As responsible guardians, we must be aware that respecting the vaccination schedule of our dogs is essential to prevent numerous diseases that can affect to the he alth of our best friends. However, you may have some questions about which vaccines dogs need to receive and how often they need to be vaccinated to protect them.
On our site, we want to help you provide the best care for your best friend so that you can enjoy their company for many years to come. Therefore, we will explain why it is necessary to vaccinate dogs every year to preserve their optimal he alth. In addition, we clarify what are the mandatory vaccines and options for our furry ones and how often we should go to the veterinary center to apply or reinforce them.
Why are vaccinations so important for dogs?
Vaccines are specifically made to generate an immunological response in our furry friends. This response allows your body to strengthen its immune system and have the necessary defenses to naturally prevent or control the development of certain pathologies.
The content of each vaccine will depend on the disease or diseases to be prevented, and may contain a virus fraction,attenuated microorganisms, controlled microbial toxins, surface proteins or dead microbesLogically, this content is carefully prepared so that a satisfactory immune response is produced after subcutaneous inoculation, without compromising the he alth of the animal.
Each vaccine generates a specific immune response to a certain microbe or certain pathogens, depending on its content. For this reason, our furry ones need different vaccines to be properly protected from the most common diseases in dogs.
Why is it so important to vaccinate your dog?
When you vaccinate your dog, his body "triggers" an immune reaction upon coming into contact with the attenuated microbes or microorganisms that have been inoculated into his body at the time of vaccination. Recognizing the presence of this pathogenic agent, your body begins to produce specific antibodies to eliminate it or control its proliferation.
In this way, in the event that the dog comes into contact with these non-attenuated pathogens (viruses, bacteria, etc.) in the future, his body will already have thespecific antibodies to identify, combat or control them naturally, preventing them from reproducing in your body and causing symptoms that can threaten your he alth.
As many of these diseases are deadly or severe, respecting the vaccination schedule can save the life of your best friend, or avoid irreversible damage that compromises their quality of life. For example, at least two of the 5 deadliest diseases in dogs can be prevented very effectively if we apply specific vaccines at the correct age of the dog and with due frequency.
In this case, we are referring to canine parvovirus and distemper in dogs, two diseases with a very high mortality rate among dogs, especially among puppies and young individuals.
On the other hand, when we talk about zoonoses, that is, diseases that animals can transmit to humans and vice versa, vaccination is usually mandatory for public he alth reasons. For example, rabies in dogs is a zoonotic disease with a high mortality rate, which is why vaccination is mandatory in practically every country in the world, not only to protect the dog, but also to prevent a possible outbreak in the human population.
Why do dogs need to be vaccinated every year?
Vaccines are only really effective when applied at the right time and with due frequency. The dog's immune system must be mature enough to receive certain vaccines and generate a satisfactory immune response.
In addition, the strengthening of the immune system generated by a vaccine many times it is temporary, so its application must be repeated to maintain the protected dog For this reason, there is a vaccination schedule for dogs that guides us on the ideal age to apply each vaccine to our best friend and how often we need to repeat it to provide optimal preventive medicine.
On the other hand, the required vaccinations may vary depending on the country or region where we live. However, the mandatory vaccines are not the only ones you should offer your dog. Generally, the mandatory vaccines for dogs are those that prevent zoonoses, for an obvious public he alth issue, or those pathologies highly contagious or deadly to dogs.
This is the case of rabies, distemper, parvovirus and infectious hepatitis, whose vaccination is considered essential in Spain and in much of the world.
But there are many other pathologies that, although they do not infect humans or are not as deadly as the previous ones, can significantly weaken the state of he alth of our best friends, compromise their quality of life or cause irreversible damage to your body.
To prevent them, there are the following optional vaccines that strengthen the dog's immune system:
- Leptospirosis
- Canine parainfluenza
- Kennel cough caused by Bordetella
- Lyme's desease
- Coronavirus
- Leishmania
There are also polyvalent vaccines which, in a single inoculation, prevent various diseases. This is the case of trivalent, tetravalent, pentavalent, hexavalent, octovalent and even decavalent vaccines in some countries.
From our site, we advise you to consult your trusted veterinarian to update or supplement your dog's immunization, considering the available vaccines and recommended in your country, taking into account the canine diseases with the highest incidence in your region.
Do all dog vaccinations need to be given annually?
Each vaccine has an optimal frequency to be applied, depending on the duration of the immune response it generates in the dog's body. Not all dog vaccines should be applied annually, but some require this annual reminder to have the desired preventive effect.
In Spain, the essential vaccines to be repeated annually are:
- Rage
- Leptospirosis
- Polyvalent reminder (adenovirus 1 and 2, distemper, parainfluenza and parvovirus)
If you live in Spain and want to know more about compulsory and optional vaccinations for dogs, we recommend you read our article on the schedule of vaccinations for puppies and adult dogs.
But as we have already mentioned, the recommended or compulsory vaccinations, as well as the frequency of their reminder, tend to vary according to the most prevalent diseases in each country. For this reason, we recommend that you consult a veterinarianabout the essential vaccines to ensure your dog's adequate immunization and the recommended frequency for reinforcing it. Also, if you intend to travel with your furry friend, remember to check in advance the specific requirements to enter your destination with your dog.
Last (but not least), we want to emphasize that, in order to provide adequate preventive medicine to our furry ones, we need not only to respect their vaccination schedule, but also to deworm them regularly, offer them a complete diet and balanced of good quality, a positive environment where they can develop and express themselves freely and safely, as well as essential care for the well-being of dogs.
