Puppy Vaccinations: What You Need to Know
By: Responsible Group Australia Last updated January 30, 2023
A major part of being a responsible dog owner or breeder is taking care of the health of your puppies. Like babies, puppies need a lot of love and attention, as well as specific health needs throughout their lives. One of the most important things you can do for your puppy is to make sure they get all their vaccinations. Vaccinations are essential for keeping puppies healthy and protecting them from serious diseases that can have long-term health consequences. Even if you keep your puppy indoors, it’s still important to ensure they get their vaccinations.
This article contains general information. Always consult with your veterinarian for medical advice specific to your animal/s.
How Puppy Vaccines Work
Vaccines work by stimulating the body’s immune system to create antibodies that fight off specific infections or viruses whenever they enter the body. Puppies are especially vulnerable to certain diseases because their immune systems are still developing, especially once they have been weaned off their mother’s milk. Vaccines protect puppies from common diseases that they may encounter as well as provide immunity against other infections they may come into contact with later in life.
Puppy vaccinations are generally divided into two categories: core vaccines and non-core vaccines. Core vaccines include distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza and rabies, which are recommended for all puppies regardless of lifestyle or environment. Non-core vaccines provide protection against other infectious diseases such as kennel cough (bordetella), leptospirosis, coronavirus and Lyme disease, and may vary based on whether your puppy will be exposed to different environments or lifestyles such as boarding facilities or hunting trips.
How Many Vaccinations do Puppies Need?
The first core vaccine your puppy should receive is called the C3 vaccine. This vaccine protects against three common canine illnesses: Canine Parvovirus (CPV), Canine Distemper Virus (CDV), and Canine Adenovirus-2 (CAV-2). The C3 vaccine is typically given as part of a series over several weeks when your puppy is around 8 to 10 weeks old. It’s very important that all doses of this vaccine be completed on time in order for full immunity to be achieved.
The second core vaccine for puppies in Australia is called the C5 vaccine. This vaccine protects against five different canine diseases: CPV, CDV, CAV-2, Leptospirosis and Bordetella bronchiseptica (also known as kennel cough). The C5 vaccine is usually given at 12 weeks of age and should be followed up with a booster shot every year.
Rabies is an exotic disease in Australia and is not known to exist in dogs, but may be found in wildlife species such as bats. As such, rabies vaccinations are not required, though they may be necessary when travelling with your dog outside the country.
The following is a sample schedule for puppy vaccinations. Your veterinarian will be able to give you a more specific schedule for your puppy:
6 to 8 Weeks
First vaccination for distemper, hepatitis, and parvovirus
10 to 12 Weeks
Booster vaccination for distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza, and bordetella
14 to 16 Weeks
Final puppy vaccination for distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza, and bordetella
This schedule is dependent on the brand of vaccine that your veterinarian gives your puppy, and may have more or fewer doses depending on the formulation of the vaccine.
Ultimately, it is up to you and your veterinarian to determine the best puppy vaccination schedule for your pet based on your geographical location and lifestyle so that you can protect them from potentially deadly diseases and infections.
To make the process of raising your puppy even easier, RPBA has created resources for dog owners and breeders of all skill and experience levels.
Our Puppy Birthing Whelping Record helps you keep track of your puppies during labour and delivery.
RPBA covers everything from puppy checklists, supplies needed, to tracking weight, puppy introductions, health recording, and much more. To access these resources, click the button below to sign up and become a registered breeder with RPBA. We also encourage members of Professional Pet Dog Breeders to sign up and become part of our community.
All our registered breeders must follow the RPBA Code of Ethics as well as all state and local legislation to ensure the best standard of care for their pets.
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When getting your pet from an RPBA breeder, you will get access to the following RPBA buyer discounts:
