Complete Dog Vaccination Guide With Schedule & Chart

Dogs, like people, require vaccinations. It is your responsibility to meet all your dog's everyday needs, including frequent medical attention. This is why your dog's vaccination schedule is crucial in preventing it from a variety of deadly diseases.

So, if your dog is due for a vaccination, follow this handy dog vaccine guide:

Crucial role of dog vaccines in your pet's health

Vaccines are used to prevent rather than cure diseases. To put it in a nutshell, vaccines help strengthen a dog's immune system to guard itself against disease-causing germs. Antigens in vaccines imitate the disease-causing organisms in the immune system of dogs but do not actually cause disease. Dog vaccinations protect dogs against a variety of deadly and highly contagious diseases, including parvovirus infection, canine distemper, and respiratory tract infections. It also protects your dog against diseases that are transmissible to people, such as rabies.

Using dog vaccines to enhance your pet's immunity

Dog vaccinations help moderately stimulate the immune system by causing it to identify the antigens. It boosts antibody production, which aids in the identification and elimination of disease-causing bacteria that enter your dog's body. It strengthens your dog's immune system and trains it to resist infections so that if they are encountered again, your dog will either not become sick or have a milder reaction.

Diseases your pet can contract without proper vaccination

Failing to vaccinate your dog puts them at risk of contracting diseases, regardless of whether they are indoor or outdoor pets. Without active antibodies to combat diseases, your dog’s health could decline. Here’s a dog vaccine list of diseases that your dog could be susceptible to if not vaccinated early:

• Dog rabies
• Canine parvovirus
• Hepatitis
• Canine distemper
• Canine influenza
• Leptospirosis
• Lyme disease
• Kennel cough

The importance of vaccinating your dog cannot be understated. Keep them safe by following a complete vaccine schedule for dogs.

Understanding the dog vaccine schedule and chart

When you vaccinate dogs, the early phases of the immune response are activated within a few hours post-vaccination. A reasonable level of protection is usually achieved after ten to fourteen days. Killed vaccines however may not provide proper protection until the second dose. As a result, even vaccinated puppies should be kept away from dogs or puppies with uncertain vaccination histories until they have completed their vaccination course.

Do follow our dog vaccination chart below:

Necessity of dog re-vaccination

In most fully vaccinated dogs, immunity should last well over a year and frequently for several years. But immunity deteriorates over time and the pace of deterioration varies from dog to dog. This is where re-vaccination has proven to be quite effective in maintaining the best protection against infectious diseases.

As vaccines improve over time, some may no longer require as frequent administration, depending on your dog’s individual condition. Most dogs with low-risk lives can get the core dog vaccinations every three years and any non-core vaccines as needed (most non-core vaccines require annual boosters). Depending on your dog's needs and lifestyle, your vet will discuss the necessity for and frequency of your dog’s vaccination.

Side effects after dog vaccination

Just like humans, dogs can experience side effects after receiving vaccinations. Though not very common, it is important to know what to look out for to ensure your dog’s well-being.

Is it recommended to vaccinate dogs when they are sick?

To begin with, your dog may experience an unpleasant reaction to the vaccine. However, it's possible that vaccinations given to a sick dog will not produce any immunity. As a result, you'll have the false sense of security that your dog is safe when it isn't. Furthermore, your dog's immune system, which is supposed to be battling illness, could be redirected to deal with the shot. Hence it is not recommended to vaccinate your dog when it’s sick.

What are the side effects of vaccinating a dog?

Vaccine side effects in dogs are uncommon. But, if your dog has a reaction to vaccines, the following symptoms may occur:

• Sluggishness
• Appetite loss
• Fever
• Hives and/or facial or paw swelling
• Diarrhea
• Dog vomiting
• Swelling or pain in the injection area
• Seizures, troubled breathing (anaphylactic shock), collapse

This dog vaccine guide is intended to provide you with the essential information to keep your dog healthy. Following a dog vaccine schedule chart and adhering to dog vaccination guidelines is fundamental in safeguarding your furry friend from harmful diseases.