Should I bring my 5-week-old puppy home before vaccinations?

Related Answers from Veterinarians

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  Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

  Veterinarian

  Published on May 28th, 2017

  Hello. A 5 week old puppy should still be nursing from it's mother. Why is she already away from her mom? Puppies shouldn't be weaned from mom until about 8 weeks of age..... So, you are right to be a bit worried. You can only do so much. The vaccine she had was likely only a parvo vaccine. The combination first round of real puppy vaccines don't start until 8 weeks of age so I would not recommend taking her anywhere around any dogs that are not fully vaccinated and definitely don't take her around any puppies. Don't take her to dog parks or pet stores or anywhere like that until she is FULLY vaccinated at 16 weeks of age. That is for viral protection. Bacteria she can pick up anywhere- you cannot prevent that really so don't stress yourself out too much over it. She has to have exposure to bacteria to build up immunity. That is how the immune system works. You can't do anything about the dirt. Make sure she gets her shots and her dewormings from the vet ON TIME. Feed her a good diet. Don't feed her human food and overload her with treats. Try not to stress her. Don't go overboard with keeping things too clean or her immune system won't strengthen. I hope this helps. Best of luck! Dr. Amber

  

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  Answered By Karly Macon, DVM, MS, CVA Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

  Veterinarian

  Published on September 30th, 2017

  Heidi is adorable! She should be eating solid food well at 5 weeks, and if she seems off and is shaking, she may have an infectious disease or some other congenital issue going on. She needs to see a vet for a checkup and to evaluate her general health condition. If her mother was fully vaccinated for distemper/Parvovirus then you shouldn't have to worry about either of those illnesses at this age, but if you aren't sure about the vaccination status of mom then Heidi is at risk for infectious disease until she is fully vaccinated. Regardless, she needs to have 3 sets of booster vaccinations every 4 weeks until she is 4 months old, and to be orally dewormed. Have her evaluated by your vet for the best chance for her staying healthy. Good luck!

  

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  Answered By Stephanie Echols, DVM

  Veterinarian

  Published on November 4th, 2017

  Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is not a problem that the puppy has not received its shots yet. Once you adopt the puppy, you will need to take him to the vet to start the vaccine series. I cannot tell you if the puppy is healthy or not prior to purchasing it. It would require a vet to perform a physical exam first. Vaccines are not the only factor in determining health. The puppy also needs to be free on internal and external parasites, heart disease, hernias, and any other physical problems. I hope this helps in your determination. Good luck with your decision!

  

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