At first glance, vaccination is a fairly simple and painless procedure that lasts a matter of seconds. But in fact, after vaccination, a dog requires special care. The fact is that vaccination is the forced introduction of pathogens of various diseases into the animal’s body. The body begins to fight the foreign virus, developing immunity to a particular disease.
Be sure to finish reading this material, because at the end you will find video instructions on how to care for your dog after vaccination.
Since the dog’s body is greatly weakened after vaccination, it is easily susceptible to various infections, and it will take time to regain strength. To ensure that your animal does not experience any complications after vaccination, it is important to follow a number of simple rules.
Indications for vaccine administration
There is no cure for rabies. The disease is provoked by a neurotropic virus, which, once in the nervous system, quickly affects brain cells.
Dogs are most often susceptible to this disease. Not only strays, but also pets are at risk.
While walking, your four-legged friend may be bitten by another dog carrying the virus. The infection is also transmitted through contact with cats.
Pets that are taken hunting can get the virus from wolves, foxes, and wild birds.
The danger of rabies is that the incubation period lasts at least 40 days without obvious signs of infection. When clinical changes begin, it is no longer possible to correct anything.
During this period, the sick animal spreads the infection to its immediate environment, first through saliva, then begins to bite. If there are other pets in the house (cats, birds, hamsters, etc.), they become potential victims of infection.
Already in the first days after infection, the animal is able to “share” the virus with its owners by licking their hands or face. The slightest crack or abrasion on the body is enough to get rabies.
Importance of grafting
The vaccine allows you to protect your pet by making it resistant to the virus. Even if a dog is bitten by a sick animal, the immunity that appears after the vaccination kicks in.
By protecting a pet in this way, the owner protects his family and surrounding people from serious danger.
Vaccination against rabies in dogs is not only regulated by law. A person bears some responsibility for failure to comply. When deviating from vaccination, owners face the following problems:
unvaccinated animals cannot be walked in crowded places and transported on public transport;- they should not be taken hunting, fishing, dacha, nature - the risk of infection is too great;
- Without a vaccination mark, a dog will not be allowed to participate in exhibitions and will not be allowed to travel abroad with it.
If a pet bites someone, the owner must present the dog's passport, which must contain a vaccination stamp. Otherwise, the animal is isolated for 10 days to monitor its behavior, and the owner is fined.
Required documents for exporting an animal
Before you go on a trip with your pet, you need to prepare a package of documents:
- Veterinary passport with vaccination marks.
- Certificate from the state clinic (form No. 1). The document is valid for 5 days after its receipt.
- Along with the certificate, based on the tests, the doctor will issue a printout with information about the number of antibodies in the body. This is proof that the cat was vaccinated 30–40 days before travel.
It is better to check the acceptable timing of vaccination with the embassy of the country where you plan to export the animal. You also need to check in advance the list of vaccines approved in this state. If the vaccine with which the cat was vaccinated is not on the list or the quarantine period is violated, it will not be possible to take the pet abroad.
Vaccination procedure
Vaccinations for dogs begin 2 months after birth. During this period, a vaccine against major diseases is used. In the second round, at 12 weeks, the puppy is also vaccinated against rabies. Then revaccinations are carried out every year to strengthen the immune system.
The animal is prepared for the procedure: internal parasites and fleas are removed. Since the vaccine contains live strains, the pet must be completely healthy at the time of vaccination, otherwise the body will not be able to fight the virus.
Deworming of an animal
Treatment against parasites begins 10 days before vaccination. To eliminate worms, you can use Drontal, Kanikvantel plus, Milbemax. The products are used strictly according to the attached instructions.
If after the course the parasites have not disappeared, repeated cleaning is required. It is advisable to choose a different drug to avoid addiction.
Introduction of a complex vaccine
Any vaccination is stressful for the animal. To reduce the risk of injury to your dog, it is recommended to use polyvalent vaccines. They allow an animal to develop immunity from several diseases in one procedure.
It is recommended to use such drugs if you are planning to travel abroad with your dog.
The European Travel Union is guided by a list that limits the list of acceptable vaccines. In this case, the best option is the polyvalent drugs Duramun, Nobivak, Eurikan.
Administration of anti-rabies drug
The veterinarian can also give an injection with a monovalent drug, following the vaccination schedule. If several consecutive vaccinations are meant, then the doctor uses the same drug at each session.
A standard graph looks like this:
at 3 months;- at 1 year or 15 months;
- annually.
Unscheduled vaccinations are also carried out if a rabies quarantine has been declared in the area where the dog lives. Pets are also vaccinated if they are attacked by other animals.
Vaccinations up to one year
We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the recommended vaccination schedule. Keep it for yourself, because knowing after what vaccination you can walk your puppy, you will be able to find out at what age you will start walking, and protect the animal from contracting dangerous diseases.
