Last shots?

[Lukai]

Lukai receives her very last shots this Friday (WOO-HOO)! I was wondering how long I have to wait before I can start taking her out to parks/the public area? This is her 4th and last puppy shot until she is 1.

Any suggestions?

[Nancy & Echo]

Good question.  I asked my vet's office too, and the office person (not the vet) said as soon as Echo got her shots.  (The vet was not available and I forgot to ask the vet tech.) That didn't make sense to me, so I waited a week.

Since rabies in dogs is such a rare thing in the USA, I assume one of the bigger concerns would be parvo.

I just did some searching, and this is from a shelter associated with the UC Davis Vet school re parvo:  In the absence of maternal antibody interference, a single modified live vaccine can confer protection within 3-5 days[1].  http://www.sheltermedicine.com/library/canine-parvovirus-cpv

For vaccination EARLIER than the last set of puppy vaccinations: One UC Davis study found that puppies that attended socialization classes had no higher incidence of parvo than puppies who did not.  http://betternaturedogtraining.com/Site/images/ParvoNotProblemWithP... .  But note that socialization classes take place Indoors, on a non-porous surface, that can easily be cleaned and disinfected.  This is not the same as taking a dog outside/especially in a dog park.

Note that there is no standard vaccine for some conditions like Giardia.  Giardia is quite common in dog parks, and in the general environment.  Some people recommend just not going to dog parks because of the risk of parasites.  In my area, there is also the danger of foxtails.

[Lukai]

That was my biggest concern- parvo.

So scary! Thank you for linking the websites, I will take a look at them. She does play with my other older dogs maybe twice a week (They have their shots, never had ticks, gotten sick, etc). So she's familiar with socializing with other dogs.

 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Just today, my vet to wait 2 weeks after the last shot of the series.

[Lukai]

Thank you! I can't wait to take her out!

[Amy and Annabelle]

I waited 2 weeks. We had plans to travel with her over Thanksgiving that year, and just made it to the 2 week mark before we had to leave. I knew she was going to be around another dog and wanted to make sure she was protected, since I wasn't sure the other dog was.

[Lukai]

2 weeks it is! thank you!

[Nancy & Echo]

I think 2 weeks is a totally reasonable guess on when the 'average' puppy is going to build up some antibodies.  Best wishes on her first trip out!