Vaccines are very important to prevent diseases that can be serious for your dog . By vaccinating your partner, you also help prevent the spread of such diseases .

Some municipalities launch low-cost or even free vaccination campaigns to help those who cannot afford vaccinations for their dogs , so it is a good idea to check with your administrative bodies to see if they have this option.

As for humans, there are vaccines that are mandatory and others that are recommended . It is interesting to know the vaccination schedule and the price of each of the vaccines.

It is important that you take into account the expense of vaccinating your dog because it is one of the many expenses ( such as the dog chip   or civil liability insurance if you have a potentially dangerous PPP breed dog ) that we analyze in our article on the Main expenses of having a dog .

How Much Do Dog Vaccinations Usually Cost?

DOG CARE

Vaccines are very important to prevent diseases that can be serious for your dog . By vaccinating your partner, you also help prevent the spread of such diseases .

Some municipalities launch low-cost or even free vaccination campaigns to help those who cannot afford vaccinations for their dogs , so it is a good idea to check with your administrative bodies to see if they have this option.

As for humans, there are vaccines that are mandatory and others that are recommended . It is interesting to know the vaccination schedule and the price of each of the vaccines.

It is important that you take into account the expense of vaccinating your dog because it is one of the many expenses ( such as the dog chip   or civil liability insurance if you have a potentially dangerous PPP breed dog ) that we analyze in our article on the Main expenses of having a dog .

Table of Contents

What are infectious diseases

How does your dog defend itself from diseases?

What diseases can I prevent by vaccinating my dog?

Mandatory vaccinations and recommended vaccinations

Vaccination schedule for your dog

How much does it cost to vaccinate my dog?

What are infectious diseases

Infectious diseases are those caused by different pathogenic microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, protozoa, fungi) that invade the body of the host organism and cause disease. In addition, they are transmitted from one animal to another through urine, feces, and other bodily secretions. They can also be contracted by breathing in spores from the soil, through wounds, or through sexual transmission.

How does your dog defend itself from diseases?

There are diseases that are specific to certain animals. For example, a dog cannot contract a specific disease from a horse. It is said that the animal that cannot contract it has a natural immunity to said disease. Other diseases, however, are not specific and can infect different types of animals.

To defend against disease, your dog’s immune system, just like ours, generates antibodies, which attack and destroy the germ. Therefore, when an infectious agent makes your dog sick,his immune system will create antibodies against that germ . From this moment on, your dog will be protected against said germ. This is called active immunity and is usually maintained throughout the dog’s life.

Active immunity can be induced by vaccination . By vaccinating your dog, what you do is expose him to dead germs, live attenuated germs , incapable of causing disease, or toxins and germ products. This process stimulates the production of specific antibodies for the specific germ of the vaccine. However, unlike natural exposure, the duration of protection is limited, so revaccinations will be necessary to maintain the necessary levels of protection.

There is a third type of immunity called passive immunity , which is passed from one animal to another. It is the one that the puppies acquire when they take their mother’s colostrum, full of antibodies. This immunity persists as long as the antibodies remain in the puppy’s circulatory system.

What diseases can I prevent by vaccinating my dog?

Now that we know how both our dog’s immune system and vaccines work, we are clear that they are important to prevent the spread of diseases that can be serious for him. The most important are the following:

Parvo virus .

It is a disease caused by a highly contagious virus that can be fatal for your dog, especially if it is a puppy. This disease is transmitted through feces or by being in a contaminated area. Commercial vaccines protect against all currently known strains. The first vaccination is given to puppies at 5 weeks of age. They will then receive new doses at 8 weeks, 10-12 weeks, and 16 weeks. For adult dogs, annual memories are made, although protection is currently being seen to last longer than previously thought and memories are beginning to be made every two or three years. You can consult our parvovirus article if you want to know more about this disease .

Distemper

This disease can also be deadly. The first vaccination is done after weaning the puppy and before taking it to its new home and being exposed to other dogs. Thus, at 5 weeks, the puppy will receive a vaccine called Puppy DP, for parvovirus and distemper.

Infectious hepatitis .

It is a modified virus vaccine that protects against canine hepatitis and two of the adenoviruses implicated in kennel cough.

Leptospirosis .

Disease that attacks the kidney and liver. It is administered in the pentavalent or heptavalent vaccine. The difference between the two vaccines is that the seven-valent contains two more strains of hepatitis and leptospirosis, which is why more and more veterinarians administer the latter.

Kennel cough.

 It affects the respiratory system of the dog. Vaccination against this disease is based on the administration of strains that protect against parainfluenza and bordetella .

rage .

This dangerous disease can also affect humans. It is transmitted by the bite of an infected animal and causes inflammation in the brain. It is deadly for your dog . It is usually given at three months of age and then annually or every three years. In many countries it is a legally required vaccine. Learn all about rabies in our article on this dangerous disease .

Coronavirus .

Vaccination against the coronavirus does not prevent the disease, but reduces its severity. It is a mild disease, so it does not appear in routine vaccination schedules.

Lyme disease .

Also known as canine borreliosis , it is transmitted by ticks. There is currently a vaccine against it but it protects in the very short term, so its administration has not been established. It may be recommended for dogs that are at high risk.

Remember that you can expand the topic of our article dedicated to the main diseases of dogs .

Mandatory vaccinations and recommended vaccinations

Due to the seriousness of the diseases, vaccinations against distemper, infectious hepatitis, parvovirus, and rabies are mandatory .

In addition, it is advisable to vaccinate the dog against leptospirosis, canine parainfluenza, kennel cough (bordetella vaccine), coronavirus and Lyme disease in high-risk situations.

Vaccination schedule for your dog

In Spain, there is a standard vaccination schedule followed by most veterinarians, except for changes in special circumstances such as the health of the dog, its environment, its area of ​​residence or its habits and exposure to certain infectious agents.

Said schedule is as follows:

At 6 weeks . Puppy Vaccine. Parvovirus and distemper. It is not always administered, it depends on the weaning of the puppy.

At 8 weeks. Pentavalent or Heptavalent vaccine: protects against parvovirus, kennel cough, distemper, infectious hepatitis and leptospirosis. The Heptavalente has two more strains against hepatitis and leptospirosis than the Pentavalente.

At 12-13 weeks . Second dose of the polyvalent vaccine.

At 5-6 months . Vaccine against distemper, parvovirus, hepatitis, leptospirosis and rabies.

Annually or every two years (depending on the Autonomous Community): Heptavalent and Rabies.

Except in Galicia, Euskadi and Catalonia, where it is voluntary, in the rest of Spain, the rabies vaccine is compulsory.

How much does it cost to vaccinate my dog?

There is a price recommended by the College of Veterinarians, which is the one that we present below . This price may vary from one clinic to another, so we recommend that you ask your veterinarian for the price established by him to get a more accurate idea of ​​what it will cost you to have your dog protected. Generally, prices range between the following values:

Heptavalent or pentavalent vaccine (parvovirus, kennel cough, distemper, infectious hepatitis and leptospirosis). Between €40 and €50

Trivalent vaccine (parvovirus, distemper and hepatitis). Between €30 and €40

Vaccine against rabies . Between €20 and €30

Every year we must revaccinate against heptavalent and rabies.

conclusions

Immunity to diseases can be acquired through vaccination.

It is important that you vaccinate your dog against certain diseases that can be very serious or even fatal for him.

The seven-valent vaccine protects against parvovirus, kennel cough, distemper, infectious hepatitis, and leptospirosis.

The rabies vaccine is very important and compulsory in Spain (except Galicia, Euskadi and Catalonia) and in many countries.

There is a vaccine for puppies that have been weaned too early.