The 5-way puppy shot is gaining more and more popularity. However, you may be wondering what is it for or what it contains? Its name indicates that in its composition we can find five components that will act against five other diseases that can affect dogs, even those with fatal consequences. We remind you of the importance of establishing and maintaining a correct vaccination schedule.
For all these reasons, in this article, we will discuss in detail the 5-way puppy shot, the diseases against which it protects, or the reactions that can occur. Do not forget that the veterinarian is the only professional who can advise us regarding our pet’s health.
5-Way Puppy Shot – Vaccines for Dogs
To begin, we must explain what dog vaccines are. They are pharmacological preparations of variable composition used to stimulate their immune system. Each one of them presents, in a controlled way, a dog disease, which allows the animal to create specific defenses against it.
Thus, if at any time our dog meets that pathology naturally, its body will immediately be able to eliminate this pathogen or, at least, the disease will be milder. Diseases for which vaccines exist are usually profoundly serious and contagious. If they encounter the dog without vaccination, he may not have time to build up the necessary defenses, increasing the risk of death. That is why it is so important to vaccinate.
The first vaccination for our dogs is administered between the first 6 and 8 weeks of life. Before that, the puppy will be protected by the defenses transmitted by its mother. Depending on the immune status of the dog and the circumstances of the puppy, the veterinarian will decide the date of their first shot.
But puppy dog vaccinations are usually more than one since it is usual that repeated doses are needed to achieve maximum protection. Thus, these are usually given, as a guideline, at 8, 12, and 16 weeks of age.
Vaccines may contain virus fragments, inactivated viruses, or recombinant ones. They are also classified according to the number of diseases they protect against.
For example, there are monovalent and bivalent vaccines, which cover one or two pathologies, but trivalent vaccines for dogs, against three diseases, tetravalent vaccines, for four diseases, or 5-way puppy shots, the most complete, acting against more than four pathogens, are more common. The polyvalent vaccine for dogs is usually used in revaccinations, which are usually annual.
Below we will explain in more detail one of these vaccines: the 5-way puppy shot.
What Does the Quintuple Vaccine for Dogs Contain?
This vaccine will act against five diseases, which are the following:
- Distemper
- Adenovirus type 1 (Hepatitis)
- Parvovirus
- Parainfluenza
- Adenovirus type 2 (respiratory disease)
What Is the 5-Way Puppy Shot for Dogs Used?
The 5-way puppy shot will stimulate the immune system so that it can react quickly if the dog contracts any of the diseases against which it prevents. Therefore, the main function of vaccines is not to cure diseases but to prevent their occurrence. Like any drug, they can’t achieve total protection, but they have proven to be highly effective. To guarantee their effectiveness, we must know that their effect does not last for the dog’s whole life, that is why they must be periodically revaccinated and only administered by veterinarians.
How Is the 5-Way Puppy Shot Administered?
This vaccine is administered by subcutaneous injection under the skin, in the withers area, around the shoulder. Vaccination is a veterinary act that can only be performed by this professional and always after previously examining the dog since situations such as internal parasitosis, gestation, some treatments or diseases are reasons to postpone its inoculation.
Reactions to Vaccines
Reactions or side effects to the 5-way puppy shot or any other vaccine are usually limited to a slight discomfort during the same day of the application or a small inflammation at the inoculation site. Only in rare cases could an allergic reaction be triggered, which would be potentially serious.
Side Effects of Vaccines
Despite their many advantages, vaccines do have some side effects, which are described below. Remember that these side effects can manifest themselves in the third vaccine, rabies vaccine, or 5-way puppy shot:
It might be thought that by introducing the disease-causing microorganism into the animal, the dog could suffer from the disease in question. This is highly rare and can be ruled out in practice.
Anaphylactic reaction. This is an acute reaction that may be developed shortly after the administration of the vaccine and is based on an allergic situation.
In these cases, swelling and, more dangerously, difficulty in breathing may be observed. Although certain mild cases may respond to antihistamines, corticosteroids are usually administered because of their high efficacy and to prevent complications. Although they are effective and the process resolves satisfactorily, they can interfere with the effectiveness of the vaccine, so the patient should be re-vaccinated, using a different brand of vaccine if possible.
Like most allergic processes, it is difficult to prevent since it is not possible to know simply if the animal is allergic to a drug until it has been administered. In any case, in animals susceptible to allergy, it may be interesting, if they have already been vaccinated once, to use the same vaccine that is known not to cause allergy, or to administer an antihistamine beforehand to reduce the symptoms.
Fever. As we have said, the purpose of vaccines is to make the dog’s organism create defenses, and this is a stress for the animal’s immune system. In these cases, the animal may be seen as more depressed than normal, and a fever may appear. Fortunately, these symptoms are not usually serious and disappear in one or two days.
However, as in the previous case, if this situation occurs, it is advisable to consult a veterinarian. The only way to prevent it is to use vaccines appropriate to the age and condition of the dog, and not to vaccinate sick animals, so the veterinarian must examine the animal before proceeding to the vaccination of the same.
Other health problems besides the above-mentioned, it is also possible that other side effects of vaccines for dogs may appear, such as numbness, apathy, vomiting, diarrhea, and even inflammation of the area.
As results have shown, the advantages of vaccines far outweigh their disadvantages. In any case, to minimize the disadvantages, it is recommended to direct the dog’s vaccination program to the characteristics of the dog and the environment in which he lives, to cover those diseases that pose a risk to him, and to avoid unnecessary vaccinations.
If you notice that your dog has any of the side effects mentioned above, do not hesitate and contact your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Are Vaccinations Mandatory?
The obligatory nature of the 5-way puppy shot or any other vaccine will depend on the legislation of the place where we live. The same happens with vaccines that in veterinary medicine are called essential, such as distemper or parvovirus, mandatory in some regions, optional in many.
Therefore, we should consult with our veterinarian to find out which vaccines are mandatory in our place of residence and how often they should be administered. If we are traveling with our dog or moving, we will also have to be informed about the legislation in force at our destination. But regardless of the legislation, the veterinarian, adapting to the vital circumstances of our dog, will be able to recommend the vaccinations he considers essential and make up the most adequate schedule to protect him effectively.
