Vaccination query for rescue dog

What vaccinations to give a rescue dog.

Vaccination query for rescue dog. Picture: Justin Veenema - Unsplash

Question - I have just rescued a dog and do not know if he has ever had vaccinations. Should his vaccinations start from the beginning as if he was a pup?

Answer - This depends on the age of the dog.

A veterinarian may be able to estimate an age by examining the dog's teeth.

Young dogs under six months should have a vaccination course similar to one would do for a puppy.

There's no risk in giving an additional vaccination. A vaccine consists of some form of the infectious agent, either prepared dead virus or modified live virus.

The body responds to the vaccine as it would respond to a natural infection.

If the immune system is competent, the vaccine is inactivated.

If the immune system is immature, a long-lasting immune response should be elicited.

An adult dog should have a single complete vaccination.

With a mature immune system, this is all the dog would require before moving on to routine annual reassessment.

We should also consider the purchase of a new puppy from a shonky supplier.

Clients often tell me they're waiting for a vaccination card from the puppy supplier.

Why is it so hard for a supplier to provide a vaccination record when they are able to provide you with a live puppy?

You should probably err on the side of caution and have the pup vaccinated.

There appears to be a trend among some puppy suppliers to vaccinate the pups themselves.

Vaccination requires the vaccinator to follow particular requirements. The vaccine must be kept in a cold chain from manufacturer to vaccinator.

Vaccines are prescribed for veterinary use only because of the strict requirements.