- Not always at 3-4 weeks, but the first PUPPY vaccination is given. The vaccine is required only in the most extreme cases: the mother is infected, there is an epidemic in the nursery, the risk of infection of the baby is high. Do not confuse this with the first mandatory vaccination, which will begin the 21-day countdown to the second, and then to the third—against rabies.
- At the age of 8-10 weeks, the dog is given the first vaccination, which develops immunity against distemper, enteritis, hepatitis, parainfluenza, and leptospirosis. As you understand, this is a mandatory vaccination for puppies. When can you go for a walk? It is not recommended to rush, it is better to wait for the third vaccination, and only after that take the baby outside. If there is no choice and the puppy needs to be placed with other animals or taken out into the yard, then do this no earlier than the 14th day after vaccination, since immunity only develops over the course of 2 weeks, and quarantine is necessary.
- 3 weeks after the first vaccination, that is, at the age of 11-13 weeks, the dog is given a second vaccination - a revaccination is carried out, which strengthens the immunity. This vaccination is also mandatory, but only for puppies; subsequent annual vaccinations are administered once. When can a puppy go for a walk after the second vaccination? It is advisable to postpone all walks for another 2-3 weeks and keep the baby in quarantine.
- The rabies vaccine is administered along with the second vaccination. It can be postponed until six months, if until this time the puppy will definitely not have contact with other animals. If you do not vaccinate immediately, then for the safety of both the animal and yours, postpone all walks and accustom your dog to only a diaper at home for now.
- At 6-7 months they give a third vaccination against distemper, enteritis and all other diseases prescribed above. Walking is not recommended for 2 weeks after vaccination.
- The fourth vaccination follows at one year of age. Again, you need to quarantine for 2 weeks.
Is quarantine necessary after vaccination?
The administered drug does not provide immediate protection.
Expert opinion
Panteleeva Irina Petrovna
Breeder, 11 years experience.
In order for the immune system to begin to resist foreign organisms, it takes time to produce antibodies. This takes from 8 days to 2 weeks, during which the animal feels unwell and becomes vulnerable to any infection.
Purpose of quarantine
It is necessary to exclude contact between your pet and stray dogs, other animals and strangers.
The following activities are carried out:
- Limiting the physical and mental stress of a weakened pet.
- Close monitoring of the dog’s health in order to timely identify negative reactions to the vaccine.
- Creating optimal conditions for the period of strengthening immunity: protection from overheating, hypothermia, stress and other negative factors.
The question of whether a dog needs quarantine after vaccination should not even arise. This is especially true for puppies being vaccinated for the first time.
Preparing the puppy for vaccination
Only a completely healthy animal should be vaccinated, and the veterinarian will definitely check this. If the puppy is already sick, then vaccination will not help, it will only worsen his condition. This is not a cure, it is the virus itself, only weakened.
To avoid the negative consequences of vaccination, follow these rules:
- A week before vaccination, start measuring the animal’s temperature every day and examining its mucous membranes.
- After vaccination, you cannot walk for at least two weeks! The first walks should be made only in a clean area, without other animals.
- Contact with other animals only 21 days after vaccination.
- If the vaccination is in the morning, then do not feed the animal in the evening; if in the evening, then the last meal is 4 hours before. Vaccination is easier to tolerate on an empty stomach. You can give him something to drink.
Even if all the rules are followed, the animal will feel worse after vaccination. The vaccination itself is stressful, and the virus will begin to awaken the immune system. You shouldn’t worry too much, but you need to give the puppy more attention and care during rehabilitation.
Consequences of failure to comply with dog isolation periods
If you ignore the veterinarian's recommendations regarding the rehabilitation period after vaccination, any irreversible consequences are possible.
How are quarantine periods set?
The deadlines are determined individually in each specific case, taking into account the following factors:
Puppies have a more weakened immune system compared to adults. therefore, a long period of rehabilitation is prescribed for children;- the survival rate of the strain introduced for the first time takes longer, and after each revaccination the quarantine period is shortened;
- It is important to pay attention to the type of vaccine: when using polyvalent strains, the body needs more time to produce antibodies.
In the latter case, the immunization process takes at least 3 weeks. For weakened dogs and puppies, quarantine after polyvaccination should last about 30 days.
Dog at risk
While the body has directed all its efforts to produce antibodies, the animal becomes open to any infection.
If you do not keep your pet at home, the risk of contracting rabies increases many times over, and vaccination will not help save your pet from death.
Other consequences
If quarantine is not observed, dog owners also experience inconvenience.
If the owner violates the conditions of rehabilitation, he will not only not be able to take the pet with him abroad, but will also not be allowed on planes and trains to travel around the country. The dog will not be able to take part in any exhibition.
