Why does Oakmount Veterinary Centre finish vaccinating puppies at 12 weeks not 10 weeks?

Parvo virus is the biggest infectious disease risk locally and we see it on a weekly basis as a Practice, it causes a life threatening sickness and diarrhoea. The vaccination protocol in the UK is primarily arranged around preventing Parvo virus, the other parts of the vaccine are less common.

Many Veterinary Practices give the last puppy injection at 10 weeks old, but only around 80% of puppies develop good protection from the vaccine. At 10 weeks many puppies will still have antibodies from their mother that could interfere with the vaccine and stop the vaccine working. Vaccinations protect populations of dogs and if we vaccinated 50-60% of dogs locally a 10 week vaccine would work fine as there would be enough vaccinated dogs to protect the population and parvo virus would die out. Realistically in Burnley we vaccinate around 15% of dogs and to give your dog the best protection we would always give a 12 week dose of vaccine.

Parvo virus is a subject very close to my heart as my Brother-in-law lost a 9 month old Hungarian Vizsla to Parvo virus, he is a Veterinary Surgeon in Scotland and his dog was vaccinated with a 10 week finish vaccine. All Guide Dogs in the UK receive a 12 week finish vaccine.