Is your dog vaccinated?

We hear a lot about vaccinations for your lovable pets, but do you actually know the reason why they have to have these important jabs?

What are vaccinations?

From puppies, it’s really important to stimulate your pets immune systems in an effort to produce the antibodies that they’ll need to fight off potential infection from disease. Your pet is given a weak dose of each disease.

At 6-8 weeks old, your pup can begin having his first injections, followed by a second as few weeks later at 10-12 weeks of age. If they need more, your vet will let you know as a third and final injection may be necessary, however most are done and dusted after two. These vaccinations prevent against distemper, Hepatitis or infectious liver disease, or Parvovirus, Para-influenza and Leptospirosis, or infectious kidney disease.

When is best to vaccinate my puppy?

It’s best to give your new family member a week to get settled into their new environment and take time to adjust to being away from their mother before you begin the vaccinations. This means that any diseases that are coming to light can be treated before starting the course.

Why are vaccinations important?

It’s really important to make sure that before your pup is vaccinated – and until two weeks afterwards – you should ensure that he doesn’t come into contact with any other animals who could be unvaccinated. Try not to pop them down in areas where unvaccinated dogs may have been present, like in the local park, or on a quick trip to the corner shop. Please do feel free to take them outside in this time so that they can become familiar with new smells and surrounding, although ensure that you carry them at all times.

If your pet is under the weather when the vaccination process is due to commence, the vet may decide to leave the vaccination until the puppy has fully recovered to ensure they are not affected. Following on from this, if your puppy seems to be acting differently and shows signs of being unwell after the vaccination, feel free to contact your vet immediately.

Is that one vaccination enough?

Throughout your dog’s life, you should ensure that some vaccinations are up to date. Kennel cough is one that needs to be completed regularly and if your pet travels abroad, a rabies vaccination is essential.

Should you need additional advice on vaccinations, please feel free to contact our 24/7 Petwise helpline on 0800 456 1164.

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5 Top Tips for Bringing Your New Puppy Home

You’ve waited patiently to collect your new bundle of fur and can’t wait to bring your puppy home, but there are a few things to consider to ensure that you are absolutely prepped and ready to welcome the newest member of your family into your household.

We’ve put together 5 of our top tips to help make your puppy’s introduction to your home run as smooth as possible:

1. When collecting your new pup from the breeder, don’t forget to bring a comfy dog carrier, a cosy blanket – and even water and food for longer journeys. This way your new furry friend will feel at home and comfortable in your presence, making the transition much smoother.

2. Ask your breeder for a few days’ worth of puppy food that the dog is used to. Sudden dietary changes can be upsetting for your puppy’s tummy and cause a loss of appetite – not good for the first few days in his new home! To make the transition to your chosen grub easier, mix a little of your new food with the batch that their used to; after a week or so you can start giving pup your selected food brand. That way a trip to the vet can be avoided, which without pet insurance can often be pricey.

3. Start as you mean to go on. Introductions are the perfect time to begin building habits for future behaviours. Try using excessive amounts of praise and encouragement so your new dog recognises you as the pack leader and will begin to respond to your commands and calls much more in the coming weeks.

4. For the first few days that your new puppy is at home, ensure that you give them time to explore their surroundings. It’s super important for them to become familiar with their surroundings and begin to recognise the areas you’ve designated for sleeping, eating and playing.

5. They are bound to miss their litter at first, so try using dog toys and placing hot water bottles in their bed to mimic the warmth of your pup's mum and litter mates.

Do you have some great tried and tested tips for bringing your new puppy home that you'd love to share? We'd love to hear about them over on our Facebook, or Twitter pages.