You may be making a lot of trips to the vet during the first few months of your puppy’s life, but you definitely don’t want to miss an appointment! Vaccines and boosters will help give your dog a long, happy life and prevent dangerous diseases. The following are some of the vaccinations that your veterinarian will discuss with you. Not all are necessary for every puppy; however, some are vital.

 

• Bordetella: A highly contagious disease that is the main culprit behind kennel cough. May cause severe coughing, vomiting, and occasionally death. While this is an optional vaccine, if you ever plan to board your dog or enroll them in group training classes, this vaccine will likely be required.

• Canine Distemper: A contagious, viral disease that can be transmitted by other dogs as well as wild animals, such as raccoons and skunks. This disease is recognizable by symptoms like a runny nose and eyes, as well as fever, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, and paralysis. Contracting Canine Distemper often leads to death.

• Canine Hepatitis: While different from the human form, this disease can cause issues with the eyes, lungs, liver, kidneys, and spleen. Common symptoms include fever, congestion, jaundice, vomiting, enlarged stomach, and, of course, pain in the area of the liver. 

• Canine Para influenza: Can contribute to kennel cough.

• Canine Coronavirus: This is different from the strain found in people. COVID-19 is not believed to be a risk to dogs. However, this preventable disease can cause symptoms that are similar to canine distemper.

• Leptospirosis: A bacterial disease found in soil and water. While sometimes asymptomatic, this disease can be passed to people as well as to other animals. More severe symptoms include vomiting, pain in the abdomen, diarrhea, weakness, jaundice, and organ failure.

• Lyme Disease: Dogs do not show a rash like people might when exposed to this bacterial disease. This tick-borne illness causes severe symptoms such as limping, swollen lymph nodes, fever, and loss of appetite. If left untreated, Lyme Disease can begin to affect a dog’s heart, kidneys, joints, and brain function.

• Parvovirus: This disease most often affects puppies less than four months of age, but any unvaccinated dog is at risk. It’s a gastrointestinal disease that causes the dog or puppy to stop eating, fever, vomiting, and bloody diarrhea. Death due to dehydration can occur within 48-72 hours.

• Rabies: A viral disease that affects the central nervous system. Can cause headache, hallucinations, drooling/foaming at the mouth, refusal to drink water, paralysis, and death. Treatment within hours of exposure is key, otherwise death is very likely to occur.