Vaccination questions ???

[Hollie]

Sorry guys, another question! This time I need a few oppinions on vaccinations, I spoke with my vet today but his advice was unsurprisingly one-sided, and coincidentally....expensive.

I don't want to do the vet reccomended anual vaccination boosters, I was going to do them anyway just to be on the safe side, even though I believe the immunity lasts longer, but after the studdies Heather linked to about causing immune diseases and cancer I am not sure what to do.

I think that I want to do the "partial vaccination" every 4 years, which means Eva is due for one next year. I asked my vet if I could have the booster and the moody receptionist said I wasn't allowed to have a booster If she wasn't up to date with yearly boosters, they said I HAD to start again with the full corse of 2 injections like you get for puppies.

Is this wrong?? Can I insist that I want to buy a booster only? She said I can't have it because then her immunity would have lapsed and she might still get a disease- but if I decide that its a booster or nothing, and I don't want a full course, then they would rather I have none, in the name of "safety" than let me have a booster.

If they wont do me a booster, can I buy the vaccine and do it myself? I am sure I can do it safely and I don't mind, I'm not squeemish. Does anyone in the UK know how easy they are to get? Can you just ask your vet to prescribe them, or are there restrictions?

Also a last thing I don't understand - Can you only get the mixed booster for Parvovirus, Distemper, Leptospirosis and Bordetella??
From what I have read, the immunity of Leptospirosis lasts less than the others, is a single vaccine available so I can just do this as needed, instead of doing all the others unnecesarrily along with it. I have read in a few places that the others last at least 4 years but Lepto needs doing every year


Someone please sort me out I am so confused!!

[Kristi]

Ugh -- it sounds like your vet is pretty ignorant. First of all, there is no such thing as a "booster". If a dog is immune, giving another shot is just like dumping poison into their body. It does nothing and it does not create additional immunity.

Puppies are given a series of shots because you are trying to give immunity as soon as mom's wears off -- the LATEST they've found immunity to wear off is actually 22 weeks. But generally, by 11 or 12 weeks 99% of puppies no longer have protection from mom. So, in theory, a SINGLE vaccination at say 14 weeks is sufficient to cover most puppies! Here we recommend 1 more at 16-18 weeks to be "sure" we've vaccinated the puppy once mom's immunity has worn off. The shots given DO NOT build on each other and only ONE provides immunity, generally the one given closest to 12 weeks, but there really is no surefire way to tell. You are "gambling" in essence--rolling the dice and hoping to land as close to the right number as possible, but the rest are just "to be sure".

So, your vet is incorrect--and money grubbing lol. My "pets" will receive the puppy series and then 1 more set at 1.5 years old and then they are done for life. I'll titer test once or twice as well, but I truly believe they are covered. W/ the show/breeding dogs I get a little more "forced" to follow protocol but still, have a vet that will write an exemption for rabies...shes not very smart and thinks its optional in the state of Colorado (its not hahaha) but I'll take it! But anyway, I will have to titer show/breeding stock at least every other year for a variety of reasons, but hopefully have no need to ever vaccinate them again. Puppies and dogs that are over vaccinated are more prone to skin disorders like mange, cancerous tumors etc.

[Kristi]

Just wanted to add, I have not given my puppies a shot at 16-18 weeks, any shot they get after 12 weeks is considered their "final" one by me

[brodysmom]

What Kristi said. ha ha.

[Sarah]

I love this forum so much you guys are fab

Ok Hollie firstly learn to lie!!! If your vet won't do what you want move vets and get what you want.

My vet is good for listening I said I don't wanna vaccinate because it's been proven that vaccinations longer yadayadayada he said that's fine but I need to do lepto yearly because of the foxes that I'm fine with and is what we are doing.. They get their 2 puppy jabs a full set at 1 year then lepto yearly I may do the others after 3 years idk will see what studies are then

But yes go to another vet say Eva is fully jabbed by her previous owner but u don't have er vacs card!

[Kristi]

Yeah say shes from a breeder and they are forced to keep up w/ everything or something lol.

[Hollie]

Yes Kristi- my vet is the definition of ignorant. Makes me so mad, the only other one that is near is the same company, I plan to learn to drive soon so I will have more freedom to chose another vet further away

You say you do a vaccination at one and a half years for your pets? Eva has only had puppy vaccs by her breeder (which I agree with) she is 3 now. Do you think I should give her another now just in case? And then leave her for life?

So am I right in thinking that the initial vaccs (like the puppy vaccs) are the same as the booster, but just given twice a few weeks apart?? Are they the same dose do you reckon- cause the puppy vacs (for dogs who havent had regular booseters) are £25 each and the booster is £30. Maybe I could just go in for the first of the pair and not for the second one??

[Kristi]

I opted to do shots at 1 1/2 years old instead of titering b'c TBH I couldn't afford to titer 6 pups in one year for both rabies and DAP, I actually feel slightly bad about it but when it came down to it that was the choice I made...so I won't (have to) titer any again for probably at least 4 years as the commonly accepted duration of the vaccines is 3 years. I also like to try to follow Dr Dodd's protocol and that was her recommendation.