Puppy Vaccinations Back
Congratulations on your new family member!
Over the first few months of his/her life, we hope your puppy will visit Bickford Park Animal Hospital often. During these visits, we aim to establish a strong foundation for their future health and a great relationship for you and your puppy with our wonderful caring team. Each visit will include a thorough physical examination, age-appropriate vaccinations, parasite control, nutrition, weight and behaviour counselling. These visits are the perfect opportunity to ask the veterinarian for any advice or help that you may require with your new puppy. Of course, if you have any questions outside of appointment times, please call us and we will be very happy to help.
Recommended schedule for puppy vaccination
At Bickford Vet, we provide a full schedule of ongoing puppy vaccinations. Different vaccinations are required as your puppy grows. These are the vaccinations that your puppy will need right away.
- Canine Distemper
- Canine Hepatitis (Adenovirus type 2)
- Canine Parainfluenza
- Canine Parvovirus
After the age of 16 weeks, puppies will receive a Rabies vaccine at the final visit.
As your puppy grows older and becomes an adult dog, we will keep you up to date of the schedule of vaccinations required.
Importance of vaccinating your puppy
It is imperative to keep your puppy safe from multiple infectious diseases that can be contracted while they are young. For example, canine cough, canine hepatitis etc. are extremely contagious and young puppies are especially susceptible to them without the appropriate and timely vaccinations. At Bickford Vet, we give your puppy multiple boosters as each successive booster strengthens the immune response. Also, after 16 weeks, a Rabies shot is required not only to protect your puppy from the deadly disease but also to be compliant with the Toronto city by-law which requires all pets to be vaccinated against Rabies. Rabies is a disease that is fatal to both animals and humans and is commonly carried by mammals such as skunks, foxes, raccoons, bats and coyotes.
Some other things to be careful about for the safety of your puppy:
- Avoid walking your puppy in high dog traffic areas until after the third Parvovirus vaccine.
- If you wish to enroll in puppy training classes, it is advisable to select a facility that requires proof of vaccination for all puppies in attendance.
Appropriate age for a puppy to be vaccinated
Appropriate time for beginning the vaccination for your puppy is 8 weeks. After that, there are follow up booster vaccinations at 12 and 16 weeks of age. If your puppy’s breeder has administered vaccinations before you get your puppy, we will adjust the schedule accordingly.
First vaccination visit
First few visits with the vet are a bit lengthy as we strive to provide as much information as possible. We take the time to answer all your questions about your new puppy. You can be prepared with the following things for your first visit to make it successful:
- Please share the name of the food brand that your puppy is consuming
- Small fecal sample from your puppy to rule out any intestinal parasites, even if the deworming has been done. These parasites can recur in young puppies.
- Any documentation of adoption or purchase
Costs for vaccinating a puppy
The estimated cost will be provided when you book your first visit with us. We will also provide you with a schedule of subsequent visits and boosters required to ensure your puppy’s vaccination is up to date.