Vaccination and deworming, explained simply
Rabies is the one that matters most for a street dog and for the street. Here is what the vaccines are, when they are given, and what to say at a camp.
Rabies first
For a street dog in India, the rabies vaccine is the priority. It protects the dog and it protects everyone who lives near it. It is given from about three months of age, with a booster, and then annually.
A dog that has been vaccinated can be marked: many rescuers record the date, or the locality keeps a simple list. It prevents the same dog being caught and vaccinated repeatedly while a neighbour goes unvaccinated.
The core vaccines
Beyond rabies, the standard combination protects against distemper, parvovirus, adenovirus and leptospirosis, with parainfluenza. Puppies get a course of three shots a few weeks apart, then a booster at a year, then periodically.
A street dog who is already an adult and unvaccinated can be started at any age. Being unwell delays vaccination, not age.
Worms are the invisible problem
Most street puppies carry roundworms. Deworming is a simple tablet, repeated on a schedule, and it changes a puppy's body condition within weeks.
Pregnant bitches and puppies need a vet-guided schedule rather than a guess, because the dose depends on weight.
What to expect at a camp
Municipal and NGO camps run vaccine and sterilization drives regularly. Bring the dog calm and contained, and ask what is being given and when the next dose is due.
A dog that is sick, feverish or severely thin is usually deferred until it is stronger. That is correct practice, not a refusal.
Records do more than memory
Keep a simple note per dog: locality, description, vaccine, date, and who did it. Ten dogs and a year later, memory fails.
This is also what makes a locality's care visible to a municipal body when the ABC programme is being planned.
General guidance for street dogs in India, written for volunteers and residents. It is not a diagnosis and does not replace a veterinarian who can examine the animal.
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