Once you’ve welcomed your adorable new puppy into your home and successfully managed to get them settled and adjusted into their new surroundings, it’s time to get them vaccinated.

Vaccinating your puppy is one of the most important things you should take care of in the first few weeks, and the full puppy course of vaccinations should be followed up with annual booster shots. Keeping on top of this will help you to ensure that your puppy is free from common infectious diseases.

But what specific vaccinations do they need, and when? How far apart should each vaccination be, and how much is it going to cost? In this brief guide, we’ll answer some of the most common questions puppy owners have regarding vaccinations and what you should be aware of.

What vaccinations does my puppy need?

The main question most puppy owners have is what vaccinations their new pet needs and what illnesses they should be protected against. Your vet will be able to provide you with all the information and when to get each vaccine, but here’s a list of the vaccinations your vet will advise for your puppy:

• Canine Parvovirus – a highly contagious life-threatening viral disease. Affected dogs develop severe vomiting and bloody diarrhea and become dehydrated.
• Canine Distemper – this is a severe and contagious disease caused by a virus that attacks several body systems including the nervous and respiratory system.
• Infectious Canine Hepatitis – a highly contagious viral infection that affects the liver, kidneys, lungs and eyes of a dog which can cause sudden death.
• Leptospirosis -a bacterial disease which causes kidney and liver failure can be fatal to dog’s and humans. Dog’s become infected from contact with infected urine or by contaminated water and the disease is spread in the environment by rats.
• Kennel cough – or canine infectious tracheobronchitis, is a respiratory infection that can be caused by a number of different bacteria and viruses. This is highly contagious and can spread between close contact with an infected dog, sharing toys or water bowls.

You should consult your vet before deciding which vaccinations your puppy needs and when to get them. If your puppy will be travelling abroad, they may also need the rabies vaccination which cannot be given until they are 12 weeks of age.

When should I get my puppy vaccinated?

As a general rule, puppies will need to get their first vaccination at around 8weeks of age. Always consult with your vet first before deciding on what may be the best time to get your puppy its first injection.

How should I schedule and space out each shot?

Every country has a different schedule when it comes to puppy vaccinations, and here in the UK vets will have a set timeline you should follow when it comes to your puppy’s injections. Typically the second injection is given around 2-4 weeks after the first and depending on the individual pup and the vaccine course, they may require three shots for their initial ‘puppy vaccine course’.

Once your puppy has had all the vaccinations required, you will have to keep them indoors for about a fortnight to ensure they don’t pick up any viruses or infections straight after. Your vet will be able to advise you on this timing according to your puppy and their vaccination schedule.

How much do puppy vaccinations cost?

Prices for puppy vaccinations vary according to where you are in the country and the vaccines your puppy receives. Some vets may have health plans which help to spread the cost of routine preventative care visits. Choose a vet both you and your puppy feel comfortable with.