When you get a brand-new dog, you want to make sure that you are doing everything you can to maintain their health so that you can have them for a long time. That includes getting them vaccinated regularly. When it comes to vaccinations, there are some that get done just once and there are some that are done regularly.
Parvo
Parvo is a disease that can turn deadly for dogs, especially for puppies. It primarily affects the gastrointestinal tract of the dog, causing them to have things like diarrhea. That means that they aren't going to get the nutrients that they need in order to live, and they aren't going to be able to stay hydrated. Parvo can also move into the respiratory tract and make it hard for your puppy to breathe. Parvo is really contagious, so getting a vaccination for it is really important. The parvo vaccine is given as a series of three injections before about 16 weeks old as a puppy. Your puppy should also probably get a booster right around the first birthday in order to make sure that they are protected for the rest of their life. If your dog is older, they will need to get a series of two shots over the space of about 6 weeks.
Rabies
When it comes to your dog, rabies is 100% fatal. There is no treatment; there is no cure. The best treatment is to make sure that your pet doesn't get it at all. Even if your dog is an entirely inside dog, like many little dogs are, you still need to make sure that they get the rabies vaccine, especially since it is law in many areas. There are yearly shots as well as shots that only need to be administered every three years. How often your dog needs to get vaccinated tends to depend on your state and city laws. Some areas require a yearly shot, even if the three year shot is available. You may be able to get an exemption is you can get a blood test done that shows that your pet is still protected because they got the three-year shot.
If you have a dog, you want to make sure that they are as healthy as possible. Making sure that they get the vaccinations that they need to have on the right schedule is one the best things you can do for your dogs. For more information, reach out to companies like Apple Valley Animal Hospital.
