Vaccinate Your Dog Regularly

What should my dog be vaccinated against?

In Ireland puppies are routinely vaccinated against highly contagious and serious diseases: Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus and Leptospirosis. Your pet will require a primary vaccination course which means that 2 injections are initially required, the first one from the age 6 weeks old and the second one 2 to 4 weeks later (this can vary depending on brand of vaccine used). After that your pet will require annual boosters. Your pet will be vaccinated against Leptospirosis every year and Distemper, Hepatitis and Parvovirus every 3 years. Your vet will administer the vaccination by injecting your pet under the skin.

Kennel cough

In addition to the routine vaccinations, you can also choose to get your dog vaccinated against Kennel Cough. Kennel cough is rarely life-threatening but very contagious and troublesome for a dog that has been infected. Kennel cough is a common disease. It is common for the vaccination against kennel cough to be administered at the same time as the routine vaccinations. If the dog is to continue to be protected against kennel cough, it is necessary that the vaccination is given every year. Protection against kennel cough is especially important for dogs that stay in places where there are lots of dogs, such as dog daycare, boarding houses, kennels and competitions. It is important to be mindful that your pet could contract Kennel Cough by even having contact with another dog in the park The vaccine does not fully protect against the disease, but the symptoms of any disease are usually significantly milder. It is not an injection; it is liquid that your vet will squirt up your pet’s nose. Many kennels require your pet to be vaccinated against kennel cough before they will accept to take your dog.

Ask your vet about vaccinations for your particular dog.

Vaccination when travelling

Are you and your dog going on a trip? Remember to check the entry requirements for the specific country you are traveling to as the entry rules may vary. Prepare in plenty of time before your travel especially if it outside of the EU/UK in which case you will need to contact the Department of Agriculture, Food and The Marine for advice a few months before you intend to travel.

Rabies vaccine

When travelling, it is important that your dog is vaccinated against rabies. Your pet will need an EU Pet Passport to travel within the EU and a rabies vaccination is required before this can be issued. Travel may only take place 21 days after the rabies vaccination has been administered. How often you need to top up your dog’s rabies vaccination is different depending on the brand of rabies vaccine used. Therefore, it is important that you yourself keep track of when it is time to top up.

Why should you vaccinate your dog regularly?

It is important that your dog is at the very minimum vaccinated against Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus and Leptospirosis. Even if your dog does not have a lot of direct contact with other dogs, it is still possible that they can contract these life-threatening infections as they can become infected from the environment. Leptospirosis for example is present in the urine of infected rats, and your beloved pet could become gravely sick by coming in contact with infected urine e.g., drinking from a contaminated puddle of water in the park.

As the saying goes “prevention is better than cure” don’t take any chances with your pet, phone your vet today for an appointment if your furry friend’s vaccinations are overdue.