If you think canine distemper is rare these days, hold on. While vaccination programs have largely kept this devastating disease under control in pets, it still lurks in wildlife. All it takes is an unvaccinated dog confronting a raccoon, a skunk or another dog with distemper for the disease to spread.

But prevention is easy and effective. If you’re the new parent of a puppy, know that your young buddy is especially prone to distemper. Have your pup vaccinated at 6 to 8 weeks of age then every two to four weeks until he’s 4 months old. Repeat the vaccination when he’s 1 year of age then every one to three years according to your veterinarian’s protocol. Also, until your pup is 4 months old, avoid exposure to dogs with unknown vaccination histories or areas frequented by wildlife.

Don’t tempt fate. Prevent distemper by getting your dog vaccinated.