Vaccinating Your Pit Bull Terrier: Keeping Your Dog Healthy

There are many different vaccines available today that can
prevent infection and disease in your Pit Bull. Vaccines are
also available that can help keep many diseases and infections
from severely affecting your dogs’ health. Vaccination will
boost your Pit Bull’s immune system to help him be less
susceptible to these diseases.

Most veterinarians recommend beginning vaccinating your Pit Bull
at around eight weeks of age, and continuing every four weeks
until around eighteen weeks old. Vaccination against rabies is
now a legal requirement for all dog owners. Rabies can be
transmitted easily to humans, and there is no cure for the
disease once it is contracted. The rabies vaccine is usually
given to Pit Bulls at around twelve weeks old, with a booster at
one year, then every two years after that.

Many vets also recommend a distemper combination vaccine
beginning at six weeks of age and continuing every four weeks
until the Pit Bull is around eighteen weeks old. This one
vaccine can be used to prevent five different diseases:
distemper, parvo, influenza, adenovirus, and coronavirus.
Distemper is very contagious, and affects the respiratory and
nervous systems. It can cause many problems, including: fever,
coughing, diarrhea, seizures, and even possible death. Parvo and
coronavirus are more severe in puppies, but can affect dogs of
any age. These two diseases usually occur in conjunction with
each other, and can cause weight loss, diarrhea, vomiting, and
possibly death. Influenza and adenovirus cause a dry hacking
cough that can lead to more serious infections, such as
pneumonia.

Some owners choose to also vaccinate their Pit Bulls against
lyme disease, the first dose usually given at around twelve
weeks old. The second dose is given around three weeks after the
first, and a booster is needed once a year thereafter. Lyme
disease can affect the joints, heart, kidneys, and brain if left
untreated.

It is important that you limit your Pit Bull puppy’s contact
with other dogs until he has received all of his vaccines to
prevent him from getting sick. Occasionally serious side effects
from the vaccines may occur, but it is well worth the risk to
protect your new Pit Bull from all of these potentially deadly
diseases. Annual boosters should be given in a timely manner to
ensure your dog will continue to be adequately protected
throughout his lifetime. For some vaccines, there are three year
boosters now available, but they are not recommended for use
until the dog is an adult.