Understanding Vaccination guideline - Page 2

It is not that I suggest people give shots every two weeks until week 14;  I did for special reason. The neighbor had a case of parvo and the mom may or may not have lactated early enough. So for me there was great uncertainty as to degree of maternal protection of the pups. None or long, any where in between.


The risk of parvo to pups is quite real and there is a certain window of vulnerability; such is logical assessment of the situation.

But I think DHPP at one year is lacking in logic. The one I gave at 18 weeks was intended as the final until age 3 years. Such is the discussion.

If the pups had had normal nursing since birth, I would have adhered to the usual vaccination schedule, except DHPP at one year.

You can take a titer at 1 yr to see if the dog responded with good titer to the antigen. Dr.Dodd's recommendations are fine, but if you want the official word from the Veterinary Association, pl. see this link. Only the Core vaccines are recommended. the document also answers the questions re: when the titer should be done etc.

http://​www.aahanet.org/publicdocuments/caninevaccineguidelines.pdf

For clarification. Only Parainfluenza (Pi) and Lepto 2 or 4 are given annually after the full booster given 12 months after puppy vaccinations.
Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus are given 3 yearly after that.
 
UK protocol for vaccines as advised by WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines using Nobivac as an example......  https://www.vmd.defra.gov.uk/pdf/WSAVAguidelines.pdf
8 weeks Nobivac DHPPi + Nobivac Lepto 2/4
10 weeks Nobivac DHPPi + Nobivac Lepto 2/4
12 weeks Novibac Lepto 4
16 weeks Nobivac Parvo-C (Advised but optional)
1st annual booster Nobivac DHPPi + Nobivac Lepto 2/4
2nd annual booster Nobivac Pi + Nobivac Lepto 2/4
3rd annual booster Nobivac Pi + Nobivac Lepto 2/4
4th annual booster Nobivac DHPPi + Nobivac Lepto 2/4
5th annual booster Nobivac Pi + Nobivac Lepto 2/4
6th annual booster Nobivac Pi + Nobivac Lepto 2/4
7th annual booster Nobivac DHPPi + Nobivac Lepto 2/4
 
DHPPi
D = Distemper,
H = Hepatitis,
P = Parvovirus,
Pi = Parainfluenza.  (Parainfluenza can be one of the causes of Kennel Cough which of course is given separately.)

For a variety of reasons puppy vaccs can fail, so hence the need for booster 12 months after puppy vaccs unless a titre test has shown it is not needed, but remember, even a titre can show up a false reading.

Sorry but that is just too much vaccine for a young dog.  Here is what I have done for 20 plus years with no adverse side affects and NEVER had distemper or parvo, lepto or anything else.  Begin 5 way MLV at 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks, l year after last vaccine (so approx. 16-18 months you can either do titer OR give 3 year - 5 way).  Rabies at 6 months. or between 4 & 6 months.

Otherwise you are over vaccinating and that causes a whole lot more damage then not.  So if you start the vaccines at 6 weeks then you end up with:  6 weeks, 10 weeks, 14 weeks, and 17 or 18 weeks with this one being optional, I personally would do titer instead of 17/18 weeks vaccine.  Than l year after last vaccine.  Rabies according to law in your state but separate from 5 way and several weeks apart.

Good luck  Nan

Yes, I am hesitant to give unnecessary shots.

But one really has to assess the situation. I believe the situation I was in was high risk. The pups could have no maternal antibodies or have normal levels and there was quite possibly parvo virus near by. Small pups could die easily.

Actually, I was sweating until week nine, one week after the DHPP at eight weeks. The pups were in a shed enclosed, and I used bleach to wash my shoes before entering.

A significent percentage of pups have sufficiently mature immune system to respond to shot by 6 weeks.

I cannot believe that 12 month is a good cutoff age to give the last shot until 3 years. If the shot at week 14 was not effective, then nine more months is far too long to wait. Likely week 18-22 is the better time for the last insurance shot. I'd like logical opinion on this.

If the shot at week 14 is effective, then there is no need for shot at 12 month.

I do three puppy combo shots, then at 1 year (sorry can't afford titers for my dogs every year) and then vaccinate every 3 years after that until a senior and then no more.  Rabies I do around 5-6 months, then 1 year after that, and then once every 3 years (required by law).

I really do not see the reason in either one more shot or titer at about 12 month.

Can someone knowledgable explain?

There are three reasons that I can think of to doubt the effectiveness of the shot at week 14-16. First, a vaccine can be bad, Second, the pups immune system may not be mature enough (far from normal development). Third, maternal protection still lingers far longer than usual.

In any case, waiting another nine months, having the pups exposed all this time, does not seem reasonable. I tend to think that if an insurance shot is given, or titer done, it should be far sooner than 12 months, say at week 20-22.

HighDesert:

               The reason the shot is given at 1 year is to boost the immune response of the dog. In some cases, once the dog is first vaccinated, the immunity can fall off as antibody titers decline for a variety of reasons (less immunogenic vaccine, poor immunogenic response etc). So giving the booster shot say at 20 weeks is not useful, because antibody levels will not have decreased by then to any significant extent.

If you want to be technical, the half-life of immunoglobulin G is about 28 days (1 month), thus if the dog was to somehow stop producing antibodies, it would take 5-6 months for the antibodies to disappear completely (based on 5-6 half-lives). In practice, the dog does not abruptly stop making antibodies, but rather the immune response declines (titer goes down) slowly (which is normal). Imagine, if our body would make antibodies forever and full blast to every allergen that we are exposed to...it cannot happen!!.