Why are dog medicines dosed by weight but vaccines are one size?

Vaccinations are the same dose in Chihuahuas as in Great Danes because the amount needed to vaccinated is based on immune response NOT size of the dog. The vaccines give the correct dose to stimulate an immune response and it is the same for all dogs regardless of their size. It is never recommend to request a partial dose because it will not work nor will it provide protection of Lala because she won't be given enough to stimulate her immune response. The size of the dog is immaterial when it comes to vaccines.

Hello, and thanks for your question. It's good to monitor the weight as the puppy grows simply for monitoring purposes, but the 5-in-1 distemper vaccination does not depend on the puppy's weight. We give the same vaccine dose to a tiny puppy as we do to a large one - the dose is universal, as it's the amount needed to generate the immune response we need. So, now that Chopper is 2 months, she should be vaccinated! Hope this helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Panacur is a medication, it is a dewormer. I have not found it to be dangerous for any breed or size dog. Leptospirosis is a bacteria excreted in wild animal urine. A dog or human can get this bacterial infection from ingesting contaminated water or the bacteria can penetrate wounds. It causes kidney and liver failure. Dogs get very sick with this infection and can die. If Nacho will hike, go swimming, camping, you live in a city and he may drink from puddles (rat urine) or you have water on your property you should vaccinate him. Again, I have not found that a particular breed is more sensitive that another to the vaccine. Since Nacho is small I would not give him the Leptospirosis vaccine with the DHPP. I would separate it out and give it by itself. I personally do not give tony dogs too many vaccines at once. He needs 2 vaccines for leptospirosis, 3 weeks apart then yearly. Every dog, regardless of size, gets the same volume. The DHPPL does have Leptospirosis in it. You need to weigh the pros and cons of giving that vaccine versus his risk of contracting the bacterial infection. If his risk of getting it is minimal then do not vaccinate. I hope this helps!

Lily must be a small dog!! Puppies can get shots at the appropriate ages, regardless of their size! It is important for puppies to get the vaccines at the right age to ensure that they get good immunity against the dog diseases!

Hi and thanks again for posting. The rabies vaccine as well as any vaccine is note based on weight. It matters not the size of the dog but the age (3-4 months based on your state is typical). As long as Oliver has not had any reactions to vaccines in the past, he should be just fine. Doing one vaccine at a time will help to not overload his body at one time and that is fine to do. Waiting longer does not minimize reactions in small dogs as long as he has not had a history of reactions to vaccines in the past and is currently healthy. I hope this has helped!

This is an excellent question! Many vets now vaccinate on the legs instead of between the shoulder blades or elsewhere, as it makes it easier to monitor and treat vaccine reactions. Many vets also will assign a specific vaccine to a specific leg, so if there is a vaccine reaction (which is very rare) it is easier to tell which specific vaccine may have caused the problem.

Vaccines require refrigeration before and after reconstitution. The standard dose is 1ml given in the muscle to dogs older than 12 weeks of age. You will need to keep records to confirm vaccination and to prevent vaccinating the same dog more than once. An exam prior to vaccination is strongly recommended to avoid vaccinating a sick dog. In the US, a rabies vaccine can be given only by a licensed veterinarian. Please check local regulations to make sure you will not be breaking any laws.