Vaccinations

[carol]

Hi

Just a quick question, Flynn has just turned a year (Hasn't that time just flown by!) and I'm not sure when he needs his next set of jabs, is it when he's a year, or a year after he had his first puppy course?

Also I'd be interested in hearing any views on annual boosters, I must say after reading some articles in the dog magazines, I'm getting slightly concerned about over vaccinating.  I obviously want to do what's best for Flynn, but it's very difficult getting a balanced unbiased view of the matter.

Carol                    

[KellyP]

Hi Carol,

I can't give any experience with Millie, but with my mare its 1 year since the last lot.
So I was going by the same rules with Millie (someone will post now and say "noooo, you should hve got them done earlier!!" lol  :? )
Which means that January will be an expensive month for me as both of them will be due their jabs!  :evil:  :?                    

[*Jay*]

The first booster is given 1 year after the last of the puppy jabs so assuming Flynn had his last one at 12 weeks old, he will need his booster when he is 15 months.

As for the vaccination debate, my mind still boggles with it all :roll:  The only way I think you could avoid unnecessary vaccinating is by getting the dog blood sampled every year to check what his levels are and vaccinate if necessary.                    

[carol]

Thank you both for replying.  I won't have to trot him off to the vet just yet then!  I know what you mean Gill about it being confusing,  I wonder if my vet would think I was mad if I asked for a blood test, she's very traditional and a little bit scary.  Perhaps I'll pluck up the courage when I take Flynn next year, and ask her about it.

Carol                    

[Kim]

I too have been confused as to what to do with my lot.
What decided me to stick to the yearly booster regime, is moving to the countryside & seeing all the wildlife around, ie squirrels, mice & RATS ! etc all these carry lepto. . . .
All I needed to make up my mind !

Kim                    

[Nat]

My lot too have annual boosters, we have just moved from along the coast and it was surrounded by commons, so as Kim said above, lots of rabbits etc, just didnt want to risk it.  Also with the majority of the clubs., ie., agility, ringcraft, here in Jersey, and I think in Guernsey too (Derryn tell me if Im wrong !!) the dogs need to be fully vaccinated, and boosters kept up to date, before they can join ..                      

[PennyB]

Thank you both for replying.  I won't have to trot him off to the vet just yet then!  I know what you mean Gill about it being confusing,  I wonder if my vet would think I was mad if I asked for a blood test, she's very traditional and a little bit scary.  Perhaps I'll pluck up the courage when I take Flynn next year, and ask her about it.

Carol

I thought mine would be a bit scary on that subject as well (my vet is very direct at times but I think that's because certain clients who are also friends of mine rub him up the wrong way in the 1st place) but had a chat with him this evening and it was interesting. He could understand my feelings (re Wilf's cancer) and he felt that the 1st booster after puppy vaccinations was quite important and then I could may be consider vaccinating every other year if I was concerned. However, he did say that may be we could try a titre when Wilf is due for his vaccinations instead (even though he's never been asked for one before or ever done one).                    

[Michele]

I know this is an old post that I'm resurrecting, but I think you might find the following interesting.


Neneh was due for her booster, and rather than just going straight ahead and having it done, I chose to have a blood test done (titre testing) to determine the level of antibodies in her system.
 
Leptospirosis - is not included in titre testing as the vaccine doesn't remain in the system, so she had a shot for this.

The results were as follows:-
Hepatitis - moderate. so still covered, no need to boost.
 
Distemper & Parvovirus - high, definitely no need to boost.
 
The interesting thing is though, that Neneh was last boostered just before the mating resulting in Otis, which was November 2001, over 2 1/2 years ago!!!
I found it quite alarming that especially the levels of the Distemper & Parvo should remain so high after this length of time. My vet said that as long as she comes in contact with Parvo (out on walks, meeting other dogs etc), she will probably remain covered for this for the rest of her life!                    

[*Jay*]

That is quite alarming Michele :shock: . You are the first person I know thats had this done so was interseting to hear her results. Its something I've toyed with but the way Dallas reacts to getting his blood taken(had it done twice now and both times needed at least 4 people to pin him down :oops:), I'm not sure how we would get on :roll:  His 2nd annual booster is due in Jan and Vegas' 3rd one is due next June. Will definitely get Vegas done next time. I imagine that as long as you have a copy of the results, boarding kennels and training clubs etc should be happy enough to accept that the dog is fully covered :?:  How did the price compare to the booster - I was led to believe it wasn't that much more expensive?

Very very interesting                    

[Sheila]

This is a concerning result.
I have read so much about the vaccinations debate and was feeling unsure.

Goldie has been annually vaccinated and I was just going to do the same with Lottie, but now I wonder whether I should start questioning it.

I had read that kennels and insurance companies wouldn't accept the dog if they weren't vaccinated. Is this not the case?

I hadn't heard about the blood test, I might ask when Goldie is due in September.                    

[Michele]

I did ask the vet about kennels, and she said she thought it would be up to the individual kennels, but that she would be more than happy to write me a covering letter stating that Neneh would be no further protected than she already is by having a booster. As she isn't kennelled this isn't an issue for me.

I'm not sure about insurance, as I have a doggy fund instead, but perhaps a similar letter may be accepted.

As far as costs go, it cost me in total £70.23 for
2 consultations,
blood test & lab handling fee
& the Lepto booster.
I was happy with this as at the end of it all I know Neneh is getting only what is needed.
If the results had shown that all the vaccines were needed, then obviously the cost would have been higher.
The vet did say that the test wouldn't have to be done again for another 2 years (taking into consideration these individual results) and to just have the Lepto next year, so that is a saving of sorts.

Another interesting thing she told me was that only the Lepto is available separately, the Distemper, Hepatitis & Parvo all come as one, rather like the MMR vaccine for children.
This will put me in a dilemma if Neneh does need the Hepatitis in future as it means she'll also have to have the Distemper & Parvo which are likely to remain at a high level for some years to come.

Finally, did you know that all dogs from Chihuahua to Great Dane have the same quantitiy of vaccine, the same as children and adults  :shock: apparently  :shock:                    

[Sheila]

Well the cost doesnt sound too bad, I would prefer to pay this amount and to know that I wasnt giving my dogs unnecessary vaccines.

I don't actually use kennels either, a lady looks after mine in her own home. I shall have to ask her about her feelings on this.

I shall also read the small print on the insurance documents.

Your last comment about the amounts of vaccines being the same for all dogs is concerning.......surely little dogs will be getting a vast quantity per body weight in comparison to larger dogs. That doesn't seem right at all.

The whole vaccine issue seems very cloudy and confusing, but I will definitely talk to my vet before my dogs are redone.