At White Rock Animal Hospital, we're here to help pet parents in Lake Highlands, East Dallas, Garland, and the surrounding Dallas areas keep their pets happy and healthy! One of the best ways to do that is to get a routine puppy exam as soon as possible and discuss the use of dog vaccines. Getting a dog vaccination can be the difference between your pet surviving a fatal disease or not. From your first puppy exam to routine dog vaccinations, we'll be here to walk you through the process and ensure your pet is protected through the power of vaccines.
When to Start Puppy Vaccines
Just like children need vaccines to help keep them healthy, puppies need vaccinations as well. To ensure your puppy stays healthy for a lifetime, we'll start the process with a puppy exam at our animal hospital in Lake Highlands. During this exam, we can discuss which dog vaccines are best for your pet's age and lifestyle. Generally speaking, puppies should have their first set of vaccines between 6-8 weeks of age.
Your puppy will need additional vaccines and boosters as it gets older, usually spaced out every few months until it is 16-17 weeks old. After your pet’s first round of vaccines is finished, we'll work with you to create a custom vaccination schedule for your dog to receive booster shots once per year throughout its adult life. It's important to stick to this schedule, as it will help your pup stay up to date with its vaccinations and protect it from contagious diseases.
Types of Dog Vaccination
There are various types of dog vaccinations, depending on your pup's species and age. We provide both core vaccines and non-core vaccines to help protect your pet from dangerous illnesses. Core vaccines are recommended for all dogs and include immunizations against distemper, parvovirus, hepatitis, and rabies. These diseases can be deadly in puppies or adult dogs that haven't been vaccinated, so it's important to give your dog these core vaccines as soon as possible and get boosters every year.
Non-core vaccines are typically only necessary for pets that participate in certain activities or may come into contact with other dogs that have not been vaccinated. These non-core vaccines can include immunizations against bordetella (or kennel cough), leptospirosis, and Lyme disease. Your veterinarian can help determine if your pet needs any of these non-core vaccines based on its lifestyle and activities. We'll also discuss the importance of common preventative care for adult dogs, such as heartworm disease prevention, flea/tick prevention, dental health care, and more.
Schedule Your Puppy’s Exam Today in Dallas, TX
At White Rock Animal Hospital, we understand how important it is to protect the health of your pet. We're here to answer all of your questions about puppy exams and dog vaccinations so you can ensure your pup is healthy and happy for a lifetime. Contact us today at (214) 328-3255 to schedule an appointment for a puppy exam in Lake Highlands or the surrounding Dallas areas today!
