PARVOVIRUS FOURTH VAC
Your puppy is due for its 4th Parvovirus vaccination. Canine Parvovirus Enteritis is a highly contagious and usually fatal viral infection of the digestive tract. It causes severe vomiting and foul, bloody diarrhea. Parvo first appeared in 1978; it was a dreaded scourge of all dog owners and breeders until reliable vaccines were developed in the late 1980's.
Parvo presents a unique difficulty with regards to getting puppies protected against it: like all mammals, puppies receive protective antibodies from their mothers in the colostrum, or first milk, that they receive in the first 48 hours of life. These antibodies last anywhere from 6-16 weeks. Most maternal antibodies do not interfere with a puppy's response to vaccination; however, unfortunately, maternal Parvovirus antibodies will effectively block a puppy's vaccine response. As long as a puppy has high levels of maternal Parvovirus antibodies circulating in its bloodstream, the puppy WON'T be able to make its OWN antibodies to Parvovirus. Since the maternal Parvovirus antibodies wear off when anywhere from 6 to 16 weeks after birth, puppies need to receive FOUR Parvovirus vaccinations: 6 weeks, 10 weeks, 14 weeks, and 18 weeks. With such a vaccine program, you can be assured that your puppy will be properly protected against this dreaded disease!