Vaccines shield your dog from a number of illnesses that can result in serious symptoms or even death. It’s a good idea to be aware of the vaccines and boosters your dog will require based on its demographics.
Relating to that, one of the places your puppy can get their vaccines is Petsmart. It is a store that offers various pet services. And if you are planning to get your puppies’ vaccine at Petsmart, this article is perfect for you! In this, we will discuss how much puppy shots cost at Petsmart, what vaccines they need, the right vaccination schedule, and more!
Puppy Vaccination Cost at Petsmart
First, Petsmart is a company that offers a wide variety of pet services from grooming to vaccination shots. For the vaccination shots, it costs $140 for Rabies, Lepto, Bordetella, and DAPP. This amount already includes the service fee.
The annual fees for vaccination shots will depend on your puppy’s needed shots. Some dogs do not need boosters. Meanwhile, dogs with special needs or weaker immune systems might require one.
To be safe, we strongly recommend consulting your veterinarian.
What Vaccines Do Puppies Need?
As we mentioned before, vaccines are extremely important for your puppies’ overall health. Thus, knowing the vaccines they need will guide you in ensuring that they’re fully protected against any medical dangers.
There are both mandatory (core) and optional vaccinations (non-core) for your pet. Pet owners should ensure that their dogs have the essential core vaccines. Depending on a pet’s individual medical history and lifestyle, a veterinarian may provide non-core immunizations.
Core Vaccines
Here are the following core vaccines your puppy should get:
Canine Distemper
Veterinarians recommend this vaccine for dogs to prevent illness brought on by the canine distemper virus, the adenovirus types 1 and 2 that cause hepatitis and respiratory disease, the canine parainfluenza virus, and the canine parvovirus.
Canine Parvovirus
All dogs should receive the canine parvovirus vaccination as part of a regular wellness program, according to the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). Canines are protected from parvo with this vaccination. This vaccine is crucial since when parvovirus is not discovered quickly, it can be lethal. Canine parvovirus can cause a dog’s death within hours.
Adenovirus (Hepatitis)
The canine adenovirus type 2 (CAV-2) is a core vaccine, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, primarily because it is required for the prevention of the canine adenovirus type 1 (CAV-1), which causes infectious canine hepatitis. Medical history recognizes hepatitis as a serious and frequently fatal disease of canids.
Rabies
The rabies vaccine is an active immunizing substance that guards against rabies virus infection. Due to the fact that there is currently no treatment for rabies, this vaccination is crucial.
Non-core Vaccines
Meanwhile, here are the non-core vaccines that your puppy might need depending on their health or risk:
Canine Parainfluenza
Canine parainfluenza, a highly contagious respiratory virus that causes infectious tracheobronchitis, better known as dog cough, is the target of this vaccine. It is designed to protect dogs from it. Despite the fact that respiratory symptoms might be mistaken for canine influenza, these viruses are unrelated and require distinct vaccinations for protection.
Canine Influenza
The vaccination prevents dogs who are in danger of coming into contact with the canine influenza virus, such as those who participate in activities with lots of other dogs or who live in communal spaces, especially in areas where the virus is common.
Leptospirosis
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association website, dogs are not needed to receive the leptospirosis vaccine as part of their core routine vaccination schedule. Leptospirosis, a condition brought on by bacteria found in polluted water and soil, can be avoided because of this vaccine. The leptospirosis vaccination is safe for dogs and doesn’t have many adverse effects.
Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease)
In reaction to the vaccine’s outer surface protein A, every existing canine Lyme disease vaccination causes the dog to develop borreliacidal antibodies (OspA). These antibodies function in the gut of the tick to bind the bacteria during the blood meal, sanitizing the tick’s gut and preventing bacterial transfer to the dog.
Bordetella
The widely accessible Bordetella vaccination for dogs offers defense against this particular bacteria and prevents kennel cough in canines.
The prices of both core and non-core vaccines will vary on different factors such as your location, your dog, and if they have special shots needed. On average, expect to pay around $75 to $100 for your dog’s core vaccine shots during its first year. Meanwhile, here’s a table showing the average prices for non-core vaccines:
| Non-Core Vaccine | Price |
|---|---|
| Canine Influenza | $45 to $65 |
| Leptospirosis | $20 to $30 |
| Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease) | $20 to $40 |
| Bordetella | $30 to $50 |
Lastly, there can also be additional charges for the initial examinations done before your puppy’s vaccine shots. This examination will help veterinarians or professionals in-changed to know what your puppy needs. Initial examinations can cause around $30 to $100. The fees differ from one location to another.
When to Vaccinate a Puppy?
After knowing the vaccines your puppy needs, let us now talk about the proper time when the vaccination of a puppy should happen and which vaccines to administer at that time. The best person to decide on your pet’s immunization plan initially is your veterinarian. This will depend on the vaccine’s kind, age, health history, environment, and way of life of your pet.
However, the basic rule of thumb is the following:
Puppies should get their first shots between six and eight weeks old. Get the puppy’s medical records as soon as you buy or adopt it so your doctor knows what vaccinations have been administered and when the next one is due.
Then, based on the lifestyle you envisage for your puppy and the risk of particular diseases based on your demographics and lifestyle, your veterinarian will suggest a timetable. Once the predicted level of protection has been reached, most vaccinations are typically administered every 2 to 4 weeks.
For the Distemper and Parvo vaccines, your puppy may need 3 to 4 shots until they are 16 to 20 weeks old, depending on their age. Your veterinarian could suggest a shorter series if your dog is older than 16 weeks old, is not current on vaccinations, or if you’re unsure.
Puppy Shots Cost At Petsmart: FAQs
Before we end this article, here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about puppy shots:
As previously mentioned, there are core and non-core vaccines that puppies need. The core vaccines are mandatory while non-core are the ones that your dog might need based on their overall health or situation.
To reiterate, the core vaccines are Core vaccines include Canine Distemper, Canine Parvovirus, Adenovirus (Hepatitis), and Rabies. The non-core vaccines are Canine Parainfluenza, Canine Influenza, Leptospirosis, Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease), and Bordetella.
Your veterinarian will advise you on the best time to provide booster shots to your dog so that they continue to provide protection. Your dog may require booster injections for some immunizations. Some vaccinations can need yearly boosters, but others might last for longer or shorter periods of time.
To reach the right amount of immunity that can help keep your dog as safe as possible, simply follow your veterinarian’s recommendations. Also keep in mind that your dog’s breed, medical history, and allergies may affect which vaccinations and boosters are best for them.
Depending on the advice of your veterinarian, your puppy will receive immunizations at a certain age. A vaccination plan (sometimes known as a schedule for puppy shots) can begin as early as 6 to 8 weeks of age.
Pet owners can find low-cost vaccinations or even free vaccinations for puppies through government and animal shelters and animal advocacy-related groups or organizations. For this, it is best to check your local government’s website to know whether they are offering any specific pet vaccination services.
According to Pedigree, from the time they are 6-8 weeks old until they are 12-16 weeks old, puppies must go for their routine vaccinations. Veterinaries and healthcare professionals recommend every three to four weeks when doing routine vaccinations.
In conclusion, vaccines are among the important things you need to prioritize once you became a pet owner. With that, we recommend being aware of the vaccines that your dog needs and the non-core vaccines that they might need. In addition, knowing their prices will help you prepare your finance or budget.