Going to the vet repeatedly over several months for vaccinations, and then for boosters or titers throughout your dog’s life, may seem like an inconvenience, but the diseases that vaccinations will shield our pets from are dangerous but thankfully, mostly preventable.

Vaccinations have become commonplace for dogs today, as they can effectively prevent potentially serious canine diseases like distemper, rabies, and hepatitis. Not only can regular vaccinations protect your pet’s health, they can also keep the human members of your family healthy as well — some canine illnesses can be transferred to humans.

There are numerous different dog vaccinations, for so many different illnesses. It can sometimes be confusing to know which vaccinations puppies need and which ones are important but optional. Here is an overview of the diseases that vaccinations will help your pet to avoid.

Dog Vaccinations 

Distemper: This is a highly contagious viral disease that affects a dog’s respiratory tract (lungs), gastrointestinal tract (gut) and nervous system (brain). It can be airborne or spread through contact with an infected animal.

Infectious canine hepatitis (adenovirus): This is a viral disease spread by contact with infected animals, their stools, urine or saliva. It affects the liver, kidneys and cells lining the blood vessels.

Parvovirus (also known as Cat Flu): This is a very common viral disease that is deadly and usually strikes young puppies. It spreads by infected dogs’ blood, stools or vomit.

Parainfluenza: This is another infectious viral disease that can be one of the causes of “kennel cough”. It affects the respiratory tract and spreads quickly among dogs close to one another.

Rabies: This viral infection affects the central nervous system and can result in paralysis or death. It is important to note that rabies is fatal in animals which is why this vaccination is so crucial for your puppy’s health.