Understanding Dog Vaccinations: What You Need To Know

As kids, we all dreaded going to the doctor to get our vaccines. Dogs are no exception, because they don’t understand why they are getting them.  Why is it that dogs should receive vaccinations? How does it keep them safer, and does this impact both humans and dogs?

Well, two classes of diseases affect animals^1. Zoonotic and non-zoonotic^1. Zoonotic diseases affect humans and dogs, while non-zoonotic diseases affect dogs^1. A zoonotic disease that people know about is rabies, but there are others^1. Non-zoonotic diseases in dogs include distemper^2. Here is what to do when first getting your dog vaccinated.

1. Take them as soon as they are ready to be vaccinated. This is important for infections such as parvovirus^6. Parvovirus is contagious, and puppies are more likely to die from it due to complications ^6. Distemper is another potentially fatal disease for puppies, so vaccination is key^2.
2. Leave a good memory of the visit. Some dogs are afraid of the vet and they don’t know what’s going on^7. Bring treats or a comfort item to help them get through the tough time^7.
3. Keep them away from other dogs^8. When they are vaccinated, your dog should be kept away from other dogs, their poop, and any other potentially contaminated areas until the vaccine takes effect^8. This keeps your dog safe and you safe^8.

Let’s talk about why these diseases are dangerous and why it is critical to vaccinate your dog against them.

Rabies. This is what most people think of when it comes to a disease transmitted from a dog^5. Rabies comes from a virus that destroys brain cells with a significant waiting period ^6. It can be weeks or months before it shows ^6. This disease is almost certainly fatal once symptoms show up^6. This is where vaccinating your dog is critical. Vaccinated dogs who get bitten rarely or ever get the virus^6.

Dogs that are unvaccinated are at much higher risk for rabies if they get bitten or scratched^6. Fortunately, rabies is very rare in dogs because many dogs are vaccinated in the United States^5. The rabies vaccine lowers this risk to nearly zero^5. In some parts of the world where vaccine programs are lacking, rabies infections are higher^6.Dogs that spend more time outside need to be monitored closely. Wild animals such as bats or coyotes may carry this deadly disease^6.

Parvovirus. This dangerous and contagious virus spreads in dog poop or anything that comes into contact with it^4. Puppies are most at risk for death or serious illness^4. Getting your dog vaccinated for this is highly effective in preventing it^4. Once symptoms show up, such as bloody diarrhea, throwing up, and loss of appetite, without getting help from a vet right away, it can kill them quickly^4. Even receiving medical assistance may not be enough if it has progressed too far^4. Getting the vaccine when they are puppies can help prevent this deadly disease from occurring^4. 

Distemper. This is another potentially fatal virus that affects dogs, especially puppies^2. It can spread through contaminated items and even through birth^2. Mothers can spread this virus to their puppies^2. The care that the vets provide can help, but it’s not always effective^2. The best way to prevent this is to vaccinate your dog in puppyhood or before they have puppies^2.

Canine hepatitis is a serious and sometimes fatal virus that can be difficult to treat in puppies^3. A mild case may include appetite loss, fever, and “blue eye”^3. If it affects the liver, then the chances of survival drop^3. A puppy with a fever, no appetite, jaundice and diarrhea is more likely not to survive^3.That is why they should be vaccinated against it^3.

Our dogs live shorter lives compared to humans. To give them the best lives, vaccinating is part of that care. It helps prevent early death, damage in dogs, and protects people.

References:

1. Roy, Ishita. 2025. “Is There a Difference between Zoonotic, Non-Zoonotic and Reverse Zoonotic Diseases.” Health and Me. January 25, 2025. https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/the-difference-between-zoonotic-non-zoonotic-and-reverse-zoonotic-diseases-article-151134152.

‌2. Burke, Anna. 2016. “American Kennel Club.” American Kennel Club. November 15, 2016. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/distemper-in-dogs/.

‌3. Weir, Malcolm, Tammy Hunter, and Ernest Ward. 2009. “Infectious Hepatitis (Adenovirus) in Dogs.” Vca_corporate. 2009. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/hepatitis-adenovirus-infection-in-dogs.

4. American Veterinary Medical Association. n.d. “Canine Parvovirus.” American Veterinary Medical Association. https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/canine-parvovirus.

5. CDC. 2024. “About Rabies.” Rabies. CDC. June 21, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/about/index.html.

6.National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. 2023. “Rabies.” https://Www.nfid.org/. March 2023. https://www.nfid.org/infectious-disease/rabies/.

7. “American Kennel Club.” 2017. American Kennel Club. 2017. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/puppy-information/puppy-first-vet-visit/.

‌8. sitemanager. 2024. “The Do’s and Don’ts after Dog Vaccination Pet Owners Should Know – Penny Paws.” Penny Paws. January 30, 2024. https://pennypaws.com/blog/the-dos-and-donts-after-dog-vaccination/.

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