To properly protect your dog, it is necessary to give it its vaccines from puppyhood and to provide an annual booster for them. Some are considered mandatory, while others (no less important) are considered optional, but all of them help your companion strengthen its body against diseases that are dangerous to its health. In this article we want to list which vaccines your dog needs, which ones are mandatory, some of the optional ones, and to indicate when you should administer each of them.
Mandatory vaccines
Mandatory vaccines are those that your dog must not go without, no matter what part of the country it lives in. Among them are:
Bivalent (distemper and parvovirus – 6 weeks)
Distemper is a highly contagious viral disease that is very similar to measles in humans, but with extremely serious consequences ranging from after-effects in its vital systems (mainly respiratory, gastric and nervous) to the death of the puppy. In fact, distemper is considered the leading cause of death from infectious disease in puppies, and the only way to prevent it is by vaccinating them against this virus in time.
This virus is released through bodily secretions, it is generally contracted by inhalation, and those most prone to contracting it are puppies between 6 and 12 weeks of age. This is because during this time the defenses obtained from their mother decrease greatly, leaving them unprotected, which is why it is necessary to apply the first dose of protection against this virus at 6 weeks of the puppy's life.
As for parvovirus, this is another potentially fatal virus for puppies, and just like distemper it has no cure, instead, once contracted, the treatment is limited to treating the symptoms and trying to compensate for the failures of its systems. To prevent puppies from contracting it, it is necessary to vaccinate them against it in their sixth week of life.
Polyvalent vaccine (parvovirus, distemper, leptospirosis, hepatitis and parainfluenza – 8 weeks)
The polyvalent vaccine serves two main functions: on the one hand, it reinforces the protection against canine distemper and parvovirus obtained with the bivalent vaccine that should have been applied two weeks earlier. On the other hand, it grants your puppy protection against three new diseases: leptospirosis, hepatitis and parainfluenza.
Leptospirosis is a disease caused by a bacterium (Leptospira) and transmitted between dogs through their urine. However, they are not the only ones at risk, since this can also infect humans. The consequences of this disease are damage to the carrier's kidneys and liver, which can even lead to death.
Infectious canine hepatitis is caused by the canine Adenovirus and its contagion occurs mainly through the ingestion of feces, urine or saliva from infected dogs. In the case of infected puppies, they can die within a few hours of having contracted the disease, which is why it is necessary to protect them against it as soon as they reach their eighth week of life.
Lastly, the parainfluenza is one of the viruses responsible for the dry, highly contagious cough known as "kennel cough." It is spread through close contact with other infected dogs, which is why it is very common in shelters and environments where there is a large number of dogs.
All of these diseases (the 5 already mentioned) are prevented and mitigated with the polyvalent vaccine, which must be applied at 8 weeks of age and then again at 12 weeks as the last booster of the year. Then, once a year, another dose of this must be applied again as a booster.
Rabies vaccine (16 weeks)
Rabies is one of the best-known diseases associated with dogs due to its lethality and the symptoms it produces. Its most recognizable feature is the excessive salivation it causes in dogs, along with a sudden change in behavior, fever, body pain, muscle spasms and confusion. It is transmitted through the saliva of a carrier, whether by a bite or by contact of that saliva with another individual's mucous membranes.
Rabies is especially dangerous because of the aggressiveness it produces in animals and because it is also transmitted to humans. Fortunately, thanks to the early and constant vaccination of animals, there are very few cases in Spain at present. However, for this to remain so, it is necessary to continue applying the rabies vaccine at 16 weeks of the puppy's life and to provide a booster of it once a year.
Optional vaccines
While we have already talked about the mandatory vaccines, there are others that are vital to keeping our dogs healthy. One of them, and one of the most requested, is the vaccine against leishmaniasis, a disease that is currently very present in animals and that can also be transmitted to humans through the bite of the Leishmania mosquito.
On the other hand, we can also mention the vaccine against canine coronavirus, which, although it is different from the coronavirus responsible for the current pandemic (Covid-19), is highly contagious among dogs and causes fever, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain and dehydration.
“The vaccination schedule adapts to each dog and their lifestyle; we design it with you to protect them without overdoing it.”
Puppy vaccination schedule
The vaccination schedule sets the order in which a puppy gradually receives protection against the different diseases. The first vaccines are given during the first weeks of life, just as the defenses the puppy received from its mother begin to fall, and they are completed with several boosters over the following months. The table below is only a guide: every puppy is different, and the final schedule should always be set by the vet according to its age, health status and environment.
| Approximate age | Vaccine |
|---|---|
| First weeks of life | First dose against distemper and parvovirus (bivalent) |
| Following weeks | Polyvalent (reinforces distemper and parvovirus and adds leptospirosis, hepatitis and parainfluenza) |
| A few weeks later | Polyvalent booster |
| Towards the end of puppyhood | Rabies vaccine |
| From the first year onwards | Annual boosters depending on the vaccine |
Take these stages as a general guide, not as exact dates: the vet will adjust the ages and the number of doses to each individual case.
How often should an adult dog be vaccinated?
Once the initial puppy schedule is complete, the usual approach is an annual check-up at which the vet assesses the dog's health and gives the relevant boosters. Not all vaccines are renewed at the same frequency: some boosters are annual and others can be spaced out further, depending on the type of vaccine and the regulations in force. That is why the most sensible thing is to follow the personalised schedule your vet sets out and keep the animal's health record up to date.
Vaccines for dogs in Cantabria: which are mandatory?
Whether vaccines are mandatory depends largely on the autonomous community. In general, the rabies vaccine is the one that tends to be compulsory under each community's regulations, so it is always advisable to confirm the current requirement in Cantabria with your vet. The remaining vaccines, although not required by law, are recommended, and whether they are advisable depends on the dog's lifestyle and level of risk: contact with other animals, walks in the countryside, travel or the presence of transmitting mosquitoes in the area. Your vet will help you decide which ones are advisable in your case.
How much do vaccines cost? Indicative price
The price of vaccines varies quite a lot depending on the clinic, the specific vaccine and whether or not the veterinary check-up is included. As an indicative figure for the sector, an individual vaccine for a dog usually falls roughly between 20 and 50 euros, and the full first-year schedule can add up to several tens or a few hundred euros depending on the vaccines included. This is an indicative range for the sector, not a tariff of the clinic; it varies according to the clinic and the vaccines included. Contact us for a quote tailored to your dog.
Frequently asked questions
Which vaccines are mandatory for my dog?
The mandatory ones are the bivalent (distemper and parvovirus, at 6 weeks), the polyvalent (parvovirus, distemper, leptospirosis, hepatitis and parainfluenza, at 8 and 12 weeks) and the rabies vaccine (at 16 weeks), all with an annual booster.
When is a puppy's first vaccine given?
The first dose of protection, the bivalent vaccine against distemper and parvovirus, is applied at 6 weeks of life, when the defenses the puppy received from its mother begin to decrease and it is left unprotected.
Which optional vaccines are worth considering?
Among the optional ones, the most notable are the vaccine against leishmaniasis, transmitted by the bite of the mosquito, and the canine coronavirus vaccine, which is highly contagious among dogs. Your vet will tell you which ones are advisable in each case.
Keep track of your dog's vaccines at Clínica Veterinaria Somo in Cantabria
At Clínica Veterinaria Somo in Cantabria, we seek to prevent any discomfort your dog may suffer, and vaccines are one of the most effective means of preventing some of the most serious diseases our dogs can suffer. To apply their annual vaccines or to resolve any doubt you have about the care of your companion, you can request an appointment with our veterinarians here or by contacting us at 942 51 00 66.
