Dog Vaccination: Things you need to know

One of the things that most pooch lovers are overly concerned about is maintaining their pet’s health. Whether it is sourcing the best dog food, best supplements or giving them the right vaccinations on time, dog owners try to stay one step ahead when it comes to their pet’s health.

Some people may tend to overdo the vaccinations if they are over cautious. It is a wrong notion that over-vaccinating your pet ensures them a healthy and disease free life. Quite the contrary, over vaccination among dogs has been known to have several adverse reactions. These range from mild lethargy or soreness to sometimes serious effects.

Now that we have the over vaccinating issue addressed, you may be wondering which vaccines are mandatory and which ones are not. Before we answer that question, there are two kinds of vaccinations for dogs: Core and Non-Core

Core vaccinations are the ones that your vet recommends your dog should have as a puppy. These vaccinations prevent all the dangerous viral diseases. The four core vaccines that your vet must administer to your pet are Rabies, Distemper, Parvovirus and Adenovirus.

As for non-core vaccines, they are not really recommended or mandatory and will depend on the pet owner’s choice or their vet’s recommendation. As long as your vet is able to justify the extra vaccinations, you may go ahead. Non-core vaccinations include Bordetella, Lyme Disease, Leptospirosis 4-way, Canine Influenza, Parainfluenza and Adenovirus Intranasal. These vaccines are usually bacterial vaccines. It is imperative to note that not only do they have lower efficiency rates, but also have a higher incidence of adverse reactions. These vaccines must only be administered after careful and detailed scrutiny of whether your pet really needs them.

If you want a detailed schedule for which vaccinations need to be administered to your pet at what intervals, consider visiting Aquitaine Animal Hospital for well informed and sound advice. Our team of experienced and qualified vets can give you a pet care schedule along with an immunization chart to help you maintain your pet’s overall health.