Puppy vaccinations

My 13 week old Saint Bernard had the following vaccinations today: Distemper, Hepatitis (CAV), Parvovirus, Parainfluenza, Canine Cough (CIRDC). He has follow-ups for the first four in two weeks time, and follow-up for rabies in 6 weeks. We were told that he should not be exposed to any areas where other animals (e.g., domestic or wild) may walk until another appointment in FEBRUARY. This seems like a long time away and we want to ensure he is being exercised and socialized properly. Could someone confirm, based on the current and anticipated vaccinations, when he can walk safely on trails, neighbourhoods, etc., and when he can meet with other dogs?

Hello!   It really is outside my remit to give you direct medical advice for a patient I do not know, in particular because the dates you describe aren't in line with the advice that I'd usually give out.  The exact details depend on your dog (St Bernards do sometimes have to wait for longer, because of something called maternally derived antibody), on where in the world you are and what diseases your dog is likely to be exposed to;  on which vaccination company you use and on details about the health of your individual pet himself.  Different drugs companies have different vaccination rules, often presented to vets in formal texts known as 'data sheets'.

So what can you do next? -   It should be perfectly OK to call your vets just to double-check that you have the information correct, and perhaps to ask for a handout / print-out / copy of the data-sheet / quick explanation or whatever more you would find useful.  This way, you can be sure that you have individual- and context-appropriate information.

Here are some links that you may find useful, to drag or copy into your address bar for more information:  https://vethelpdirect.com/pet-health-library/dog-vaccines/ https://vethelpdirect.com/vetblog/2021/05/21/what-vaccinations-does-a-new-puppy-need/ . https://vethelpdirect.com/vetblog/2021/02/16/when-can-you-first-take-your-puppy-out-for-a-walk/ I hope that some of this helps!

Often, the date to start taking a pet out is agreed with your vet in the context of the pets' surroundings, of meeting behavioural needs and the local incidence of disease.  For example, Rabies is mostly picked up through infected bite wounds and is thought to be absent from the UK dog population.  The puppy socialization window, on the other hand, is thought to be very important.  So in the UK where I live (and Rabies is a rare, notifiable disease), it is not uncommon for ves to suggest that owners start exercising their dogs before the Rabies vaccine is fully effective.  On the other hand, Parvo-virus is lethal and common here, so vets would strongly discouraging mixing readily with other dogs - or even 'going down on the floor', before appropriate Parvo cover has been achieved.  This is why discussion with your vet is so important.