Puppy Vaccinations

Before a puppy can leave the house and go into the garden, they need to have had their first set of injections. This first set of vaccinations protects the puppy against some of the most serious diseases they will be exposed to. Our poochon, Biscuit recently had a litter of cavapoochon puppies. By law, before they can be sold, breeders must ensure that each puppy is microchipped and has received their first vaccination. In this post, we’ll discuss exactly why it is important for puppies to receive their first injections and when they can receive them.

When can my puppy have their first Vaccination?

Puppies in the UK typically have their first vaccination at around 8 weeks old. Some vets will offer this service from 6 weeks of age. In my experience though and after much ringing around different vets, the vets in my area would only vaccinate the puppies from 8 weeks.

If you have a litter of puppies to vaccinate, ensure you choose a suitable vet ahead of time. Get the puppies booked in for their first vaccinations as soon as you can. This ensures they can be protected as early as possible.

What does the first vaccination protect my puppy against?

There are several different vaccinations available to vets and therefore there can be some variety in exactly what your puppy is vaccinated against. Our puppies are vaccinated against the following diseases:

Parvovirus (types 2a, 2b and 2c)

I know from being around dogs my whole life that parvovirus is one of the biggest threats to puppies. As a child, we had a puppy that died from this disease. Parvovirus is extremely contagious amongst dogs. It can be passed on either through direct contact with an infected dog or even through an infected dog’s faeces.

This is one of the reasons why puppies must be kept away from other unvaccinated dogs before vaccination and kept indoors. An infected puppy will experience severe diarrhoea and vomiting, fever, shock and pain. The virus can be fatal.

Canine distemper virus

Another highly contagious disease amongst canines. This disease can be airborne or contracted through contact with an infected dog or via the placenta. Symptoms include fever, discharge from the eyes, pneumonia and seizures. Dogs who do survive following an infection are often left with permanent life-changing complications.

Canine Hepatitis

Canine hepatitis is again spread via direct contact with an infected dog. The severity of the illness varies, it can be mild with a simple loss of appetite. Others suffer from diarrhoea and stomach pains. Again this illness is often fatal.

Leptospirosis

This is one illness that can pass from dogs to humans. The disease is spread via direct contact with an infected animal or contact with its urine, or soil that has been contaminated with urine from an infected animal. Dogs can catch this disease from infected rodents and even cattle.

Puppies can also be vaccinated against some other diseases, such as kennel cough and rabies. Our vet advised that the kennel cough vaccine was only required if the puppies would be going into kennels or to doggy daycare.

If you’re unsure as to what exactly your puppy will be vaccinated against then speak to your vet for more information.

First vaccinations give your puppy some protection against these illnesses. But they must receive their second vaccination to complete the process and receive full protection.

When can my puppy go outside?

Once your puppy has had their first set of vaccinations, they can finally leave the house! But they’ll only be able to venture into your garden. This is because there is less chance of them being exposed to other animals and their waste here. It’s important to remember that your puppy won’t be fully protected until after they have had their second set of vaccinations. So caution is still required.

Nevertheless, this time is a great opportunity to get your puppy accustomed to the great outdoors! Allow them to enjoy the fresh air! It’s also a great time to start toilet training too.

When do puppies receive their second vaccination?

Around 3-4 weeks after their first set of vaccinations, your puppy will need to return to the vet for their second vaccination.

If you have bought your puppy from a breeder and are booking them in for their second vaccination, check with the vet that their vaccinations are compatible with their first vaccination.

As there are different vaccinations on the market, you’ll need to ensure that your chosen vet has a compatible vaccination for your puppy.

Second vaccinations are just as important as the first. They ensure your puppy is completely protected against a variety of potentially fatal illnesses. A puppy will only be fully protected once they complete their course of injections.

When can I take my puppy for their first walk?

Once your puppy has had his or her second vaccination, you’ll need to wait 1 week before you can take them for a walk. This is to give the vaccination time to work and to ensure your puppy is fully protected against all the diseases they may encounter on their walk.

Our vet advised avoiding bodies of water until at least 2 weeks after the second vaccination. This is because there is more bacteria around water and thus puppies will be exposed to more diseases here. So 1 week after his second vaccination, we stuck to much quieter places, such as the cemetery. This gave his immune system time to fully develop.

How much do vaccinations cost?

Because we had a litter of puppies, I was advised to enquire about breeders’ packages for our puppies. Fortunately, Animal Trust offered an excellent package. Our puppies received their first and second set of vaccinations, microchips, 3 months’ worth of flea and worm treatment, and a full vet check. This cost £75 per puppy.

Most other vets charged around the same price for just the first set of vaccinations, microchip and a vet check.

We were extremely impressed with Animal Trust. Not just for their prices, but for the way they were with the puppies that we have registered our other 2 dogs with them as well!

Unlike many other vets we have encountered, the vets and indeed all the staff at Animal Trust seemed to have a genuine love for animals. (This would seem an obvious prerequisite for working with animals but it isn’t always the case sadly). They were incredibly helpful and friendly during the booking process and really made us feel at ease on the big day!

The premises were extremely clean and welcoming too. Animal Trust is a non-profit organisation. This means they’re likely to offer the best price (and also, in my opinion, the best service). They have branches throughout the UK.