Vaccines For Dogs: What Vaccines Does Your Dog Needs?

If you have a dog or are considering getting one, then you should know about the important shots which will help it to fight against diseases that are common in canines. Here are very important vaccinations that your dog needs.

1. Vaccine For Canine Parvovirus

Canine Parvovirus is caused by a very resilient virus that is resistant to almost anything and everything, like heat, water, wind, pressure, etc. The vaccine for this disease is very important and considered to be a core shot for the dog because Parvovirus is up there with rabies in its adverse effects and spreading capabilities.

It is usually spread through canine-to-canine contact, and surface contact, and it can even be transmitted through the feces of an infected dog. You should look for a dog vaccination clinic near me to get your dog vaccinated. Some very common symptoms of canine Parvovirus are as under:

• Extremely low body temperature (lower than room temperature) 
• No interest in eating food
• Being lazy all the time
• Bloating and swelling in the stomach area
• Septic shock 
• Blood in the feces
• Feces being runny, or severe diarrhea 
• Vomiting, which may lead to dangerous levels of dehydration 

2. Vaccine For Rabies

This is probably the most common and dangerous disease which can occur in dogs. Rabies is a disease mostly found in unvaccinated stray dogs, and if these dogs come in contact with either human or home dogs, this disease can be contracted very easily and it can cause a lot of issues, in other dogs and humans alike.

The rabies vaccine for dog is deemed compulsory by the law in a lot of countries and if you want to take your dog for traveling, then their vaccination card for rabies is a must. Rabies can be quite aggressive for dogs and it is one of the few very dangerous canine diseases.

Here are some symptoms which are commonly found in rabid dogs:

• Aggressive behavior 
• Sensitivity to light and sounds that may lead to the dog being more aggressive and irritated 
• Foaming in the mouth
• Paralysis 
• Change in eye color, mostly turning red or shiny green
• Mucus-like saliva dripping constantly from the mouth 

If a rabid dog bites a healthy dog or even another human, this disease can be transmitted through their saliva and into the bloodstream of the bitten individual and this can lead to infections in the bitten area along with somewhat similar symptoms, as mentioned above. When it’s about rabies vaccine for dog, never delay it.

3. Vaccine For Canine Hepatitis

Vaccines for canine hepatitis is also a core vaccination that needs to be added to the shot schedule of your dog. If you search for any dog vaccination clinic near me, it will have the canine hepatitis vaccine for dogs. Hepatis is caused by the adenovirus and the vaccine helps to build antibodies in the canine’s immune system.

Hepatitis is a disease that is found in mostly stray dogs, but adopted puppies or newborns can also contract this aggressive disease. Just like hepatitis in humans, canine hepatitis can target several organs, namely:

• Liver
• Heart 
• Spleen
• Gallbladder
• Stomach
• Kidneys, etc. 
• Some very common symptoms of canine hepatitis are as follows:
• High-grade fever
• Blood clotting issues, in case of an injury
• Low white cells in the blood
• Swollen eyes
• Loss of appetite but gain in thirst 

The prolonging of these symptoms can actually lead to a medical emergency and if it is not treated properly and quickly, it can lead to death by multiple organ failure, dehydration, or clotting of blood in the brain. This is why it’s critical to get vaccines for dogs on time.

4. Distemper Vaccine

Canine distemper is a very common gastrointestinal disease that can occur in dogs, squirrels, raccoons, and other animals. The vaccine for distemper is considered to be a core vaccination that needs to be administered to the dog as soon as it is eligible for a vet, which is about 4 to 8 months old. Find low cost vaccinations for dogs near me and never delay this vaccine.

Distemper disease can also affect the nervous and respiratory system of the dog and it can actually affect puppies more adversely than older dogs. The disease is spread through the air and it is very common if your dog is outdoors a lot and hangs out with wild animals more because you need to keep in mind the fact that this disease can be found in animals living in the wild too.

Here are some symptoms of distemper disease and how it can affect your dog. 

