The process of vaccinating your puppy can begin at six weeks of age.
The following is a guideline for a puppy's initial course of vaccines:
6 Weeks:
Parvo Vaccine - Parvo Virus - What is it?
8 Weeks:
CORE vaccine (incl. Leptospirosis vaccine) Leptospirosis - What is it?
12 Weeks:
CORE vaccine (incl. Leptospirosis vaccine)
16 Weeks (Black & Tan *coloured breeds e.g. Dobermann Pinscher)
CORE vaccine (incl. Lepto vaccine)
* Black & Tan coloured breeds receive an extra course of vaccinations as these dogs can have a prolonged duration of Maternally Derived Antibodies (MDA). All puppies (regardless of colour) should receive MDAs from their mother. Initially, this maternally derived immunity is beneficial to the very young puppy. However, this immunity begins to wane over the first few weeks of a puppy's life. This in turn leaves your puppy with no immuntiy to potentially deadly diseases - hence why we begin vaccinating your puppy. As this level of maternally derived immunity can last longer in Black & Tan coloured dogs, we give them an extra course of vaccinations to help ensure they have formed their own immunity.
ADULT DOG VACCINATIONS
Your dog should receive an annual booster to ensure that their immunity remains at a protective level.
FINALLY...
PLEASE DON'T PANIC if your pet doesn't fit into the above guideline. We appreciate that every pet's circumstances can be different, so we will work out a vaccine schedule to ensure your pet is covered. Book an appointment or give us a call to discuss any queries. We're here to help!