Your Complete Guide to First-Year Puppy Vaccinations

Just like human babies, puppies need vaccination to boost their immunity. Vaccines help them grow into happy, healthy dogs, free of infectious diseases. The puppies will also not pass on diseases to other animals.

There are a variety of vaccinations that puppies need to get in the first year. Taking your puppy to the vet repeatedly may seem like an inconvenience. However, it will shield your puppy from dangerous and deadly diseases that are preventable.

There are so many different vaccinations for puppies, and it may be confusing. You may want to know the ones necessary and which ones are optional. Here is a guide to the vaccinations your puppy needs to get in its first year to avoid different illnesses.

Recommended Puppy Vaccines

Puppies can receive vaccination from as early as four to six weeks. However, the typical timing is eight to ten weeks, with the second dose being within two to four weeks. For the best timings for vaccination, you should talk to your vet.

Your little furry pet will require booster vaccinations with time, especially around six to twelve months. Make sure you keep the timings so that your little friend stays healthy. As your puppy grows, continue to visit the vet and keep schedules and appointments. Make sure they get their
recommended puppy vaccines and boosters.

Rabies

Rabies is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system. Transmission is through the bite of an animal that has rabies. The vaccine is a requirement in all 50 states of the United States. Take your puppy for the vaccination at 12 weeks.

The vet will administer the booster a year later, with additional ones one to three years apart. The additional boosters will depend on the guidelines in your state.

DHPP

The initials stand for distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, and parainfluenza. It is a five-in-one vaccine for puppies that should be at the top of your list. The first vaccination needs to be at six weeks of age. They are then spread out every two to four weeks after the first shot, and the last needs to be by sixteen weeks of age.

Bordetella

The vaccination prevents infection from Bordetella bronchiseptica bacteria that causes kennel cough. The timing depends on your choice of administration. There are three modes of administration for the vaccination: oral, nasal, and injection.

The oral vaccine is at eight weeks with an annual booster. The nasal one starts at three to four weeks old, while the injection starts at eight weeks. For the injection, there are also two shots, which are two to four weeks apart.

Leptospira

The Leptospira bacteria can cause kidney damage. Against this, your puppy must receive the vaccination at eight or nine weeks. It is in two parts, which are two to four weeks apart. There will be an annual booster afterward.

Lyme Disease

The disease spreads through bacteria found in ticks. At eight or nine weeks, make sure that your puppy receives this vaccine. There are two vaccines that the vet will administer two to four weeks apart. There will also be an annual booster shot. However, the administration of Lyme disease vaccines depends on the lifestyle of the puppy.

For more information on puppy vaccinations, visit Santa Monica Pet Medical Center at our office in Santa Monica, California. You can also call us at (310) 393-8218 to schedule an appointment today.