Vaccinating Your Dog

Vaccinations protect dogs from serious, often fatal diseases. Not every vaccination makes sense for every dog. Which ones are really necessary depends on your dog's circumstances, your region, and your dog's age.

Core vs. optional vaccinations

Too many vaccinations put an unnecessary strain on the body. Only the truly necessary vaccinations should be given. For all the others, you have to weigh up whether they make sense for that particular dog.

Optional vaccinations protect against diseases that occur less often or have less serious consequences. They make sense when a dog is especially at risk for certain reasons: for example, if it spends a lot of time in forests and tick-prone areas, where a vaccination against babesiosis or Lyme disease is worthwhile. Discuss this individually with your vet.

3 types of vaccine

Depending on which disease they protect against, there are different types of vaccine.

1. Live vaccines

The pathogens introduced into the body have not yet been killed: but they are weakened and injected in such a small dose that the immune system can fight them off without the disease breaking out. This way the body rehearses for the real thing, and its defenses get ready for possible infections. In weakened or sick dogs, the immune system may not be able to fully fight off the pathogens after a vaccination with live vaccines.

2. Inactivated vaccines

The bacteria and viruses in the injection have been killed beforehand: they can no longer multiply or cause an infection. Sometimes only parts of the pathogens (antigens) are injected. The protection isn't quite as strong as with live vaccines.

3. Combination vaccines

These protect against several diseases at once. The body has to fight off several pathogens at the same time: the protection is often not as strong as with single vaccinations. Boosters are harder to plan, since some vaccines last longer than others.

Primary immunization and vaccination schedule

Most vaccinations have to be given several times at intervals of about four weeks: this is called primary immunization. In puppies, it mostly begins at 8 weeks of age. Booster shots extend the protection: after one year or after three years, depending on the disease.

In their first weeks of life, puppies receive antibodies from their mother through her milk. These maternal antibodies are broken down over time. When immunity is fading but there are still enough defenses present to block a vaccination, this is called the immunological gap. Most vaccinations are given from 8 weeks of age: some as early as week 4.

Vaccination chart

The most important vaccinations

Rabies

Viral infection, transmitted via saliva (e.g., through the bite of an infected animal). First symptoms: behavioral changes and neurological deficits. Rabies is a zoonosis (transmissible from animals to humans) and fatal for both humans and animals. First vaccination: from 12 weeks of age. Booster: every 3 years.

Distemper

Highly contagious, transmitted by droplet infection. Causes inflammation in the lungs, intestines, and brain: fatal in many cases. Primary immunization: possible from week 4, at the latest from week 8, repeated at weeks 12 and 16 and at 15 months of age. Booster: every 3 years. Often combined as a 6-in-1 vaccine against distemper, parvovirus, HCC, rabies, leptospirosis, and kennel cough.

Parvovirus

High risk of infection, transmitted via feces. Symptoms: severe vomiting, watery and bloody diarrhea, fever. Can be fatal. Primary immunization: possible from week 4, at the latest from week 8, repeated at weeks 12 and 16 and at 15 months of age. Booster: every 3 years.

Leptospirosis

Caused by bacteria, transmitted via urine. Causes organ damage: kidney damage, jaundice, lung bleeding. Fatal when vital organs are involved. First vaccination: from 8 weeks of age, repeated after 4 weeks. Booster: yearly.

Hepatitis

Viral infection with vomiting, nausea, and jaundice: often fatal. Primary immunization: from week 8 with repeats at weeks 12 and 16 and at 15 months of age. Booster: every 3 years.

Kennel cough

A mixed infection caused by several pathogens. Typical sign: a strong, barking cough. Highly contagious.

Lyme disease (optional vaccination)

A bacterial illness caused by a tick bite. Symptoms: joint inflammation and organ damage. The vaccine doesn't work against all Borrelia species: tick protection is often more effective. First vaccination: from 12 weeks, follow-up after 3–5 weeks, yearly booster.

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