All puppies need to be vaccinated against disease according to the schedule provided by your veterinarian. Although only your veterinarian can tell you how many visits are needed and when, expect several in the first year of your dog’s life and annual boosters after that.

If you have adopted an adult dog and don’t know if his shots are current, see your veterinarian about the best course of action.

Your veterinarian may provide routine vaccinations for canine distemper, infectious canine hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus, coronavirus, parainfluenza, Bordetella, Lyme disease and rabies. Remember, most vaccines must be given over a period of time and require multiple veterinary visits.

Newborn puppies receive disease-fighting antibodies from their mother's milk. However, these antibodies normally last only six to sixteen weeks. After that, your puppy needs vaccinations to help protect him from disease.

Canine Distemper
A highly contagious viral disease that affects a dog's respiratory, gastrointestinal and nervous systems. It can be spread through the air or by contact with infected animals, their feces or urine, and it can be fatal. Because a puppy's natural immunity may wear off before he has completed the vaccination series, reduce risk of exposure by limiting contact with unfamiliar dogs until the vaccination series is completed.

Symptoms include coughing, sneezing, nose and eye discharge, fever, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea and seizures.

Infectious Canine Hepatitis
This viral disease, also know as adenovirus, is spread by contact with infected animals, their feces, urine or saliva. It affects the liver, kidneys and cells lining the blood vessels, and occasionally the eyes.

Symptoms include high fever, thirst, inflammation of nose or mouth, diarrhea, abdominal pain and tenderness, loss of appetite, hemorrhage and depression.

Leptospirosis
An extremely contagious bacterial disease that spreads through contact with nasal secretions, urine or saliva of infected animals. Early signs are not apparent, so infection can go undetected. Recovered animals can continue spreading the disease, which can also affect humans.

Symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite and listlessness. Liver damage can also occur. Note that early signs of the disease may not be readily apparent.

Parvovirus
This viral infection is a common, deadly viral infection and usually affects dogs when they are puppies. It is spread by contact with an infected dog's blood, feces or vomit.

Symptoms include severe diarrhea, fever, vomiting, loss of appetite and dehydration.

Parainfluenza
A highly infectious virus that can be one of the causes of "kennel cough." It spreads quickly among dogs kept in close quarters and can seriously damage the respiratory system.

Symptoms include a dry, hacking cough, loss of appetite, depression and runny nose and eyes.

Rabies
This is an infection of the central nervous system that results in paralysis and death. Rabies is always fatal. It is usually transmitted through the bite of an infected animal. Rabies is a serious public health threat, so it is essential to vaccinate your dog. Most states have laws requiring vaccination.

Symptoms of rabies vary a great deal. Some animals may go through a stage of high excitability which may include unprovoked biting and sensitivity to noise, while others may show signs of paralysis, cramps and difficulty swallowing.

Coronavirus
A highly contagious viral infection of the gastrointestinal tract. Again, this disease is spread through contact with infected blood, feces or vomit.

Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, fever and dehydration.

Bordetella
This is an airborne bacterial infection that can cause "kennel cough." Dogs may catch this when exposed to other dogs in kennels, dog shows and field trials.

Symptoms include persistent coughing, sneezing and retching accompanied by nasal discharge.

Lyme Disease
This is a tick-borne disease that affects both dogs and humans.

Symptoms include arthritis with sudden onset of severe pain and lameness, fever, lethargy, loss of appetite and depression.