Everything you need to know about vaccination in dogs
For many people, vaccinating their dog against infectious diseases is a matter of course, so that the dog can live a long and healthy life. When you buy your puppy, it should already have been vaccinated once (the first vaccination is at 8 weeks of age). Then it will get a booster dose at 12 weeks of age, and another at one year of age. The first two vaccinations at 8 and 12 weeks of age are the dog's basic vaccination. The next vaccination is then given at 1 year of age.
An adult dog must then be vaccinated annually against kennel cough and every three years they must be vaccinated against distemper, hepatitis, parvo and kennel cough combined.
What is the dog vaccinated against?
- Mumps
Canine distemper is caused by a virus called Canine Distemper Virus (CDV). Canine distemper can lead to a very serious illness which unfortunately often results in death for affected dogs. Thanks to the fact that we in Sweden are good at vaccinating our puppies, this disease is very rare.
- Hepatitis
It is HCC (hepatitis contagiosa canis), which is a virus-caused hepatitis that this vaccine protects against. The disease can have a rapid course in both puppies and dogs, and can lead to very severe illness and sudden death. Due to widespread vaccination, it is not common here in Sweden.
- Parvo
Parvo or parvovirus is a virus that is widespread throughout the world and also in Sweden. If your dog is infected, it can make the dog very ill. Again, the good habit of Swedish dog owners to vaccinate their dogs has resulted in the disease being rare among our native dogs.
- Kennel cough
Kennel cough is a collective name for a contagious respiratory infection in dogs. Common symptoms of kennel cough are coughing, runny nose and sometimes fever. When vaccinating your dog against kennel cough, it is good to know that your dog is not fully protected against kennel cough. A vaccinated dog can still get kennel cough, but they will usually have milder symptoms.
Unvaccinated puppies
You should be careful about meeting other dogs before the second vaccination at 12 weeks of age, after which vaccination protection is expected to be complete. If you let the puppy meet other dogs before then, they must be vaccinated. Humans pose very little risk to the puppy and are normally fine, although in theory humans can bring infectious agents to the puppy from a sick dog via their clothes, for example.
Vaccination when travelling abroad
When travelling abroad with your dog, it is usually required that the dog has had a rabies vaccination (all countries except Norway) and other vaccinations (for example, against leptospira) may be appropriate depending on the country you are travelling to. If you are going to travel with your dog, you should always check with each country what their recommendations and requirements are for bringing the dog into the country.