• Pus-like discharge coming from the eyes
• Lethargy and always being weak
• Having difficulty walking
• Loss of appetite 
• Gum and teeth problems 
• Excessive saliva coming from the mouth
• Diarrhea and loss of hydration 
• Vomiting and passing of loose, water-like feces

5. Bronchiseptica Vaccine

Bronchiseptica is a disease caused by a bacterium called Bordetella Bronchiseptica and it can cause a lot of respiratory issues in your dog. It can occur in smaller aged puppies but older dogs are a big target as well.

This vaccine is not considered as important as the other core ones such as rabies vaccine for dog, but some countries do require the vaccination card for Bronchiseptica, otherwise, your dog might not be able to travel. This vaccine is administered based on the symptoms and how your furry friend is feeling.

Some dogs might not show symptoms at all, but this can be a lethal disease in the case of older dogs past the age of 15 to 17 years. Here are some symptoms of Bronchiseptica:

• Very pronounced honking like cough in puppies
• Mild fever in middle-aged dogs
• Difficulty in breathing and extreme wheezing in older dogs
• Clear or green-colored discharge from the nose 

After the exposure of the virus to the dog, the symptoms can last for about 10 to 20 days, before they start to diminish and the dog will be healthy again. So, look up low cost vaccinations for dogs near me and get your dog vaccinated.

6. Coronavirus Vaccine

This disease is not to be confused with COVID-19. Canine coronavirus is a completely different thing from the human coronavirus and it has been around in dogs way before the outbreak of 2019-20.

Coronavirus in dogs affects the intestines and the digestive system and it is highly infectious. This disease is quite short-lived and it can diminish in a matter of days. It is transmitted through the feces of an infected dog and some symptoms are:

• Reduced appetite 
• Stomach aches, in the early onset of this disease 
• Either there is no passing of stools or the stool is very loose and has a bright orange or yellow hue to it

You should go to a dog vaccination clinic near me and get the coronavirus vaccine for your dog if the dog you are adopting is a stray dog or has been on the streets for some time, otherwise, a house puppy or dog doesn’t need to be vaccinated until or unless it has excessive exposure to outdoors and other animals.

7. Heartworm Vaccine

You might have heard of worms in the stomach or feces, but worms in the heart might be a new thing to you. It is a very fatal disease that is caused by a parasite called Dirofilaria Immitis. This parasite can be transmitted through blood and soon it can go into the heart and lay eggs. These eggs can grow into worms over time and cause a lot of lethal issues for your dog.

The main symptom of this disease is insufficient blood circulation in many areas of the dog’s body, which can lead to gangrene, bulging veins, and rapid heartbeat. It can lead to death since these worms can clog the veins and arteries supplying blood to different parts of the body and if blood doesn’t reach the lungs or brain on time, it can lead to clinical brain death in dogs.

These vaccines for dogs are important to be administered to dogs, especially in mosquito season, because these small flying insects can also be transmitters of heartworms from one dog to another.

8. Vaccine For Lyme Disease

This disease is common in dogs with long and thick coats. If you know anything about dogs, then ticks and fleas are inevitable in dogs with long coats. Sometimes, these small virtually harmless insects can lead to devastating effects on dogs, like Lyme disease.

The main cause of Lyme disease is a bacteria found in ticks, called Borrelia burgdorferi. The most common symptoms of this disease are:

• High fever for 10 to 14 days
• Sluggish behavior 
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Loss of appetite 
• Dehydration due to diarrhea and vomiting 
• Discharge of blood from the nose
• Pain in the joints 

Some dogs might not even show symptoms at all, which can be more tricky to diagnose. This vaccine is important if your dog has a lot of ticks because the shot will also help to reduce ticks, as well as any underlying cause of Lyme disease.

Dog breeds like German Shepherds, Australian Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Huskies, etc. are the perfect candidate for Lyme disease as they have thick and luscious coats and are good breeding grounds for ticks and other hair insects. You can search for low cost vaccinations for dogs near me and have this vaccine administered to puppies and even middle-aged dogs.

Conclusion

There you have it!  These vaccines for dogs will not only make your own dog healthy but will also prevent it from spreading diseases to other animals and even humans.