New puppies need more than love
NEW puppies need more than just pats and cuddles in the first few months of their lives – they also need to be immunised against disease.
Dubbo veterinarian Megan Kelly said vaccinations are an essential part of their care, with puppies requiring a course of three vaccinations to be fully protected against canine respiratory viruses, distemper, hepatitis and parvovirus.
The first vaccinations for puppies are given at 6-8 weeks of age with a booster at 10-12 weeks of age and a final booster at 14-16 weeks.
The full course of three vaccinations must be completed to ensure full protection.
Without all three vaccinations, puppies are still at risk of contracting a preventable disease.
This is also an opportunity to discuss any other health concerns with a vet.
Dr Kelly listed parvovirus as being most common in dogs under 12 months of age who have not had a full course of vaccinations.
Puppies can contract parvovirus from the soil or where there has been faeces from an infected dog. It is a horrible disease and puppies often do not survive despite intensive and costly treatments. However, parvovirus is totally preventable through vaccinations.
Parks, dog parks, riverbanks and backyards which have previously housed an infected dog are often risk sites where parvovirus is contracted.
If there has been a sick dog in the backyard previously, or there is uncertainty of this, it is best not to bring a new canine addition home until they have been fully vaccinated.
Puppies are fully protected against parvovirus 10 days after their third vaccination so it is important not to walk or take a puppy into public areas until this time.
An annual booster is then administered to provide ongoing protection.
Vet surgeries can often send out a reminder of this so that pet owners can always keep their best friend safe.