Walking and vaccination...

Good morning guys.
I've just got a 15 week old puppy and I was just wanting to know if she is safe to to go for a walk or if she needs to be fully vaccinated first. Second time dog owner, first time puppy owner. Thanks.

Hello Clair welcome.

It isn't really wise to take a puppy out on the ground in an area frequented by other dogs or foxes until it is vaccinated.

That shouldn't stop you taking your puppy out as part of her socialisation though.You can take her out in the car or carry her so she can experience lots of different sights and sounds.

That said I took my last puppy out in the field next to my house before the second dose. It is quite isolated and not used by other dogs.

Chloe looking at cows

I don't know what vaccination regime your vet uses. Basically, the chance of getting full immunity increases with each set of jabs. So 10 days after the first set of jabs at 8 weeks, a pup might have an 75% chance of full immunity but a 25% chance of being vulnerable to parvo or distemper. After 12 weeks that might drop to 90% chance of full immunity. I don't think it improves much past the jabs at 16 wks (plus 10 days after the jabs). Parvo is such a horrid disease, and so contagious, that you don't even want to take a 5% chance.

The problem is that maternal antibodies may interfere with the vaccination. These wear off as the pup gets older.

The actual figures vary with the breed and with the particular litter. The chance of distemper or parvo in the environment varies with location and time of year.