Last Updated on November 22, 2021 by admins
Every Yorkie owner looks for the Yorkie vaccination schedule to protect its puppy against diseases that may be deadly sometimes. The dog vaccine schedule differs depending on each country, dog breed, and the vet as well. Giving your Yorkie the required vaccines is critical. So you have to ask for the medical records of the puppy when purchasing one to determine the shots it received. Additionally, if you don’t have much information about its vaccination history, go to the vet to repeat the vaccination process. Keep reading to figure out types of vaccines and puppy vaccinations timeline.
Table of Contents
What Is The Vaccination Process?
According to CDC, a vaccine is a sort of preparation-usually a dead virus- to protect the puppy against some diseases and infections. It acts by stimulating the natural immune system against the injected safe virus to create antibodies. Doctors administer vaccines by injection or mouth or sprayed into the nose, it depends on the vaccine type. The vaccination process against a single disease is divided into the first single-shot and booster shots.
Why Vaccination Is Critical?
Vaccination will protect your puppy against many diseases that could be life-threatening. Additionally, you will save spending money on treating such diseases although vaccines may not be so cheap. Furthermore, there are some illnesses that can be transmitted through animals or from animals to humans.
Keeping your dog vaccinated would prevent such issues. However, some vaccines may not be 100% effective in preventing the illness, it can decrease the severity of it. That is why you have to give your Yorkie the shots regularly.
Read more about Yorkie Life Span; How Long Do They Live?
What Shots Do Puppies Need In The First Year?
The Yorkie starts to receive its first shot after weaning at the age of six to eight weeks followed by a number of additional shots every two to four weeks till reaching 14 weeks old. The following shots are the types that Yorkie receives in the first year of life.
Canine Distemper
Canine distemper is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus and transmitted by cough or sneezing of the puppy. It affects the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems of the Yorkie. Moreover, the infection can spread through shared food and water bowls.
Signs of distemper include fever, cough, sneezing, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, twitching, and paralysis. Furthermore, it causes thickness and hardness of the footpad that is why the illness is called “hard pad”. The disease often leads to death, it depends on the immune system of the dog and if it can fight the virus or not. The vet will prescribe some medications to ease the symptoms and support the immune system.
Canine Hepatitis
Canine hepatitis is a highly contagious disease caused by an adenovirus that can lead to death with a percentage of 10%–30% in very young dogs. It affects the liver, kidneys, spleen, lungs, and eyes of the Yorkie. Furthermore, symptoms of canine hepatitis include fever as a first sign, vomiting, liver pain, jaundice, and stomach enlargement. Doctors prescribe medications to control the signs, however, there is no cure for this disease.
Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is a bacterial infectious disease that can transmit from animals to humans (zoonotic). Additionally, these bacteria are present in soil and water. Signs of leptospirosis are fever, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, severe weakness and lethargy, stiffness, muscle pain, jaundice, infertility, and kidney failure. Treatment includes giving the puppy antibiotics to kill the bacteria.
What Shots Do Yorkies Need After The First Year?
After the age of 12 weeks, there are other shots that Yorkies should receive for optimal protection, for instance:
Rabies
Rabies is one of the most common diseases regarding dogs, it is a viral illness that can transmit to humans and other animals. If the dog got rabies, the virus is present in the saliva. So, if the infected dog bites another animal or human, the infection will be transmitted affecting the central nervous system.
Signs of rabies include headache, anxiety, paralysis, hallucinations, fear of water, excessive drooling, and death. The timing of vaccination against rabies differs from one state to another.
Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is an infectious illness caused by the spirochete bacteria, it is a tick-borne illness that is transmitted by ticks. Signs of Lyme include fever, lymph node swelling, appetite loss, and limping. Moreover, if the dog is left untreated, the disease will attack the heart, kidney, and joints causing neurological disorders. If you discovered the disease early, antibiotics will kill the bacteria and correct the issue.
The Puppies Shots Chart
The following table shows the puppy vaccinations timeline according to the American Kennel Club
| Age | Recommended Vaccine | Optional vaccine |
| 6-8 weeks | Distemper, parvovirus | Bordetella |
| 10-12 weeks | DHLPPC (vaccines for distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parainfluenza, parvo, and corona) | Influenza, Bordetella, Lyme disease |
| 16-18 weeks | DHPP (distemper, adenovirus [hepatitis], parainfluenza, and parvovirus) and rabies | Influenza, Lyme disease, Leptospirosis, Bordetella |
| 12-16 months | DHPP, rabies | Coronavirus, Leptospirosis, Bordetella, Lyme disease |
| Every 1-2 years | DHPP | Influenza, Coronavirus, Leptospirosis, Bordetella, Lyme disease |
| Every 1-3 years | Rabies (depending on the state) | none |
What To Consider Before And After Vaccinating A Yorkie?
Before vaccinating your Yorkie, make sure it is not suffering from any illness symptoms, it has to be healthy free from any diseases. Additionally, if your puppy takes any medications, you should tell the vet. Be vigilant to any previous allergic reaction to a certain vaccine, you have to let the doctor know.
If you are planning to breed your puppy, make sure to give it the required vaccines at least 3 months before the event. Your Yorkie may experience some signs after vaccination, for instance, fatigue, appetite loss, slight fever, cough, or sneezing. Moreover, the site of injection may become red, swelling, and tender. So, give your puppy some rest after the vaccination and do not allow it to go out or play with other pets.
Learn more about Taking Care Of A Yorkie Puppy.
Final Thoughts
Yorkie is a small furry puppy that is adorable and sensitive. Giving it the required vaccinations will improve its immunity in addition to prevention against many diseases that could cause death. Finally and after adopting a Yorkie, go to the vet for a quick check-up so he can tell you about the required vaccines for your puppy. For further questions, please keep me posted in the comments below.