Understanding Vaccination guideline - Page 1

My GSD pups have had shots as follows.

Week 6  Parvo only
Week 8  DHPP
Week 10 DHPP
Week 12 DHPP
Week 14 DHPP
Week 18 DHPP


Why is DHPP at one year old recommended?

I intend to give DHPP shot every three years, such is the guideline, but why is one at one year old often recommended? What is the reason for the one year old shot?
 

Oh my gosh...has your dog really had all those shots already??? That's terrible!!!

This is the vaccination guideline that the veterinary schools are abiding by now. 
 

2013 and 2014 Vaccination Protocol

9-10 Weeks Old:
Distemper + Parvovirus, MLV (e.g. Merck Nobivac [Intervet Progard] Puppy DPV)

14-16 Weeks:
Same as above

20 Weeks or Older (if allowable by law):
Rabies

1 Year:
Distemper + Parvovirus, MLV (optional = titer)

1 Year:
Rabies, killed 3-year product (give 3-4 weeks apart from distemper/parvovirus booster)

Perform vaccine antibody titers for distemper and parvovirus every three years thereafter, or more often, if desired. Vaccinate for rabies virus according to the law, except where circumstances indicate that a written waiver needs to be obtained from the primary care veterinarian. In that case, a rabies antibody titer can also be performed to accompany the waiver request. See the Rabies Challenge Fundwebsite.

W. Jean Dodds, DVM
Hemopet / NutriScan

"1 Year:
Distemper + Parvovirus, MLV"


This is the question. Why is this shot needed?

My last DHPP MLV (all MLV now) was at 18 weeks.


 

It isn't necessarily needed... that is why it says you may want to test titers at 1 year.  If titer levels are sufficient, you do not need the booster at 1 year. 

Yes, exactly. Thought that info was right there in what I copied/pasted from the protocol.

Why Titer at one year?

What is the logic in assuming antibody between 18 weeks and one year?

If titer is recommended, why not at 20 weeks old? Isn't the pup vulnerable between 18 weeks and one year if there is no antibodies?

fact is that titer is not done in most humans and dogs.

I tend to think that if you doubt if vaccinating last at 14 weeks is enough, you should NOT wait until one year to give the last shot or do titer.

Physiologically, in terms of immune response to vaccination, what is so special about one year old, and not 22 weeks old or 26 weeks old?

Is there any study that shows a significant  increase in certainty in immune response due to vaccination at about 12 months of age, versus 5-6 months of age?  

 

Yes, why at 1 year? why not before? why not check for titer at earlier age?
Here vets insist on reapeating it every year without any checks, just give the vaccine and take money in !!!!

Ibrahim

Regarding Dr. Dodds protocol, she also encourages getting our dogs vaccinated with a rabies vaccine that is Thimerosal (mercury) free. Merial IMRAB is the only one I could find that definitely is Thimerosal free. Dr. Dodds also recommends RABVAC, but when I called Boehringer Ingelheim, the company that makes the vaccine, and asked specifically if there was Thimerosal in their rabies vaccine, the representative I spoke to said, "We can't guarantee the rabies vaccines do not have Thimerosal in them. It may occur during processing..." It was weird the way he worded it. I asked him a second time about Thimerosal and he answered me in the same exact words. Really? How can they not know?! My guess is that it is in their vaccines. So, I found a vet that used the Merial IMRAB TF (Thimerosal free).

High Desert,
With 5 distemper combo's by the age of 18 weeks old I would be much more concerned about the damage all of those vaccines have done to your puppy/dog than what age to do a titer test.
That is a ridiculous and unnecessary amount of vaccines.
If this was done on the recommendation of your vet, shoot him/her!

The one year old shot is recommended as a booster to shots the dog received as a puppy. Or, if the individual chooses to not do another shot, Dr. Dodds is recommending a titer test in its place.