Regarding dogs, vaccines prevent them from getting severe injuries over a long time, especially if they are puppies. If you own one, you might wonder when to vaccinate your Jack Russell Terrier puppies and how it helps them.
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When to Vaccinate Jack Russell Terrier Puppies?
You must vaccinate your Jack Russell Terrier Puppies when they are 6 or 8 weeks old. Then, after 12 weeks, you should administrate another set of vaccines to them, including rabies. You should then vaccinate them at 16 weeks old and at 12 months.
However, this is not the last time you should vaccinate your dog. After you give them the last vaccination at 12 months, you should take them to the vet and inject them with an annual booster. This will keep them safe and prevent rabies and parvovirus.
Illnesses Prevented by Vaccines
Vaccinating your dog is crucial for their health, after all, they can contract diseases that can harm their bodies. Many of them come from bacteria that will cause your dog to vomit, cough, and even have seizures.
On the other hand, they could also contract a virus that attacks their respiratory system or their immune system. This could cause their health to deteriorate very quickly, so you should always be cautious. Here you can see the illnesses you can prevent by vaccinating your dog.
Rabies
This is one of the most important diseases to avoid, both for humans and dogs. It is very important that your dog is vaccinated against rabies because if it is diagnosed with it, it must be euthanized. Since it cannot be treated, this is done to prevent them from spreading the disease.
On top of that, if it were to bite you, you would have to immediately go to the doctor and start treatment. This is because once you start showing symptoms of rabies, the virus cannot be treated and you have a high chance of death. Therefore, quick action is needed in these cases.
Here you can see the symptoms of rabies on your dog.
- Drooling
- Difficult swallowing
- Seizures
- Fever
- Paralysis
- Foaming at the mouth
Dog Hepatitis
This is a viral infection that affects your dog’s liver, eyes, kidneys, and lungs. Although it is not lethal (in mild cases), it is not treatable. Therefore, if your dog were to get it, it would have to live with constant treatment and medication.
Common symptoms of hepatitis are fever, vomit, and pain around the liver. Dogs with diagnosed hepatitis normally live from one to two years after the diagnosis. On top of that, this is an infectious virus, so you need to keep them away from other dogs.
This virus spreads by dogs consuming saliva, feces, nasal discharge, and urine from infected dogs. Therefore, you must limit your dog’s contact with other animals.
Parvovirus
This virus can infect dogs of any age. However, puppies around 3 or 4 months are the most vulnerable. This is also an important one to avoid, after all, it could kill a dog in less than three days. This infection attacks their stomach and intestines, making them vomit.
On top of that, they develop a loss of appetite, fever, and diarrhea. Although there is no cure for this virus, if it is quickly treated, the dog’s immune system can beat it. However, it is still very risky as you have very little time to react to the dog’s symptoms.
When this happens, it is key to keep the dog hydrated, as the constant vomiting and diarrhea can severely dehydrate them.
Lyme Disease
This is a bacteria that is caused by the bite of an infected tick. The symptoms of it are fever and loss of appetite, and it can also affect their heart, joints, and even their brains. If it is quickly treated, it can be cured. However, dogs are prone to relapse over time.
If this happens, you would have to quickly treat them again and be constantly aware of their situation over the years. After all, they can be reinfected by another tick.
Related Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about puppy vaccines.
How Frequently Should I Vaccinate My Dogs Against Rabies?
In the United States, your dog must be vaccinated against rabies every one to three years, depending on the vaccine. Some of them last one year, while others last three; consequently, you must vaccinate them again once their duration expires.
What Happens if You Miss a Puppy Vaccination?
If your puppy is over 1 month old and is not yet vaccinated, it can be vulnerable to many diseases, including parvovirus and rabies. However, you can still vaccinate them as soon as possible. To do this, you just need to talk to a vet and explain the situation.
Conclusion
When it comes to vaccines, all dog owners need to be quick and responsible. After all, it could highly affect the dog’s health and even other dogs. Therefore, you must be well-informed and vaccinate your dog as soon as possible.
