Why Vaccinations Benefit the Health of Puppies
This question is sometimes asked, “Why do puppies need vaccinations?” The answer to that question is that newborn puppies receive protective antibodies from their mothers while they are in the womb and after they nurse their mother in the first few days after birth. These protective antibodies start wearing off around 6 weeks of age.
Between 6 and 8 weeks of age is when we will start vaccinating these animals so that they can slowly build up immunity to these deadly infections, such as Parvovirus and Distemper virus. These vaccines will be given every 3 to 4 weeks until the puppies are 16 weeks old. At that time the majority of dogs will be protected in case they are exposed to any of these viruses. That is why we recommend that owners keep the puppies close to the house and yard until this immunity is achieved. Taking young puppies to the dog park or to areas where other dogs have been is not a great idea until after the last vaccinations.