There are many highly infectious diseases that can affect your dog – and some can be potentially fatal. Fortunately, dogs can be protected from many of these infections by having vaccinations.
Vaccination is an essential part of your dog’s healthcare, so always make sure your puppy has their initial course of vaccinations and then has regular, yearly booster vaccinations to maintain protection. These can be given at their yearly vaccination appointment or health check.
Why and When Your Dog Needs Booster Vaccines:
Most puppies are vaccinated at 6 to 8 weeks old followed by repeat vaccinations at 10 to 12 weeks and again at 16 weeks.
Some dog owners may think that once their puppy has completed their course of vaccinations, they’ll be protected for life. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case and regular booster vaccinations are needed to top up the adult dog’s immune system as the protection becomes less effective over time. Some booster vaccines will need to be given every year, others every 3 years.
Some owners may be concerned that their dog is receiving too many vaccinations. Don’t worry - your vet will take lots of things into account to provide a vaccination protocol tailored specifically for your dog. They’ll consider things like how likely your dog is to travel, if they’re likely to come into contact with unvaccinated dogs, how much they’re at risk of being infected from a particular infectious disease, etc. This means your dog will only receive the most appropriate vaccines for them.
Are There Side Effects from Dog Booster Vaccinations?
Other owners may be worried about the side-effects of vaccinations. Your vet will examine your dog before any vaccinations are given to make sure they’re healthy. Your vet will also consider the benefits of protection against any problems the vaccine might cause. Reactions are rare, but your vet will be happy to answer any concerns you may have.
How Do I Know My Dog Needs Boosters?
If you’re unsure whether your dog needs another booster, a blood test can be taken. This can determine if your dog still has antibodies against a particular virus. Depending on the results, your vet may decide that your dog has sufficient protection and doesn’t need another booster at that time.
Your vet will provide you with a vaccination record or vaccine schedule. If your dog has missed their booster vaccinations by a year or so, your vet may decide that your dog needs to start again with a new course of injections to make sure your dog is fully protected.
What are the Core and Non-Core Dog Vaccines?
The vaccines that dogs are given are classed as being either “core” or “non-core". Core vaccines are those that are given routinely to most dogs because the related disease is highly contagious, widely distributed and potentially severe. Core vaccines include vaccines for viral diseases such as canine distemper, parvovirus, infectious hepatitis and leptospirosis. Boosters are required for distemper, parvovirus and infectious hepatitis every 3 years while leptospirosis is every year.
Non-core vaccines are given based on assessment of a dog’s lifestyle and risk of contracting the disease. These include vaccinations for kennel cough, Lyme disease and rabies. Boarding kennels usually insist that dogs are vaccinated against kennel cough because it’s highly contagious.
The kennel cough vaccine only lasts for 12 months so dogs that are regularly kennelled will need booster vaccinations every year. Most kennels will ask for your dog’s vaccine schedule – proof that your dog has been regularly vaccinated before they look after them.
The rabies vaccination is compulsory in many countries. Fortunately, the UK is currently ‘rabies free’ but if you plan to travel with your dog, vaccination is required. The vaccine needs to be repeated every 2-3 years to maintain protection, but booster vaccinations may be required more frequently if you take your dog abroad.
How much are Booster Vaccinations?
The cost of your dog's annual booster vaccinations can vary across the country, from vet to vet. You should be looking in the range of about £40 - £60 for the booster vaccines. If you decide to add the kennel cough vaccine to this, then you should expect the vaccine cost to be a little more.
Help Protect Your Dog with Annual Vaccinations
Protection from vaccination isn’t lifelong in many cases, so an annual vaccination appointment with your vet is very important. How long a vaccine works depends on the circumstances of your dog, the vaccines used and the manufacturer of the vaccine. Some vaccines only provide protection for 1 year while others are good for 2 to 3 years. Speaking to your vet will give you the best options to keep your dog safe and well-protected.
Everypaw Dog Insurance
Everypaw's Dog Insurance comes with 24/7 unlimited access to vets and vet nurses that can help with your pet's health, care, nutrition and behaviour. So you can rest assured your pup will be well looked after.
It's worth knowing that treatment related to vaccine-preventable conditions will be excluded if you've failed to vaccinate your pet, unless your vet's recommendation was against vaccinating.
Content provided from Vetstream's Vetlexicon Canis - www.vetstream.com/treat/canis
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