Your new puppy has changed your life for the better. All you have to do is look at their sweet face, and you cannot help but smile. You want to provide your special creature with the best care possible. Our team at Boca Midtowne Animal Hospital thought educating you on the recommended puppy vaccines would be helpful. All dogs can be infected with these diseases, but unvaccinated dogs and puppies less than 4 months old are most at risk.

How does parvovirus affect my puppy?

Parvovirus is a highly contagious virus that damages the stomach and small intestine, and decreases the immune system’s ability to fight the infection. 

  • Exposure — Dogs are infected by exposure to an infected dog, contaminated feces, or contaminated objects (e.g., hands, shoes, collar, kennel surfaces).
  • Signs — Signs include fever, lethargy, vomiting, and bloody diarrhea.
  • Diagnosis — A fecal test can confirm a parvo diagnosis.
  • Treatment — Treatment involves fluid therapy, nutritional support, and antibiotics to help prevent secondary bacterial infections. Parvo is a serious disease that can cause death without prompt and aggressive treatment. 

How does distemper affect my puppy?

Canine distemper is a contagious, viral disease that attacks the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems.

  • Exposure — Dogs are infected by exposure to an infected dog or contaminated objects. They can also be infected by inhaling droplets dispersed by an infected dog. 
  • Signs — Signs include runny eyes, fever, lethargy, nasal discharge, coughing, and vomiting. If the disease progresses to nervous system damage, dogs will exhibit circling behavior, muscle twitches, seizures, and paralysis.
  • Diagnosis — Available tests are unreliable, so a diagnosis is usually based on the pet’s history and clinical signs.
  • Treatment — Treatment involves fluid therapy, nutritional support, and antibiotics to help prevent secondary bacterial infections. Unfortunately, distemper has a high mortality rate in infected puppies.

How does hepatitis affect my puppy?

Canine infectious hepatitis is a contagious, viral disease that targets your pet’s liver, blood vessels, kidneys, spleen, and lungs.

  • Exposure — Dogs are infected by exposure to an infected dog’s urine, feces, or saliva.
  • Signs — Signs include fever, runny eyes and nose, vomiting, cloudy eyes, and bleeding, manifested by bruising, nose bleeds, or blood in urine and feces.
  • Diagnosis — Diagnosis is made by blood tests in conjunction with clinical signs.
  • Treatment — Treatment involves fluid therapy, nutritional support, and antibiotics to help prevent secondary bacterial infections.

How does parainfluenza affect my puppy?

Canine parainfluenza is a highly contagious virus and one of several pathogens that cause “kennel cough,”which is frequently seen when numerous dogs are housed in close proximity.

  • Exposure — Dogs are infected by exposure to an infected dog or contaminated objects, and by inhaling droplets dispersed by an infected dog.
  • Signs — Signs include lethargy, fever, hacking cough, and nasal discharge.
  • Diagnosis — Diagnosis is usually made based on history and clinical signs.
  • Treatment — Treatment involves ensuring your pet remains well-hydrated, but they typically do not require hospitalization. The virus is self-limiting and usually resolves in 6 to 14 days.

How does bordetella affect my puppy?

Bordetella bronchiseptica causes a contagious bacterial infection that is another cause of “kennel cough.” 

  • Exposure — Dogs are infected by exposure to an infected dog or contaminated objects, and by inhaling droplets dispersed by an infected dog.
  • Signs — Signs include lethargy, fever, hacking cough, and nasal discharge.
  • Diagnosis — Diagnosis is usually based on history and clinical signs.
  • Treatment — Treatment involves antibiotics, and ensuring your pet remains well-hydrated. While most puppies recover uneventfully, any respiratory infection can progress to pneumonia and cause serious lung damage, or death.

How does leptospirosis affect my puppy?

Leptospirosis, often called lepto, is a bacterial infection that targets the pet’s liver and kidneys. Dogs at risk are those who drink from natural water sources, or live in close proximity to wildlife or farm animals. Lepto can be spread from dogs to humans.

  • Exposure — Dogs are infected by exposure to an infected animal’s urine, or from an infected animal’s bite.
  • Signs — Signs include fever, muscle soreness, vomiting, diarrhea, and eye irritation.
  • Diagnosis — Diagnosis is made based on history, clinical signs, and blood tests.
  • Treatment — Treatment involves antibiotic therapy for at least two weeks. If your dog is diagnosed with lepto, avoid their urine, and do not allow your pet to urinate in areas accessible to other dogs or people.

A vaccination schedule to prevent puppy diseases

Vaccinations are available to protect your puppy from the above diseases. Here is what their vaccination schedule will look like.

  • Parvo and distemper — Vaccinations for parvo and distemper are started at 6 to 8 weeks of age, with boosters given at 10 to 12 weeks, 16 to 18 weeks, 12 to 16 months, and then yearly.
  • Hepatitis and parainfluenza — Vaccinations for hepatitis and parainfluenza are started at 10 to 12 weeks in a combined shot that includes parvo and distemper. Boosters are given at 16 to 18 weeks, 12 to 16 months, and then yearly.
  • Bordetella — Vaccination for bordetella starts at 6 to 8 weeks, with boosters at 10 to 12 weeks, 12 to 16 months, and then yearly. Bordetella vaccination is optional.
  • Leptospirosis — Lepto vaccination, which is also optional, starts at 10 to 12 weeks. Boosters are given at 16 to 18 weeks, 12 to 16 months, and then yearly.

Each puppy is unique, with their own special needs. Contact Boca Midtowne Animal Hospital to make an appointment for our team to devise the best possible wellness plan and vaccination schedule for your puppy.