Can You Give a Puppy Shots and Deworming on the Same Day?

To understand whether a dog can be dewormed and vaccinated on the same day, the first thing to do is to be clear about both processes. We start with deworming in dogs. This is the process of administering agents to the puppy which means parasites will not or are very unlikely to cause an infestation. It is not a one-off process, but something you will need to be vigilant about throughout their lives.

Types of deworming in dogs

The type of deworming in dogs will be related to the type of parasite. Although there are many varieties, the two main types of parasites in dogs are internal and external:

• Internal deworming in dogs: internal parasites attack the inside of the dog's body. The majority of them will enter through the mouth and affect the dog's gastrointestinal system. This can cause various problems such as canine collitis. Although intestinal parasites in dogs are common, it is also possible they can infest the canine's heart, lungs or even their eyes.
• External deworming in dogs: external parasites in dogs include fleas, ticks, lice and, with an increasing presence, mosquitoes capable of transmitting serious diseases such as canine leishmaniasis.

As we can see, there are numerous parasites that can affect our dog. For this reason, the veterinarian is the one who can best advise on the most appropriate type of deworming treatment for your dog. Much of this will be dependent of the geographcical region. Certain parasites are more common in some areas compared to others.

There are various different drugs which can be used to treat parasites in dogs. For example, procox is a tablet often used to treat intestinal parasites in dogs. However, flea and tick treatment is usually administered in a pipette externally.

Deworming can begin as soon as the first two weeks of life and should always be continued on a regular basis. External dewormers usually have a protective effect for about one month. Internal deworming medicine usually eliminates the parasites present in the dog at the time of administration, but regular use can break their life cycle.

Every dog will have some level of parasites in their body. Not all of them are a significant danger to their health. However, even with some of those which are, the dog may appear asymptotomatic. It is only when the dog displays symptoms that we may notice, this is why deworming as preventive medicine is so important.

Now that you know when a puppy can be dewormed, you may want to know how long it takes for the parasites to be gone?

Although there is a worrying amount of people claiming otherwise, the importance of vaccination is unquestionable. A vaccine is a substance administered in a preparation which contains a small amount of the pathogen that causes a given disease. This trigger the body's immune system so that it knows how to fight the pathogen. This means when the dog next comes in contact with the pathogen, their body knowns how to prevent it harming them.

Since the dog's body now has the natural defenses to fight the disease, it will either completely reject the pathogen or only be affected very mildly.

Types of vaccines in dogs

Similar to the different types of deworming for puppies, the required vaccine for a puppy will depend on where they live. Some disease have been practically eradicated in certain areas, while they may still be a threat in others. However, some of the most common vaccines for dogs are used to prevent the following diseases:

• Distemper
• Canine parvovirus
• Leptospirosis
• Infectious hepatitis
• Rabies
• Leishmaniasis

There are core vaccines which are given to almost every dog to prevent the most common diseases. These are usually given in a combination vaccine such as the DHLPP vaccination for dogs. Others are considered secondary vaccines.

The vaccination is usually given as a shot under the dog's skin. This is why it is common to say the dog is having their ‘shots’. The hypodermic needle is inserted subcutaneously and the immune system is triggered. The space between their shoulders is the most common injection site when a got gets their shots.

Although deworming occurs earlier, vaccination begins around eight weeks of the puppy's life. It will be expected to continue throughout their life, but how often will depend on the individual. The amount of protection offered by the shots will be dependent on the type and strength. This is why it is the veterinarian who will be able to create the vaccination schedule for your dog.

Creating a vaccination schedule for puppies and dogs is something that must be done by a veterinary health professional. For the shot to offer protection, the puppy will need to have a good immune status. This is due to how vaccines work, since they trigger the immune system. If the immune system is working improperly, they may cause problems or simply be ineffective. This is related to whether they can be given shots and deworming on the same day.

Although this article deals with when to vaccinate and deworm puppies, adult dogs have certain considerations. For example, it is important to know if we can vaccinate a pregnant dog?

The answer is no. Dogs should not be given shots and deworming treatment on the same day. The reason for this is because of how both vaccines and deworming treatments act on the dog's body. Since vaccines stimulate the immune system, the dog may possible experience some mild side effects. Such side effects are normal and should not cause a concern.

If we give a dog deworming treatment while the dog's immune system is reacting it can cause further side effects. Also, the puppy's state of well-being which can affect the functionality of the shots. These include:

• Age of the dog
• Interference with maternal antibodies
• Nutrition
• Presence of disease
• Stress

However, it is possible that a veterinarian will choose to deworm and vaccinate a puppy at the same time. Although it is not recommended, they may make a judgement call and determine it is OK to give shots and deworm simultaneously. In general, this is not a recommended practice.

You may also want to know if you can bathe a dog after vacination?

One of the main reasons you shouldn't deworm and vaccinate your puppy on the same day is due to the risk of parasitosis. This is a disease caused by or transferred by a parasite. Since the puppy is in a state of compromised immunity, giving the dog deworming treatment can cause immune hyporesponsiveness. This may mean the shots will not work effectively.

Before a dog is given a vaccination, the veterinarian will need to examine them to determine their health status. If they are at all unwell, especially if they have a parasitical infestation, they will have to postpone the vaccination to a later date.

Should I deworm a dog before vaccinating?

Taking the above information into account, the most appropriate protocol is to deworm the dog before vaccination. While it may be sufficient to wait 24 hours, it is best to schedule the puppy's shots a few days later just in case they have any adverse reactions.

To know some more general information about what shots a dog needs, take a look at this video on dog vaccinations:

This article is purely informative. AnimalWised does not have the authority to prescribe any veterinary treatment or create a diagnosis. We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian if they are suffering from any condition or pain.

If you want to read similar articles to Can You Give a Puppy Shots and Deworming on the Same Day?, we recommend you visit our Vaccination category.