Protection From The Mother (Maternal Antibodies):
A newborn Cocker is not naturally immune to diseases. However, it does have some antibody protection which is derived from its mother's blood via the placenta. The next level of immunity is from antibodies derived from the first milk. The mother's milk is produced from the time of birth and continuing for 36-48 hours. This antibody-rich milk is called Colostrums'. The puppy does not continue to receive antibodies through its mother's milk. It only received antibodies until it is two days of age. All antibodies derived from the mother, either via her blood or Colostrums' is called maternal antibodies. It must be noted that the puppy will only receive antibodies against diseases for which the mother had been recently vaccinated against or exposed to. As an example, a mother that had NOT been vaccinated against or exposed to parvovirus would not have any of the antibodies against parvovirus to pass along to her puppies. The puppies would then be susceptible to developing a parvovirus infection.
Window of Susceptibility:
The age at which puppies can effectively be immunized is proportional to the amount of antibody protection the puppy received from its mother. High levels of maternal antibodies present in the puppies' bloodstream will block the effectiveness of a vaccine. When the maternal antibodies deop to a low enough level in the puppy, immunization by a commercial vaccine will work.
The antibodies from the mother generally circulate in the newborn's blood for a number of weeks. There is a period of time from several days to several weeks in which the maternal antibodies are too low to provide protection against the disease, but too high to allow a vaccine to work. This period is called the window of susceptibility. This is the time when despite being vaccinated, a puppy can still contract a disease.
When should my Cocker be Vaccinated?
The length and timing window of Susceptibility is different in every litter, and even between individuals in a litter. A study of a cross section of different puppies showed that the age at which they were able to respond to a vaccine and develop protection (become immunized) covered a wide period of time. At six weeks of age, 25% of the puppies could be immunized. At 9 weeks, 40% of the puppies were able to respond to the vaccine. The number increased to 60% by 16 weeks, and by 18 weeks, 95% of the puppies could be immunized. Almost all Veterinarians agree that for puppies, we need to give at least three combination vaccinations and repeat these at one year of age. You should always consult with your veterinarian to determine which vaccinations for your puppy should receive, and how often.
Without doing an individual test on each puppy, it is impossible to determine when the puppies' immune system will be best able to respond. We also realize that in the face of an infection, due to the window of susceptibility, some may contract a disease (e.g. Parvo) despite being vaccinated. By using quality vaccines and an aggressive vaccination protocol you can make this window of susceptibility as small as possible. Puppies that are not exposed to other dogs have a very small chance of coming in contact with parvovirus and may not need to be vaccinated as frequently. At the same time 'high risk' puppies may need a more intense and aggressive vaccination program. It is best to consult your veterinarian first!
Against Which Diseases Should Puppies Be Vaccinated?
Experts generally agree that the core vaccines for dogs include distemper, canine adenovirus-2 (hepatitis and respiratory disease), and canine parovirus-2. Some would say vaccines to protect against leptospirosis and corona virus should also be considered 'core' vaccines. Non-core vaccines include canine parainfluenza and Bordatella bronchiseptica (both are causes of 'kennel cough'), Borrelia Burgdorferi (causes Lyme disease), and corona virus and Leptospira. Again you should:
ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR VETERINARIAN REGARDING THE PROPER VACCINES FOR YOUR PUPPY!
A possible vaccination schedule for you 'average' puppy (non-specific to Cocker Spaniels):
