The moment you bring that furry little puppy to your home, you will start feeling a bond with him, realizing that only you will be responsible to take care of him. A puppy depends on his master for everything right from food to walk. It can be a daunting task to give complete care to your pet as you must ensure he gets nutritious food, lot of attention, a slight amount of training, socialization and most important of all the right veterinary care. Your puppy should be vaccinated in the entire first year of his life.
Like many other pet owners, you must be clueless about which are the vaccinations your puppy requires. In the initial days of your puppy, you must take him to the vet more often to get all the vaccinations. As you heard about so many diseases related to dogs and so many vaccines, sometimes it becomes difficult to decide which the most important vaccines your puppy requires are. Here is an attempt to give a detailed analysis of various diseases and vaccines that your dog requires in order to stay healthy.
Canine Distemper
This is also a virus-borne condition that targets the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal and nervous system of dogs and some other animals and it is contaminated through the air. Symptoms include eye discharge, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, coughing, running nose, etc. In severe cases, it could lead to paralysis and death. Though this condition cannot be cured, it can be controlled with proper support and care to your pet so that no further infections could occur. A strong immune system is needed to fight this disease.
Heartworm
It is necessary to treat the heartworm condition of your pet when he should be around 12 to 16 weeks old. No vaccine has been created to treat this condition but it can be prevented with routine medication. These worms are grown in the right side of the heart and the pulmonary arteries and sometimes they could reach the kidneys and the liver. They are several inches long and they could block or any organ or cause injury to the organs. Appetite loss and breathing difficulty are two of the major symptoms of this disease. It has found that it is spread through mosquitoes. A simple blood test will detect this problem
Canine Hepatitis
This virus affects the kidneys, liver, spleen, lungs and the eyes of a pet. The symptoms include mild fever, congestion of the mucous membrane, vomiting, stomach enlargement, and pain around the liver. This disease in its severe form is dangerous for a pet. This disease cannot be eradicated; it can only be treated by controlling the symptoms.
Bordetella Bronchiseptica
This is a bacterial condition characterized by vomiting, severe coughing, whooping and, in extreme cases, it could cause seizures and death. To treat this condition, nasal spray vaccines are given to the pets.
Corona Virus
This is also a virally infected condition where the gastrointestinal system of a pet is affected. Several symptoms are identified for this disease including the loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. Veterinarians try to control the symptom by keeping the pet warm, hydrated and comfortable and this subsequently minimizes the discomfort related to nausea.
Kennel Cough
It is an inflammatory condition of the upper airways caused by bacteria. Symptoms include dry coughing, retching, loss of appetite, etc. If not treated it could kill your dog. As digs usually stay close to each other so this disease easily spread. Antibiotics are given in extreme conditions. The cough suppressants are also given to comfort the dog.
Leptospirosis
It is a bacterial infection that sometimes comes without symptoms. This is a bacterium grown in water and the soil. When it comes with symptoms it includes vomiting, fever, abdominal pain, muscle pain, extreme weakness, stiffness, kidney failure, etc. This condition is effectively treated with antibiotics.
Rabies
Rabies is a viral disease that targets the nervous system of a dog and it results in those symptoms such as anxiety, headache, and paralysis and finally leads to death. It should be treated within a few hours of infection and any delay in treatment could cause kill your dog. Rabies vaccination is available in all the states of USA and you can check this out with your local vet specialist.
Lyme Disease
It is a tick-borne condition, caused by bacteria. It attacks the dog’s lymph vessels and causes the temperature to go high. A dog stops taking his food when this condition happens and finally it affects the kidney, heart, the joints, and the neurological system. Antibiotics are given to treat this illness in dogs.
Parvovirus
It is a virus affected condition that targets the gastrointestinal system of pets and it results in appetite loss, fever, and vomiting, etc. Mostly unvaccinated dogs and young puppies under 4 months old are prone to this condition. Dehydration occurs in this condition which causes a dog to die 48-to-72 hours time. Fast veterinary treatment is required to treat this. It is not curable but controlling the symptoms can keep your dog alive and make his immune system active to cope with the condition.
When to Give the Vaccinations?
Puppy vaccination timing is different in different countries. Mostly it depends on the individual dog condition. Some dogs are healthy so they do not require all the vaccines mentioned above. Your veterinarian is the right person to decide this. During routine visits, you can discuss this thing.
Titers Test is Necessary
The titer tests are necessary to check the immunity level of your dog and this will further tell which the vaccinations are needed for your dog. the titers or the immunity vaccinations will run throughout the life of your puppy. These vaccinations will act as a protective wall against any deadly disease that your pet may come into contact with time.
Final Opinions
Showering your puppy with love and care is a noble task as a dog is the man’s greatest companion. You can accomplish this by protecting him from all the risks in life through proper care and treatment. The initial days of taking care of your puppy are full of fun and excitement for all the pet owners.
Pet vaccinations usually cost high. However with the coming of the mobile vets, such vaccinations can be done at a competitive rate. So, nowadays you can easily access to low-cost pet vaccinations for your pet by contacting your local mobile vet. Their rate is usually lower than the conventional veterinary clinics. It is important to note that the initial day’s vaccinations will cost more than the vaccinations given when your puppy becomes an adult.