The dog vaccine is one of the main ways to protect your friend from a number of diseases that, in addition to being really uncomfortable for the animal, can be fatal in some cases. Therefore, keeping the dog vaccine table up to date is a great way to take care that he stays healthy. That is, delaying the vaccine for puppy, adult or elderly can be quite dangerous.Still, delayed dog vaccinations can happen for different reasons. To explain about the consequences, how to act when this happens and why canine immunization is so important, we talked to veterinarian Renata Bloomfield. Take a look at what she told us!

Delayed puppy vaccinations leave the body less protected

As with humans, dog vaccines are essential for maintaining your pet's health and longevity. Therefore, especially in the puppy phase, it is important that the schedule is followed. "Delaying the dog vaccine does not usually cause so many problems if it is short, but if it is delayed too long, the animal's body has a decreased amount of antibodies, alreadythat production is stimulated with regular vaccinations," Renata explained. It is a problem to delay vaccinating the dog because in addition to the vaccines that the animal takes when it is a puppy, there are those that must be repeated annually throughout its life.

How long can I delay my dog's vaccine, what to do?

Even if it is not ideal, there are a number of factors that can make a pet parent miss the puppy (or adult) vaccine date. When this happens, Renata reinforces that protection must always be continued: "The animal must always be immunized, no matter if two months or a year have passed from the correct date".

In these cases, you need to explain the situation to your veterinarian and follow the instructions on what to do with the dog's late vaccine. "When the animal is an adult, has already passed the primovaccination (first vaccines of the dog) and only needs the annual booster doses, there is no problem vaccinating after the deadline. But if it is a puppy vaccine, he takes the first one, for example, on the dayJanuary 1 and want to do the second dose on March 5, after the deadline, the first dose will be repeated and the process, restarted ", said the professional.

List of mandatory puppy vaccines

There is a mandatory dog vaccine schedule: that is, immunisations that health disease control bodies recommend for all pets - and which are required in the case of travel and access to public places. Ideally, these dog vaccines should be given regularly and without delay as a matter of public health.

V8 or V10 vaccine, which protects the dog against:

• Parvovirus
• Coronavirus (which is not related to the class of coronavirus that affects humans)
• Distemper
• Parainfluenza
• Hepatitis
• Adenovirus
• Canine leptospirosis
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Rabies vaccine for dogs

Canine rabies is caused by a serious virus that causes irreversible damage to the animal's nervous system, which leads to death. In addition, the disease is transmitted to humans. The rabies vaccine is the only way to protect pets and their guardians.

Dog vaccine: what to do when rescuing an adult pet that you don't know the history of?

The best way to prevent diseases such as canine rabies, distemper and parvovirosis is with the first puppy vaccines - ideally, the process should be completed when the puppy is between three and four months old. But when the puppy is rescued from the street already older than that, the question is: what is the protocol for puppy vaccines? Renata explains: "Dogs that are rescued from the streetSome veterinarians only give two doses to adult animals. Depending on the condition of the animal, we ask for a blood test to check its health. When the dog is weak or sick, we do not give it a vaccine: first it is treated and then it receives the doses ".

"My dog has not had any vaccinations, can I walk him?"

It is definitely not recommended to walk the dog if it is not properly immunized, especially if it is a puppy. This is because the pet will be totally unprotected from serious diseases that are contracted in contact with the ground and other animals. In addition, the late dog vaccine also puts the health of other animals and even humans at risk. So be responsible and don't be afraid to get vaccinated.Go for a walk with your dog before vaccinations. After the last dose of puppy vaccine, you need to wait seven to 10 days for the immunization to take effect.

What if it's the case of "I've delayed my dog's third vaccine"? Should walking be restricted as well? Ideally, the animal should not leave the house with delayed vaccinations.

Vaccines: Dogs need to have their shots boostered every year

No matter how much he resists getting vaccinations: puppies need to be properly immunized - and the benefits are not just for his health, okay? In cases such as rabies, which is a zoonosis, immunizing the animal is one of the main ways to prevent the disease from being transmitted to humans. Therefore, the rabies vaccine for the animal from three months of age is essential.mandatory by law throughout Brazil. After the first dose, the booster is annual.

"The puppy vaccine that the animal needs to take is V8 or V10. Both are polyvalent, fight diseases that are easily transmitted and stimulate the body to produce antibodies to diseases that can lead to death, "explained Renata. Among the diseases that V8 and V10 prevent are different presentations of leptospirosis, distemper, infectious hepatitis, parvovirosis, adenovirosis, parainfluenzaThe professional continues: "To prevent the animal from catching one of these diseases, immunization must take place before it goes out on the street. The first dose of V8 or V10 is applied when the animal is 45 days old and the other two, at intervals between 21 and 30 days ".

In addition to the rabies and the polyvalent vaccine, Renata also recommended other vaccines that, even though not mandatory, are important for the animal's health. "When the animal is still a puppy, along with the polyvalent, we usually indicate the giardia and flu vaccines (which protects against kennel cough and parainfluenza). The giardia usually goes with the second dose of V8 / V10 and that offlu, along with the third, to relieve the animal's discomfort. Like the anti-rabies, both have reinforcements annual".