I haven't read all the replies as there are soooo many! But here is what I think of yearly boosters.... They are not needed, and my dogs don't get them, and never have!
In my opinion, yearly boosters can cause health problems, it is what I have always thought. If you think about it, we live alot longer than a dog does, yet we don't need all these vaccines put into us, ours give us immunity for years.... So how come dog ones don't?
A few years ago I had a conversation with my vet about vaccinations. It was when my two Newfs were having their last puppy ones. He said dogs don't need them every year, and the vaccine companies agree. He also told me that some breeds can have problems with their immune system if they have their innoculations before 10 weeks of age, Cockers were one of the breeds he mentioned. But strangely enough as I was leaving the surgery with a rather large pup in my arms he said he would send me a reminder in a year.... He did, but I didn't bother to line his pocket with my money.
We are regularly at dog shows, or dog events with our lot, and we have never had any health problems with them. But I know several people who have had their dogs vaccinated every year and their dogs have had all kinds of health problems. One friend of mine took her 7 year old Newf for her yearly booster and the next day she couldn't get up and was in agony, she was PTS the day after, coincidence? I don't think so. My friend then decided to do a bit or research on the Internet and decided that after what she had read she would never have her dogs vaccinated yearly again.
I know if one of my lot pick up something horrible that they could have been vaccinated against that I would feel bad. But I think the chances of them becoming ill because of over vaccination is a much higher possibility.
