Is it too late for my adult rescue dog to get the distemper vaccine?

This depends upon how many vaccines he received as a pup. If he received his full vaccine course of 2-3 shots, then a booster 6-1onths later is recommended and yes, i would get him a booster now. If he only received a single vaccine originally then i would restart his full course as soon as possible given the risk of exposure

When you are discussing vaccinations I am assuming you are referring to the distemper, parvovirus, adenovirus, parainfluenza combination vaccine (DAPP). If Theodore is only about 6 weeks old he will need at least 3-4 more DAPP vaccines spaced approximately one month apart to be fully protected against distemper. Because Theodore will be at risk until he receives all of his distemper booster shots it is best to minimize his risk by not taking him to places where sick dogs may have been. So avoiding dog parks, pet stores, and kennels is a good idea. I would recommend starting veterinary visits for Theodore around 8 weeks of age so he can be examined and another DAPP vaccine can be given. Please remember to bring a fecal sample with you to the vet visit so he can be checked for intestinal parasites. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and good luck with Theodore!

Unfortunately, it takes up to 2 weeks for a vaccination to be effective, so vaccinating the exposed puppies after exposure, will not help protect them from their previous exposure, but may help protect them against future exposure. I am including more information about distemper below. https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952099 Since distemper is very contagious, I would not recommend having the exposed puppies around any other dogs if they are potentially contagious. You can call your local VetCo clinic to determine if they are able to accommodate the puppies in a safe manner, so that other dogs are not exposed. You can find your local location here. https://www.vetcoclinics.com/services-and-clinics/clinic-locations-and-schedules/ Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Most unvaccinated, adult dogs can receive a vaccination for distemper once they are, healthy, normal and not ill. She will need two vaccines given 3 weeks apart to set the proper immunity levels. Unless she has an ongoing chronic condition like an autoimmune condition or a blood borne parasite, most pets will not be immune compromised in general but I cannot answer that question for you without knowing her full history. I recommend to call the veterinarian who took care of Chutki last year and ask if she is immune compromised in anyway. Make sure to ask if it is safe to vaccinate her. Chutki's hair loss could be several things including allergies, endocrine disease, parasites, hormonal changes, poor diet or the normal twice yearly shedding of the coat. The only way to figure out the cause is to have her examined by your veterinarian. You can rule out parasites by using an oral medication like Simparica. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing her diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Having her spayed can also help to regulate her hormones. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

No - it will not hurt her and I would definitely recommend getting her vaccinated! There are many dogs in shelters who get their vaccines as adults. Some core vaccines like the DAP combo might require a booster while others like rabies don’t.

1. Distemper and deworming can be given at the same time. 2. Yes, I would give the vaccination plus one booster a month later if she has never been vaccinated before. 3. A simple blood test can be done to check for heartworms. The presence of heartworms has nothing to do with the vaccinations. She can still be vaccinated. 4. I have never heard of the vaccination causing brain inflammation. 5. Vaccines overall are not dangerous - they are life saving, however, there are some dogs than can have a reaction to vaccinations just like humans can. There is no way to know if a reaction will occur before giving the vaccination. All I can say is that vaccine reactions are very rare. 6. If you have no plans to breed her you should have her spayed. With that cystic ovary she has a good chance of developing pyometra (severe uterine infection) as well as mammary (breast) cancer.

Hello, and thanks for your question. The "core" vaccines that Bentley *should* have received as a puppy are his rabies vaccine (usually given between 12-16 weeks of age) and his distemper/parvovirus vaccines (usually given every 3-4 weeks from 8 to over 16 weeks of age). Both these vaccines would be boostered a year later. If you have no vaccine history on Bentley, then it's best to err on the side of making sure he's protected. It won't hurt him to get the vaccines now, even if he received them as a puppy. I would definitely get him vaccinated for rabies and distemper/parvovirus, and then I'd recommend talking to your vet about the other "non-core" vaccines they recommend for your area and Bentley's potential risk. Possible additional vaccines could include bordetella ("Kennel cough"), canine influenza, lyme, and leptospirosis. They can help establish the best vaccine schedule for you, based on the vaccines you decide on together for Bentley.. Hope this helps!