Should I skip my small puppy's 12-week vaccine due to mom's immunity?

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! 5 weeks is a bit young to leave her mother but if she is fully weaned it should be ok. We usually do not start vaccines until they are 7 weeks of age. Some breeders will give them a parvo vaccine at under 7 weeks. You should be fine until she gets her first vaccine but people with sick dogs or unvaccinated dogs shouldn't handle her and she needs to be kept away from all dogs. I hope this helps and good luck!

It is true that maternal antibodies can interfere with the immune system's ability to respond to a vaccine in a young puppy, but puppies do not get significant antibody from the mother's milk past the first day so it is absolutely fine for them to continue to nurse. One reason we give so many vaccine boosters when puppies are young is because it is difficult to predict exactly when mom's antibody will start to decline in the puppy so that they can mount their own adequate immune response. Usually maternal antibody is completely gone sometime between 16-20 weeks, which is why we try to time the last vaccine booster around then.

Vaccines in puppies should be given every 3-4 weeks starting at 8 weeks of age. So he can be boostered at 11-12 weeks (looks like he has about a week to go). The chances of him getting something from the unvaccinated dog's owner is pretty minimal but there is always a slight chance. I personally would not be too worried about it but there are a couple things you could do to minimize risk. You could just kindly ask her to wash her hands before petting. The other option is that you don't have to let her pet him at all. You can always say you are busy training him and you would prefer that no one pets him for now if you want to avoid a conflict..... Hope this answers your question. Best wishes!

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!

It's best for Milo's immunity to have his second vaccine given four weeks after the first, but if you cannot get him into the vet at that time, do not put it off longer than a week. He will be fine with it being a week out. Best of luck!

First of all, Dodger is adorable! As far as boostering his vaccines, it is recommended that the DAPP (distemper-adenovirus-parvovirus-parainfluenza) vaccine is given every 3-4 weeks until at least 16 weeks of age. If Dodger receives his first DAPP vaccine at 8 weeks of age, he could receive 3 boosters (at 8, 12, and 16 weeks) or 4 boosters (at 8, 11, 14, and 17 weeks) depending upon how you schedule his booster appointments. There is no right or wrong way to handle his boosters as long as he receives them until at least 16 weeks of age since his mom's antibodies will wear off sometime before the 16 week mark. Enjoy that cute little guy!

Early vaccination does not obtain any advantage, on the contrary. his immune system at his age is not ready to receive vaccination yet, they will have very little effect and will leave him vulnerable to catch infections. i would not recommend vaccinating him before the age of 8 weeks.