Vaccinating Your Pit Bull Terrier: Keeping Your Dog Healthy

are many different vaccines available today that candeath. Parvo and coronavirus are more severe in
prevent infection and disease in your Pit Bull. Vaccinespuppies, but can affect dogs of any age. These two
are also available that can help keep many diseasesdiseases usually occur in conjunction with each other,
and infections from severely affecting yourand can cause weight loss, diarrhea, vomiting, and
dogs’ health. Vaccination will boost your Pitpossibly death. Influenza and adenovirus cause a dry
Bull’s immune system to help him be lesshacking cough that can lead to more serious
susceptible to these diseases.infections, such as pneumonia.
Most veterinarians recommend beginning vaccinatingSome owners choose to also vaccinate their Pit Bulls
your Pit Bull at around eight weeks of age, andagainst lyme disease, the first dose usually given at
continuing every four weeks until around eighteenaround twelve weeks old. The second dose is given
weeks old. Vaccination against rabies is now a legalaround three weeks after the first, and a booster is
requirement for all dog owners. Rabies can beneeded once a year thereafter. Lyme disease can
transmitted easily to humans, and there is no cureaffect the joints, heart, kidneys, and brain if left
for the disease once it is contracted. The rabiesuntreated.
vaccine is usually given to Pit Bulls at around twelveIt is important that you limit your Pit Bull
weeks old, with a booster at one year, then everypuppy’s contact with other dogs until he has
two years after that.received all of his vaccines to prevent him from
Many vets also recommend a distemper combinationgetting sick. Occasionally serious side effects from
vaccine beginning at six weeks of age and continuingthe vaccines may occur, but it is well worth the risk
every four weeks until the Pit Bull is around eighteento protect your new Pit Bull from all of these
weeks old. This one vaccine can be used to preventpotentially deadly diseases. Annual boosters should be
five different diseases: distemper, parvo, influenza,given in a timely manner to ensure your dog will
adenovirus, and coronavirus. Distemper is verycontinue to be adequately protected throughout his
contagious, and affects the respiratory and nervouslifetime. For some vaccines, there are three year
systems. It can cause many problems, including:boosters now available, but they are not
fever, coughing, diarrhea, seizures, and even possiblerecommended for use until the dog is an adult.