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Vaccinations for Puppies and Dogs

Puppy Vaccinations

Congratulations on your newest addition to the family! Our pediatric puppy wellness visits typically start between 6 and 8 weeks of age, and continue on an individualized booster schedule until the puppy is fully vaccinated (typically 16 weeks of age). While puppies do receive some immune support through colostrum when they are first born, this immunity typically wanes at some point between 8 and 12 weeks of age, making vaccination important for your puppy’s health.

What vaccinations do you provide to new puppies?


The most important vaccine for your puppy is the distemper/infectious hepatitis/parvovirus (DHP) vaccine which is started at 8 weeks of age, followed by a booster at 12 weeks and then at 16 weeks of age. In discussion with the veterinarian, you can decide which other vaccines you would like incorporated into your puppy’s individualized vaccine schedule in order to protect them from the anticipated exposures in their lives. We carry all of the most common vaccines available.

How should I prepare my puppy for their first vaccination visit?


We recommend bringing a hungry puppy to their first visit at the clinic. This allows us to use positive, food reward techniques to examine and vaccinate your puppy providing a happy and relaxed first exam. Please be sure to bring the records given to you from the breeder or shelter, so we can use this to develop our vaccination plan. We always recommend a stool sample in order to inform our parasite prevention/treatment plan.


 

Dog Vaccinations

Vaccinating your pet is one of the easiest ways to help them live a long and healthy life. They are a proven means of protecting your dog from illnesses in the future that may require costly and extensive treatments. Our veterinarians can recommend the vaccination program that is best suited for your pet based on a discussion of your dog’s lifestyle.

What types of vaccinations do you offer for adult dogs?


Our clinic offers core vaccines such as rabies, distemper, parvovirus and infectious hepatitis. We also have many different lifestyle-specific vaccines available including: leptospirosis, Lyme disease, bordetella, parainfluenza and influenza.

Is there a schedule for how often a dog should be vaccinated?


The frequency with which a dog needs to be vaccinated is based on their lifestyle and which vaccines an owner has selected. At Osgoode, we endeavour to use the longest acting vaccines available in order to reduce frequency of vaccination where appropriate. Even in years when vaccines are not due, we still recommend annual physical examinations in order to catch problems early and keep your pets healthier for longer.

Why is it important to vaccinate my dog?


Vaccinations are important in order to keep not only your pet, but also other pets in the community healthy. There are certain conditions that we vaccinate for which have human health implications as well (e.g. leptospirosis, rabies). It is important to note that the rabies vaccine is legally required to be kept up-to-date in all dogs and cats, regardless of their lifestyle.