Not sure if first shots done.

Dr. Marie replied:

This actually happens quite often. I will commonly see puppies who came with no papers, but the owners have said that they have had their first shots.

What I usually do is wait till 3 weeks after the first shot was supposedly given. (If you don't know when the first shot was given, then wait 3 weeks from when you got the puppy). Then, we do the second shot then.

If it turns out that the dog has actually not had any shots, there is no harm done other than the fact that he hasn't had protection against viruses up until this point.

However, if we vaccinate too soon (i.e. let's say he had a shot yesterday and we give another 2 days later) then the vaccine that we give will not be effective and could be potentially harmful.

Then, a month after we give our shot we will give another. After this point the dog should be good for vaccines for a year.

With all of this being said, there may be variations depending on your veterinarian's vaccine schedule. Ultimately, the best bet is to contact your vet for their advice.

Dr. Marie.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


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