How to Prevent Your Puppy from Getting Distemper or Parvo

Distemper and Parvo are two nasty disease that puppies are prone to getting prior to vaccination. So how do you prevent your new puppy from getting the diseases? Well, if you purchase your puppy from a puppy store, chances are increased of them having the disease. Puppy mills are places where puppies bred in large numbers and the conditions in which they live, are usually not the cleanest. Some people will bring a new puppy home from the store and a couple weeks later, the puppy will be vomiting and having severe bloody diarrhea.

This is an unfortunate situation, because now you have to deal with a sick puppy. Now, if you purchase your puppy from a reputable breeder, your chances of them getting the diseases are very slim. Reputable breeders USUALLY have clean areas for breeding, not all do though. Once you have your puppy in possession, you will need to go through a series of vaccinations. There is a window at which your puppy is able to be vaccinated successfully. The mother provided antibodies to the puppy in the placenta and through her milk. There is a point in the puppy's early lifestage, where he/she is able to respond to the vaccination without the mother's antibodies overriding it. This is called the window of susceptibility.

Typically, the puppy will go through a 3-round series of vaccinations. Usually, at 5 or 6 weeks is when the puppy's vaccination schedule will begin. At the first vaccination, your veterinarian will most likely administer a combination vaccination that immunizes against Distemper and Parvo. At the second visit, usually 2-3 weeks from the first, a second combination vaccination will be given along with a Corona vaccination. At the third visit, your veterinarian will give a third combination, second Corona, and a Bordetella vaccination. Usually at 12 weeks of age, the Rabies vaccination will be given. Once your puppy has gone through the vaccinations, you will need to bring them back in a year for booster vaccinations.

Now, to decrease the likelihood your pet will come into contact with these diseases, you will need to keep their exposure to other dogs very low. You may just want to wait until they are fully vaccinated to take them anywhere. If you expose your puppy to an infected dog, they will not be fully protected and may develop the disease. Even if an infected dog defecated on the street and your puppy licks it or comes into contact with it, they can develop the disease. Parvo is a virus that can survive high or low temperatures for a long period of time. Even if the feces is removed from the ground, the virus can still remain in that spot for a while. Your veterinarian will also make recommendations to you and what steps you should take. Just remember to wait until your puppy is fully vaccinated to expose to other dogs.