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Vaccinations and Your Dog
It is very important to give your dog vaccinations! This is also a very important part of any total dog health care program. However, knowing what to vaccinate your dog for and how often to give your dog "its shots" are two very important questions. Basically, regular vaccines can prevent your dog from contracting many terrible diseases. Canine parvovirus and canine distemper are two of the most important viruses to vaccinate for. Although your new puppy may squirm or even cry out when getting his shots, you must remember that it is just as important for your puppy to receive these "annual shots" as it is for your children to get their annual vaccines. In fact, by keeping up to date on all your dog's vaccines, you could save his life. Basically, vaccinations are injections of a small dose of a specific disease (or combination of several diseases), which will prevent your puppy from developing that very disease by creating the necessary antibodies to fight it off later in life.
When using a vaccine that must be mixed first, there are four simple steps to follow. First: mix the vaccine by withdrawing all of the liquid from the appropriate vial. Second, inject it into the vial containing the dried portion of the vaccine. Third, remove the syringe, shake the vial to mix up the vaccination, and fourth, re-insert the needle and then withdraw the entire 1 ml contents of the mixed vaccination and administer. Two different types of vaccinations exist which are a Modified Live Vaccine and a Killed Vaccine. A Killed Vaccine is when the virus itself has been killed before any injection occurs. A Modified Live Vaccine is the live disease being injected, while having been altered by the drug company to be unable to cause the disease it is protecting against. Most vaccinations are administered subcutaneously (by injecting the vaccine just under the skin). One of the best areas is located in the shoulder or neck area. Simply lift a tent of skin into a triangle with one hand, and inject the vaccine with the other hand. Note: always use a separate sterile needle and syringe for each dog and also for each injection, and then dispose of all used needles and syringes in a safe location. I feel that the best advice I can offer is that dog owners continue vaccinating their dogs according to their local laws and the recommendations of their own veterinarian or pet health professional. Since the annual vaccines are not harming dogs in any evident way, there is no cause for alarm and no harm in continuing the same routine until the veterinary community makes up its collective mind that a change is in order with regard to dog vaccines. In the meantime, a little prevention can go a very long way to keep your dog healthy and happy.
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