The Vaccination Schedule Nobody Explains Properly
Most owners arrive knowing their puppy needs injections, and knowing almost nothing else. That is not their fault. The schedule is usually recited at a counter in half a minute, written on a card in handwriting nobody can read, and then forgotten until something goes wrong.
Why the first dose is the least important one
A puppy is born with antibodies borrowed from its mother. They fade somewhere between six and sixteen weeks, and while they are still circulating they can neutralise a vaccine before it teaches the immune system anything. Nobody can tell you the exact week that happens in your animal, which is why we give a series rather than a single shot.
The last dose in the series is the one that has to land. That is why a puppy vaccinated once at six weeks and never brought back is, for practical purposes, unvaccinated.
What we give, and when
- 6–8 weeks — first combined vaccination (distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza).
- 10–12 weeks — second combined dose, with leptospirosis added.
- 12–16 weeks — third combined dose and the first anti-rabies vaccination.
- Annually thereafter — a booster for both, for the rest of the animal's life.
Kittens follow a similar pattern with a different combination, and rabbits, birds and other species have their own schedules altogether. Ask us rather than assuming the dog timetable transfers.
Rabies is not a small risk in Nepal. It is the one vaccination we will not let an owner talk us out of, whether the animal ever leaves the house or not.
The three weeks after the last dose
Immunity is not instant. Keep a puppy away from unvaccinated animals, from parks where street dogs gather, and from the ground outside the gate for two to three weeks after the final dose. Parvovirus survives in soil for months, and it kills quickly.
What to expect afterwards
Some animals are quiet for a day, eat a little less, and are themselves again by the following morning. That is a normal response. Swelling at the injection site that keeps growing, vomiting, or difficulty breathing is not — call us immediately.
We keep every animal we vaccinate under observation for fifteen to twenty minutes before you go home, which is when the rare serious reactions show themselves.
Lost the card?
We keep our own record. If your pet was vaccinated here, we can tell you exactly what was given and when, and print you a fresh card. Bring the animal, or just phone.