Do puppies need vaccines?

Yes, puppies need vaccines. Their immunity is only good while they are nursing from their mothers. Mother’s milk will protect puppies from viruses, but only for a short period of time. Around four weeks old, puppies need to start receiving vaccines, which will ensure they are protected from things like the parvo virus and distemper.

Here at Tri State Puppies we hold ourselves to a very high standard. Our puppies are given the age- appropriate shots and deworming that all puppies need. Lets go over some of the things we do vaccinate for.

Parvo Virus-Canine parvovirus is an extremely contagious viral illness that manifests itself in two different forms: cardiac and intestinal. Less common is the cardiac form, which attacks the heart muscles of neonatal puppies under 8 weeks old, often leading to death. Much more common is the intestinal form, which primarily affects puppies between the ages of six weeks and six months.

The virus can also spread from one puppy to another in many different ways. Direct contact with an infected dog or by contact with excretions such as feces or saliva.  When a person who has recently handled an infected dog and touches your puppy or when a puppy sniffs, licks, or plays with your puppy. In addition, the virus can be passed from the mother to her puppies if she is infected. Taking the temperature of your puppy before the Parvo vaccine is given to them is important because the parvo vaccine is a live virus and may cause parvo if your puppy is a bit under the weather when it is given.

Once inside the body, parvo goes to the lymph nodes near the throat. The lymph nodes, which are part of the immune system, contain disease-fighting lymphocytes. The virus invades and multiplies these lymphocytes, then enters the bloodstream while still being inside the lymphocytes. The lymphocytes that have been invaded by the virus eventually die. Puppies infected will have diarrhea and vomit, they will be become severely dehydrated.

It is very expensive to treat a puppy that is infected with the parvo virus and much cheaper to vaccinate. Puppies are given a neopar which is a vaccine for parvo only.

Distemper

Canine distemper is a contagious and serious disease caused by the canine distemper virus. The virus attacks the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems of dogs.