Vaccinations dog: First vaccinations for the puppy - what to consider?
Of course, your new little roommate should get the best possible start in life. In addition to optimal nutrition, this also includes preventive health care through vaccinations. Here you can find out which vaccinations your puppy needs and what else you should bear in mind.
Legal situation
There is no legal obligation to have your dog vaccinated. This is at least true if he never leaves the country. However, if you want to get a puppy from abroad, it must have a valid rabies vaccination for entry into Germany. This must be documented in the dog's vaccination certificate and will only be recognised at the border if it is at least 30 days old. Since a rabies vaccination is only carried out at the age of about 12 weeks, your puppy must be at least 16 weeks old when entering Germany. Even if you want to go on holiday abroad with your dog, you must observe the entry regulations in force in the respective country as well as the German regulations when you return with your dog. A valid rabies vaccination is recommended in any case, even if Germany is considered rabies-free. If your dog is bitten by a rabid animal, it can be officially confiscated without a valid vaccination.
The be-all and end-all for puppies: basic immunisation
The basic immunization in puppy age is the most important vaccination. In any case, the puppy should be vaccinated against parvovirus, distemper and hepatitis. Optionally, the puppy can be vaccinated against leptospirosis and various tick diseases such as Lyme disease. However, these vaccinations are controversial in terms of effectiveness and side effects.
When should the puppy be vaccinated?
From the age of 8 weeks, the antibodies that the puppy has received from its mother begin to weaken. This is the time when your puppy should be vaccinated.
At 12 and 15 weeks, these vaccinations are repeated. From the 12th week the puppy can be vaccinated against rabies if this is desired.
How often does the vaccination need to be refreshed?
The common vaccines against parvovirus, distemper and hepatitis (you remember: These are the vaccinations that the dog should have in any case), usually last longer than indicated by the manufacturer. If you don't want to vaccinate too much, you can have a blood test done to see if there are still enough antibodies against the diseases in question. To do this, simply ask your vet to carry out a so-called vaccination test. If the test shows that there is still enough vaccination protection, the vaccination can wait. This also applies in principle to the rabies vaccination, if it is not carried out for legal reasons. If you need a rabies vaccination for entry, the authorities will follow the vaccine manufacturer's efficacy statement. If your dog has been vaccinated with a vaccine whose validity is stated as 3 years, the vaccination may only have been given exactly 3 years ago in order to be accepted by the entry control.
