What vaccines does my 9-month-old dog need? Is flea/tick Rx required?

Unfortunately we do not have "shots" that cover all these problems. The only injections I am aware of that offer some protection are the Program shot, which lasts 6 months and will prevent fleas from reproducing but doesn't kill fleas on your dog, and praziquantel which is an injection for tapeworms. There is also an injection to prevent heartworms called Proheart that is once every 6 months. Most people choose to do topical or oral products for flea/tick/intestinal parasites. My favorite product is Nexgaurd for fleas and ticks, which is a chewable once a month flea and tick preventative. There is a newer oral product called Bravecto which covers fleas and ticks, and lasts 3 months. I haven't used it but have heard great things. For heartworms and intestinal parasites I like the products iverheart, heartgard, sentinel, and interceptor. They prevent heartworms and the more common intestinal worms, and must be given monthly.

We don't recommend buying vaccinations at feed stores or pet stores b/c we cannot guarantee that they were properly stored and are therefore going to fully protect your pet. With that said, we also cannot legally instruct you on how to administer these vaccinations either unfortunately. THe best and safest option for your pet is to get vaccinations done by a licensed professional. Even a vaccine clinic can offer low cost options for your furry friend if cost is a concern. Jacky is such a cute little puppy. I hope that you are able to find adequate veterinary care for his soon to complete his puppy vaccinations. Best of luck and take care.

Hello. A lot depends on what might be considered a problem in your area. For example, there have only been sporadic outbreaks across the country of Canine Influenza, & Lymes Disease is more of an issue east of the Mississippi. The AVMA considers the core or necessary vaccinations Rabies, Distemper, Adenovirus & Parvovirus, all of which can be given every 1, 2 or 3 years. You need to discuss this with your veterinarian as to what they see in their other patients, & also what you are comfortable with given your lifestyle with Cloud. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Foxy lady will need 2 DHPP vacicnes 3 weeks a part in order to protect her. The 2nd one will be good for 1 year. The next vaccine the following year will be good for 3 years. She also needs a Rabies vaccine, which is required by law. She should be heart worm tested and started on heart worm pills. There are oral flea and tick medications. Nexgard is a monthly pill for flea and ticks and can be given to dogs who weigh 4 lbs or more. For Simparica she would need to be over 5.6 lbs. Bravecto is for dogs over 6 months of age and is ONE pill every 3 months and is ok for dogs over 4 lbs. Tapeworm infections are usually from fleas. The dewormer that is used is Droncit or drontal. I hope this helps!

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!

I recommend to use an additional product for ticks if he is going to be going into tick infested areas on a routine basis. This could be an oral preventive like Simparica or Nexgard. You should also use a tick collar like Preventic collar. You could also use one of the above mentioned oral products and something like Proheart or Interceptor for ticks. I recommend to discuss the best option with your veterinarian. Use a magnifying glass and make sure not to handle the tick with your bare skin. That looks like a rocky mountain tick or a gulf coast tick to me but here is a great link about ticks: https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/tickbornediseases/tickID.html Continue to check jack a few times a day. Run your fingers over his entire body. Be sure to check his ears and feet really well. I hope this helps.

Parker is cute! Most dogs get a vaccine core of Rabies, Distemper/Parvo and Bordetella. Depending on where you live, Leptospirosis and Lyme vaccines may also be indicated as well as Heartworm prevention. I would recommend to have the records from your old vet faxed over to your new vet and to discuss what is needed based on your location. I also see that Parker is marked as unspayed. Spaying female dogs has significant health benefits as she gets older. I would also recommend to discuss this with the doctor if you are not planning on breeding Parker. Take care.