It is suggested that you should regularly vaccinate your puppy against many important infectious and life-threatening diseases. All dogs must be routinely vaccinated against Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus and rabies a number of countries. Additionally, dogs can be vaccinated to help prevent Kennel Cough. This vaccine is really essential for dogs regularly attending shows or visiting boarding kennels.
Mothers protection.
As I’m sure your aware you need to get your puppy vaccinated for a reason because he won't be immune from diseases from birth. The mother does give some immunity from the blood via the placenta and in its first milk (also known as colostrum’s). But beware this immunity fades pretty quickly (6-8 weeks!) . Because of this it is best to get your puppy it's first vaccination from 2 months of age. Also be aware that the mother is not going to pass on antibodies that she's not vaccinated for herself. So double check the mother has all her shots up to par!
What age should i get my puppy vaccinated?
It is recommended to get the puppy his first number of vaccinations at the age of 6 weeks. Now this could vary in some litters but a majority of the time 6 weeks he'll be good to go. Best thing to do is ring a veterinarian and tell him what type of dog you have and he can present you with a more detailed puppy vaccination schedule.
Puppy vaccination schedules changes from city to city and country to country but through the age of
6-8 weeks - distemper, measles and parainfluenza
10-12 weeks - DHPP (vaccinations for distemper, adenvirus (hepatitis), parainfluenza and parvovirus
12-24 weeks - Rabies
14-16 weeks - DHPP
Your vet is likely to advise to obtain another rabies & DHPP shot at the age of 12-16 months then a rabies shot every 1-3 years there after.
Things to remember
It is extremely important to keep your puppy indoors and free from other dogs until seven days after his last injection. This is to avoid infection and until he is fully protected up against the big bad world!
Your vet will provide you with a vaccination record book/sheet of all your puppies injections thus far and will also have dates for future boosters/vaccinations etc. If he doesn’t, ensure that you ask him for it as its an important document specifically if you are planning on insuring or breeding the dog down the line!
All of the diseases already mentioned share the very same initial indications of depression, a higher temperature and a loss in appetite, if you think the dog is acting strange or unwell especially before these vaccinations get him to the vet immediately.
Some breeds of dogs need a different puppy vaccination schedule, my Rottweiler Macy needed to have extra parvo vaccinations, there obviously weaker to that particular virus. Your vet will advise you on any special requirements your dog might need.
Your dog may not need to get annual boosters as some dogs are less prone to getting diseases, a veterinarian can advise you on this. But if you plan on breeding your puppy you may need to get him special vaccinations, once again your vet can advise you on these issues.