Caring for the animal after vaccination
During quarantine, the dog’s usual rhythm of life changes. They not only try not to walk her, but also limit her contact with other pets in order to eliminate the risk of the slightest infection.
The veterinarian gives recommendations on a balanced diet to support a weakened body.
There is also a limitation on the number of water procedures. If the dog is an adult, then 7-10 days after vaccination it can be bathed. But the puppy will have to endure until the end of quarantine. But if the need arises, then adhere to the following rules:
use only warm water and shampoo that does not cause allergies;- when swimming and for some time after it, all windows and doors in the house should be closed to avoid drafts;
- you need to use 2 towels - one to dry the fur well, and the other to wrap the pet until completely dry.
A vaccinated dog should be protected from hypothermia. It is also important to monitor the emotional state - you should not expose the animal to stress.
Do I need a rabies vaccination?
Vaccination is the only effective way to protect pets from deadly infections and illnesses of viral and bacterial etiology. And in the first place among vaccinations is the rabies vaccination.
The infection is transmitted through a bite. Rhabdovirus enters the body through open wounds, mucous membranes, and skin lesions. Distributes with the bloodstream, along nerve fibers. It affects the central nervous system and internal organs, causing irreversible changes.
Important! Considering that treatment for this infection has not been developed, the prevention of this disease is controlled in our country and abroad at the state level. If a dog is diagnosed with rabies, the animal is euthanized. And in any case, the infection invariably ends in death.
An infected pet, even without displaying symptoms characteristic of this infection, poses a threat to other animals and humans. If you suspect that your pet may have contracted a dangerous infection, immediately take your dog to a veterinary hospital for an examination.
Side effects after vaccination: what can happen to a dog
Quarantine after vaccination is also necessary in order to provide the pet with the necessary help in a timely manner if something goes wrong after the procedure. Animals, like people, react differently to drugs.
Standard options
No vaccination takes place without complications. If a swelling (or even a lump) forms at the injection site, redness is noticeable, and a high temperature rises, the symptoms can be considered a physiological norm . But only if the signs are observed for a week, no more.
Other complications that should not cause the owner to panic include:
- lethargy of the animal within 24 hours after vaccination;
- minor vomiting and problems with stool;
- short-term lack of appetite.
All these are normal consequences of immunization and are not pathologies. But if symptoms last more than 10 days after vaccination, you should contact your veterinarian.
Deviations worth paying attention to
If vaccination was not carried out according to the rules, without observing hygiene standards, more serious complications may arise:
frequent intense vomiting;- persistent temperature above +39 °C;
- refusal to eat and severe weakness for more than 24 hours;
- muscle twitching, cramps;
- severe pain at the injection site.
The dog may limp or drag its hind legs - this is also abnormal.
Any of the complications develops against the background of a hidden illness that was not noticed during preparation for the procedure. Negative consequences are often caused by a low-quality vaccine.
What to do if you have allergies
An inadequate reaction sometimes manifests itself in the form of shortness of breath or hypoxia, serous discharge from the sinuses and eyes, salivation, and even anaphylactic shock.
The pet must be taken to the doctor immediately, having first provided medical care at home. The following are recommended as antihistamines: Tavegil, Suprastin, Diphenhydramine.
Characteristics and danger of rabies
The causative agent of rabies is the rhabdovirus family, which affects the central nervous system. As a result of infection, the animal experiences damage to the nerve endings and gradual failure of the spinal cord and brain.
The main symptoms of this dangerous disease include the following:
- hydrophobia (refusal to drink, uncontrollable fear at the sound of dripping water);
- aggressive or apathetic behavior;
- copious foamy saliva caused by a violation of the swallowing reflex;
- perverted appetite (eating inedible objects).
A sick dog must be isolated in a separate room and not contacted until the veterinarian arrives. The virus is equally dangerous for all warm-blooded animals, including humans. In the final stage, it causes laryngeal paralysis or cardiac arrest.
In the absence of vaccination and the appearance of at least one of the listed symptoms, the chances of salvation are close to zero. Due to the lack of a cure, the only humane solution is euthanasia.
Duration of quarantine
Vaccination of animals against rabies is regulated by law. Not only the schedule for administering the vaccine has been established, but also the quarantine period after the procedure.
The veterinary legislation (section “Measures for the prevention of rabies”) specifies the uniform quarantine period for the Russian Federation - 1 month.
Instructions that come with vaccines may indicate shorter durations. These recommendations can be followed if the dog will not be taken anywhere or sold.
When can you take your dog out into the world? If the pet participates in exhibitions and other competitions, the vaccination stamp in the passport should not be expired.
An unvaccinated dog is vaccinated no later than a month before the event with a mandatory quarantine of 30 days.
