Why do we vaccinate your new puppy so many times?
So it won't die from an easily preventable disease.
That's why.
The 'baby diseases' are often lethal, hard to treat, they spread quickly among the puppies and they come unexpectedly.
The one I have seen as the most efficient and quickest assasin is Parvo virus.
This nasty disease will kill up to 95% of all infected animals, spread quickly and easily among the whole population of susceptible dogs, and usually start a week after you just bought your seemingly perfect pup.
The maternal antibodies from the colostrum (first fluid that baby animals suckle in the 24-48 hrs post-partum, depending on the species) will be present in the babie's blood stream up to 5-6 weeks of age, after which they deteriorate quickly. This is the window where the animals that were exposed to the virus will show the symptoms of the disease.
Parvo in particular kills usually within a week from when the first symptoms start (vomiting, diarea).
The vaccination protocol for babies is a bit more intense than for adult dogs, because of the maternal antibodies. Their presence in the blood stream interferes with the immune response of the puppy, because the antibodies are already there and the puppy's immune system is not provoked to create enough of it's own antibodies. However, the mom's ones don't stay active for long. And then what happens, the baby gets sick. Either the pup was vaccinated too early and all the vaccine components were 'taken care of' by the mom's antibodies, or the pup was not vaccinated enough times following the right schedule. (Another possible influence compromising a sufficient immune response after vaccinations is if the animal, at the time of vaccination, was otherwise ill and suffering from another issue-this can be malnutrition, congenital disease, severe parasite infestation, administration of medication, etc...)
So to do it right, call you vet before walking in with your new baby. Remember that exposing your new pup to other dogs also means exposing it to disease. Until your pup is fully vaccinated, you will need to keep it in quarantine. The animal is fully vaccinated 2-3 weeks after the last 'baby' vaccination, however this time highly depends on the vaccine brand and the manufacturer (the big pharmaceutical company which designs the vaccines), so always check with your vet. The schedule of vaccinations vary depending where you live and what protocol your vet is following.
Another reason why it is better to always make an appointment for a puppy that did not finish receiving all the vaccines, is that another puppy could be in the waiting room, sick, and potentially dangerous to your one. So be smart and be the one who called to come in, as your vet and all the support staff will make sure the cross contamination does not occur or at least is reduced to a minimum.
Two examples of a puppy vaccination protocol are;
Ex. A)
1st vaccine at 8 weeks of age
2nd vaccine at 12 weeks of age
3rd vaccine at 16 weeks of age
With this protocol, your animal is usually considered fully vaccinated at the time it is 18 weeks old.
Ex. B)
1st vaccine at 6-8 weeks of age
2nd vaccine at 9-12 weeks of age
With this protocol, your animal is usually considered fully vaccinated between 11-14 weeks of age.
An additional vaccination for rabies will occur at the second or third visit, depending on the clinic, the area and current situation in the region. Sometimes clinics vaccinate twice, some even four times as far as I know, with regards to regular baby vaccinations. In some countries, you pup will have to be microchiped by law at a certain age as well, either at the time of it's rabies vaccination or before it. If you are planning international travel, this might change the vaccination schedule as well. (More on this in another blog)
During your first visit with your new best friend at the vet, ask about preventative medication, deworming, breed specific conditions, diet advice, and mention if the pup is the only animal in the household or not.
And congratulations! It is going to be a lot of fun!