This is a placeholder text
Group text
by TheDogTrainer on 24 August 2008 - 20:08
In light of the post regarding "do you do your own vaccines", I thought another good one would be:
What do you do/recommend for puppies as a vaccine schedule?
Personally, here is my routine:
3 weeks of age: Strongid(worming)
4 Weeks of age: Albon(Coccidia)
5 Weeks of age: Flagyl(Giardia) and Strongid(worming) Parvo Virus
6 weeks of age: DHLPP
7 Weeks of age: Strongid(worming) Bordetella(kennel cough)
8 Weeks of age: Corona Vaccine
I do a fecal on a couple of pups in the litter at about 6 weeks(I have it sent off to a reference lab, as seeing coccidia and giardia under a scope is very tough to do). The bitch I "inheirited" pregnant, had both coccidia and giardia, which she passed on to the puppies. She had no worms, because I wormed her with Strongid when I got her. there were 10 pups....4 had giardia 4 had coccidia, 2 had neither, and none of the litter had any worms at 8 weeks.
I give my own vaccines, but I do purchase them from the vet clinic(I buy them at cost, in a batch of 25. What is left over from a litter, I give back to the vet for his time, as a thanks.)
At 10 weeks of age, I recommend DHLLP
11 Weeks, Lepto(it is making a come-back
I do not recommend any further vaccination after this, except for a rabies, which I suggest avoiding as long as possible(I usually try not to give to my own dogs until they are 6 months, unless there is a threat.)
I recommend that they do at least 1 yrly after that, say around 16 months of age, and do a 3 yr rabies. Then I don't, personally, do anything but Rabies and Kennel Cough after that.
My vet thinks that the Giardia vaccine is worthless as a milk bucket under a bull.
Personally, I am thinking of going to Titer testing after 1 yr of age....
by crazydog on 25 August 2008 - 00:08
vaccination is dependent on the area (presences of infection) and local regulations. Every vet have there own guideline despite been in the same area and same country.
I personally do not like to give rabies until the pups are 10 months old but wold encourage parvo starting 4 weeks, then at 7 weeks and then at 3 month. I have burnt my fingers with Parvo and I follow a strict guideline for higine.
by TheDogTrainer on 25 August 2008 - 03:08
CORRECTION:
DHLPP should read DHLP.
Lepto is becoming a serious problem in many states, make sure you check what your vet recommends.
by EKvonEarnhardt on 25 August 2008 - 03:08
I think you should always check with your vet or mentor to see what they think if you are new.
EK
by TheDogTrainer on 25 August 2008 - 05:08
Ek,
Personally, I work for a vet. He likes my schedule for the most part, other than he thinks I should do two Bord. vaccines, and he would probably do one more DHLPP. But, he is not against my schedule of things.
by EKvonEarnhardt on 25 August 2008 - 06:08
Dog trainer It is not a bad one by any means just wanted to point out to many of the newbies it better to check with THeir vet in case of any problems that migh accur.
by TheDogTrainer on 25 August 2008 - 12:08
EK,
You are soooo very right.....Everyone, when it comes to the health and well being of their dogs/kids/spouses/family/etc....should do their due diligence in researching and making sure that they are doing what is best for them.
Check with your vet, your mentor, other dog people, your vet again, then go from there.
by jdadenton on 25 August 2008 - 20:08
I must stress that the following is my opinion based on reading research conducted by experts in the field of immunology. It is also important that this not be taken out of context; different areas are subject to different prevalence’s of viral/bacterial strains. Everyone should conduct their own research and weigh up the pros and cons of administering any given vaccine.
I do believe that, in general, our beloved pets are being over vaccinated. It should be noted that a “herd” approach is generally taken when it comes to vaccinating, by this I mean that common thinking is that if every dog is vaccinated against a given virus, the virus will be eradicated. While this sounds great, in practice, it does not take into consideration the well being of your dog. It should also be noted that in spite of what you might be told, vaccines are not completely safe and can cause a multitude of side effects, both short and long term.
When deciding on a vaccination schedule, each should be researched and the decision to vaccinate should be based on the prevalence of the virus in your area, exposure of your pet to said same, and the risk of administering said vaccine (side effects).
Vaccines should be grouped into core (those that should be given to all animals) and non-core. The core vaccines would be considered to be Parvovirus, Distemper and Adenovirus (and rabies, but you don’t have an option on this, it is mandatory in most if not all states I believe).
Of these core vaccines, Parvo and Distemper are killers, with Parvo being the most prevalent. Distemper is seldom seen (my vet hasn’t seen a case in over 20 years of practice) in most areas, Adenovirus is also not too common.
When considering a schedule, the following should be taken into account;
1. The role of your dog (pet /show/working) may affect the relevance and importance of vaccination schedules
2. A puppy will have maternal immunity for a period of time, therefore administering a vaccine will not serve to build the puppy’s immunity to the virus, in fact as some vaccines are known to be immunosuppressive it may even have an adverse effect.
3. Certain vaccines do not cover all the relevant serovars of a given virus/bacterin; for example most Lepto vaccines cover only 2 of the 4 common serovars and are not cross protective. 14 serovars of “kennel cough” have been identified with little cross protection.
4. Some bacterin vaccines such as bordatella and Lepto generally have a very short (4 to 12 month) DOI (Duration of Immunity), and given the risk of adverse reaction(high for Lepto with efficacy of 70%), are probably best reserved for high risk cases or where a kennel is known to be infected.
5. Advantages and disadvantages of Modified Live verses Killed Vaccines. Some adjuvants and preservatives such as Mercury, Magnesium, or thimerosol have been linked to c
by jdadenton on 25 August 2008 - 20:08
continued ...
5. Advantages and disadvantages of Modified Live verses Killed Vaccines. Some adjuvants and preservatives such as Mercury, Magnesium, or thimerosol have been linked to certain types of cancer. Most states have banned the use of mercury in vaccinations for children, yet they are still widely used in pet vaccines (recombinant vaccines are gaining in popularity for very good reasons)
6. Efficacy of vaccine (some being as low as 50%).
7. Some, such as corona, are overcome in a relatively short period of time, without intervention, by most healthy dogs and will produce a longer lasting immune response with direct exposure.
When discussing the subject of vaccination, I don’t believe there in a one fits all strategy (your vet will most likely disagree). An individual animal’s health also play a key role in determining the vaccination regime adopted (never vaccinate a sick animal or one immediately prior to or after surgery).
Personally, I favor the minimalistic approach, only giving single type Core vaccines with a minimum of 2 weeks between vaccines (4 weeks in the case of rabies, which I would hold off giving for as long as legally possible). I prefer titer testing for core vaccines over boosters at 16 weeks and older. Some non-core, such as bordatella, I would only consider in the event of boarding or travelling where the dog might be subjected to greater exposure.
I would certainly suggest everyone reads up on the subject of over vaccinating, specifically review some of the research conducted by Dr. Ronald Shultz.
NOTE: The above is my opinion (supported by my vet) based on reading research papers and personal experience. Public disclaimer -Your results may vary!
Contact information Disclaimer Privacy Statement Copyright Information Terms of Service Cookie policy ↑ Back to top