Routine Veterinary Care
Dogs should routine veterinary care on a regular basis. This includes wellness check-ups and vaccines. Wellness check-ups are typically done once a year (or more often for older dogs) in order to make sure your dog is healthy. These check-ups also help you and your vet know what is normal for your dog, in order to make accurate comparisons if something seems abnormal.
Vaccines
There are many vaccines are available for dogs. Different dogs have different vaccination needs, depending on their lifestyles. For example, dogs that are boarded when their owners travel are generally vaccinated against Kennel Cough, but dogs that are never boarded don’t necessarily need this vaccine. Puppies will need multiple rounds of booster shots to be sure the vaccine will be effective, just like human children.
It is important to talk to your vet about what diseases your dog should be vaccinated against. Most dogs should receive vaccines for rabies, distemper, parvovirus, and hepatitis. The latter three are usually given as a single combination vaccine, which may cover other diseases as well. These diseases are highly contagious and very dangerous, especially in young dogs. Rabies cases are becoming less common with every passing year, but it is still important to vaccinate your dog against it. Prevention is the key because once symptoms appear, rabies is always fatal.
- AVMA Vaccine Recommendations–Includes a possible vaccination schedule for an” average” dog
- Descriptions of Some Core and Non-core Vaccines
- What to Expect after Vaccination
- Vaccine Schedule for Puppies
First-Aid
Common Diseases and Health Problems
- Heart Worm
- Canine Parvovirus
- Canine Distemper
- Leptospirosis
- Canine Influenza
- Canine Respiratory Coronavirus
DISCLAIMER: Pets4Life does not serve as a replacement for veterinary care advice or treatment from a licensed professional. If you suspect a serious issue with your pet please seek out immediate veterinary care.