, and whether it has any existing diseases. Therefore, the expertise of veterinarians should be consulted when determining the puppy vaccination schedule.

6 – 8 Weeks

During this period, when puppies undergo their first veterinary examination, both general health checks and vaccinations to strengthen their immune systems and reduce the risk of contracting possible diseases are administered. In addition to internal and external parasite treatments, the Puppy DP vaccine is administered if deemed necessary. The first dose of the combination vaccine, one of the most important vaccinations, which contains antibodies that protect against Distemper (canine distemper), Parvovirus, Parainfluenza, and Leptospitosis, is given. To understand the importance of the combination vaccine, the dogs it protects against are shown a picture. We would like to briefly provide information about the diseases in question.

Canine distemper, or canine distemper, is caused by viruses. This disease, which manifests itself with symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, and fever, is fatal. Parvovirus, which can seriously affect puppies younger than four months old, can cause loss of appetite, fever, and severe bloody diarrhea. Parainfluenza, a virus that causes respiratory complaints, can lead to problems such as runny nose, eye inflammation, sneezing, lethargy, and loss of appetite. Leptospitosis is a bacterial infection that affects both humans and animals. It is quite dangerous because the bacteria, which can pass into water and soil through the urine of infected animals, is transmitted through contact.

9 – 12 Week Period

During the second routine veterinary visit, the puppies undergo a physical examination and their general health is assessed. The second dose of the combination vaccine is administered, and a vaccine against Bordetella is given. Vaccination is provided. Bordetella is a highly contagious bacterium. In our furry friends, it can cause whooping cough, vomiting, severe coughing, and, rarely, death. It is recommended that the Bordetella Bronchiseptica vaccine not be neglected during this period when dogs are outdoors. From the 9th week onwards, internal parasite treatment is repeated, and in addition, the Bronchiol-KC vaccine is administered. The 10th week is an ideal time to administer the Coronavirus vaccine. However, it should be known that the Coronavirus vaccine administered to our friends is different from the virus that causes COVID-19 disease in humans. The coronavirus that affects them has a characteristic that attacks the respiratory tract and the digestive system.

12 – 14 Week Period

A new veterinary visit awaits our friends who have completed their 3rd month. As with every visit, a general examination is performed, and a booster vaccination against Bordetella bacteria is given. In addition, the canine rabies vaccine is administered. It affects the central nervous system. This vaccine, given against rabies, a disease that causes fear of water and unfortunately carries the risk of paralysis or death, will be repeated in later stages. One of the most important vaccines that should be given from the 12th week onwards is the Lyme vaccine. Lyme disease is transmitted through ticks and, when infected, causes swelling in the lymph nodes, fever, and loss of appetite. If left untreated, it can affect the kidneys, heart, joints, and central nervous system. Adult Dog Vaccination Schedule The protective effects of puppy vaccines are limited to certain periods. Therefore, they need to be repeated at certain intervals. For example, internal parasite vaccines need to be repeated every 3 months, while the rabies vaccine needs to be repeated annually. Moreover, there are different practices regarding the periods in which these vaccines should be repeated. While the rabies vaccine is given every 3 years in many countries, it is required to be repeated every year in our country. The vaccines that should be given to adult dogs are as follows: These can be listed as follows:

Adult Dog Vaccination Schedule,

The protective effects of puppy vaccines are limited to certain periods. Therefore, they need to be repeated at certain intervals. For example, internal parasite vaccines need to be repeated every 3 months, while the rabies vaccine needs to be repeated annually. Moreover, there are different practices regarding the periods in which these vaccines need to be repeated. While rabies vaccination is administered every 3 years in many countries, in our country it is required to be repeated annually. The vaccinations that should be given to adult dogs can be listed as follows:

Rabies vaccine: As mentioned earlier, rabies vaccines need to be repeated every year.

Combination vaccine: The combination vaccine, which provides protection against many infectious diseases, also needs to be repeated every year.

Bordetella vaccine: The Bordetella Bronchiseptica vaccine provides protection for one year; dogs that go outside and roam freely should be vaccinated every year against this bacteria, which can be transmitted to them.

Coronavirus vaccine: The coronavirus vaccine should be administered once a year to protect against health problems that may arise from coronavirus infection.

In addition to all these vaccines, vaccination for Lyme disease and mycosis prophylaxis may also be necessary if the risk is high or if recommended by veterinarians. At this point, it is also worth mentioning external parasite medications. We want to emphasize that external parasite treatment in dogs should generally be repeated simultaneously with internal parasite treatment. This application, which prevents the transmission of parasites from the external environment, prevents the development of various diseases. Therefore, external parasite treatment, like all other vaccines, should be administered on time and correctly.

Why is the Dog Vaccination Schedule Important?

Following the dog vaccination schedule is critically important for our friends to live a healthy, happy, and long life. Although their immune systems are protected to a certain extent thanks to mother's milk during puppyhood, weaning from mother's milk and the increased risks they are exposed to diversify the health problems they may encounter. We can summarize the importance of vaccines in a few points as follows:

• The most basic purpose of vaccines is to prevent serious diseases. Especially during puppyhood, when the immune system is vulnerable, following the puppy vaccination schedule is one of the most fundamental requirements for protecting the health of our friends.
• Vaccination schedule If followed, not only vaccinated dogs but also other living beings can be protected. Vaccinations should not be neglected so that they do not pose a danger when they go outside.
• Vaccinations are beneficial for us as well as our animal companions. They ensure their health and keep us safe from some diseases that they may transmit.
• To maximize the benefits of vaccines, the expertise of veterinarians should definitely be consulted when creating a dog vaccination schedule and administering vaccines. Mistakes made during the application or during the planning of the program can lead to serious consequences for our animal companions.