Dog Vaccinations

[neepnipper]

Hi - just wanted to remind people about getting their puppies and dogs vaccinated, I've spoken to a few people lately who have new puppies and have not bothered about getting them vaccinated, I know the majority of people do get them done so this is just for those odd few who think their puppy or dog will come to no harm without their vaccinations.

Dogs are vaccinated against:

Distemper which can cause brain damage and in 50% of cases the dog will have to be put to sleep.

Viral hepatitus which is a highly fatal disease affecting the liver.

Leptospirosis of which there are two types, they are bacterial and cause severe liver and kidney damage.

Parvovirus which is fatal in about 50% of cases and can cause death in 24 hours.

Pups should be vaccinated at about 8 weeks old with a follow up jab at about 10 weeks.

Remember that your pup cannot go out and about until a week or so after the second injection, as I've also been speaking to some people who are taking their pup out before its had second jab.

Remember also to check when buying or rehoming an adult dog that its vaccinations are up to date.

All rescue places that I know do not let a dog to a new home without its up to date vaccination certificate.

Finally, remember to have a booster every year to keep immunisation up to date.

Lecture over, thank you and good night!

[porshiepoo]

When I lived in England I did a fair bit of dog showing and I spoke to a good friend who is a vet about these jabs. Not so long ago there was quite a big hoo har professional suggestions that vaccinations are not required yearly and that pet owners were being ripped off by being led to believe that they are.
Apparantly, just as we don't need a measles jab every year, our pets don't need some of their jabs every year.
The actual recommendation was something like initial puppy jabs followed by a one year booster and then followed every three years.
The minimum immunity period after a parainfluenza shot is 3 years and Distemper is actually 5 years.
Part of the belief is that if a Modified Live Virus is given after 6 months of age then it gives immunity for the lifespan of the animal, if another top up is given the following year then the antibodies of the first vaccination neutralise the antigens of the second vaccination and there is little or no effect.

I'm not suggesting that we shouldn't vaccinate our pets but perhaps more effort should be put into the research of effects of yearly vaccination on our pets. We ask more questions nowadays with regards to the risks of vaccinating our kids but we just assume that we have the whole pet vaccination thing sussed and trust our vets to do what's only best for our pets and not have the slightest monetary reason behind the advice.

[neepnipper]

I believe distemper, parvovirus and hepatitus after the initial vaccination can then be given every 3 years but leptospira and parainfluenza should be yearly.

I think that's what the vets up here do but I'm not 100% sure.

In any case taking your dog in for it's yearly booster (whether it's for all or some of the vaccinations) also gives the vet a chance to give the dog a 'once over' which I think is a really good thing.

I know it's an expense ( I should know, I have 9 dogs!) and I don't believe the vets are trying to 'rip us off', any vet should have the animals best interests at heart and ok they have to make a living but they are there for the welfare of the animal.

Surely it's better to have your dog vaccinated against these horrible diseases than see it suffer and die.

[Julia]

My old CKC spaniel lived to the age of 11+ years and died from heart problems, she was vaccinated fully as a pup but I never ever had her given a booster, she never set foot in kennels and did not mix with other dogs so I did not think it was necessary!

I know this is a rather controversial subject but I don't think yearly boosters are needed IMO.

[neepnipper]

Your dog does not need to mix with other dogs they can pick up these viruses up from sniffing dog poo (which is not very nice, but let's face it it's just something that dogs do!) and they can pick up leptospira from rats urine. Your dog would not have been allowed in to a boarding kennels without its vaccinations anyway.

IMO I would sooner pay the £30 odd pounds a year for the booster and have peace of mind that my dog will not die because I didn't have the vaccinations and boosters done.

[Julia]

The following sites make interesting reading...

http://www.dogstuff.info/canine_vaccination_odriscoll.html

http://www.canine-health-concern.org.uk/

[neepnipper]

Have a read of the link on www.labrescuecaithness.co.uk.

People may not realise that if they have their dog insured but it doesn't have its vaccinations the insurance will be invalid.

To me its a 'no brainer' vaccinating your dog = peace of mind.

[binbob]

Have a read of the link on www.labrescuecaithness.co.uk (http://forum.caithness.org/go.php?url=http://www.labrescuecaithness.co.uk).

People may not realise that if they have their dog insured but it doesn't have its vaccinations the insurance will be invalid.

To me its a 'no brainer' vaccinating your dog = peace of mind.
actually ..i have four dogs insured abd not vacc.[lost a 7 year old cocker to auto immune thrombocytopenic blood disorder..he bled to death just 17 days after his booster!!!]most insurers now ask if u have kept boosters up to date...and if not,they still insure ,but the diseases they COULD be vacc. against are NOT covered.
i lost another cocker ,aged 4 to auto immune haemolytic anaemia..........so i took the decision not to vacc. i do give puppies the full course of vaccs. though..well that is what happens to us mortals.i do think it is a rip off for vets..their bread and butter.
i will take my chances..my decision,my responsibility.
think carefully before vacc. and read all about the risks of vacc/not vacc.

[wotchooterapolis]

I tend to agree that boosters are a "rip off" We had a collie for 15 years after her puppy jabs and the only visit to the vet was a broken paw. Just another way of getting our hard earned off us. Never heard of or was asked about boosters in the 80's or early 90s, why now? Because we now live in a "Nanny state" But that is another arguement.

[neepnipper]

That is what I meant to say, that if your dog catches one of the diseases that it could be vaccinated against then it won't be covered by the insurance.

I know for a very few dogs vaccination may be a problem but for the vast majority it's not.

Surely if vets were just 'on the make' they wouldn't get their own dogs vaccinated which they do.

Any business has its 'bread and butter' income, vaccinations, worming, flea treatment may be what vets need to keep ticking over, it's not all like 'Pet Rescue' and major operations costing hundres of pounds.

It costs what it costs, I go to the dentist which I think is sometimes a 'rip off' but I still go to keep my teeth healthy.

Boosters have been around for years, it's not a recent thing.

[wotchooterapolis]

That is what I meant to say, that if your dog catches one of the diseases that it could be vaccinated against then it won't be covered by the insurance.

I know for a very few dogs vaccination may be a problem but for the vast majority it's not.

Surely if vets were just 'on the make' they wouldn't get their own dogs vaccinated which they do.

Any business has its 'bread and butter' income, vaccinations, worming, flea treatment may be what vets need to keep ticking over, it's not all like 'Pet Rescue' and major operations costing hundres of pounds.

It costs what it costs, I go to the dentist which I think is sometimes a 'rip off' but I still go to keep my teeth healthy.

Boosters have been around for years, it's not a recent thing.



Aye but I bet the Vet don't charge himself 30 odd quid

[neepnipper]

Yes, and my hubbie who is a chimney sweep doesn't charge himself £20 when he sweeps our chimney!

[wotchooterapolis]

Yes, and my hubbie who is a chimney sweep doesn't charge himself £20 when he sweeps our chimney!

No. I would not pay £20 either

[neepnipper]

No, you'd probably sooner die of carbon monoxide poisening.

Getting off track, I think.

[Liz]

After a lot of research I decided to just get Benjy vaccinated as a puppy.

I spoke to John Burns the Vet (of Burns pet food) and he only vaccinates puppies as he doesn't believe boosters are necessary.

I give Benjy, and my cats, homeopathic nosodes instead.

At the end of the day it is a personal choice and we do what we think is best for our pets.

[Ash]

when we got our alfie who is 8months now we had a serious chat and think about vacinations and in the end we decided to get him vacinated.... i know of people who havent had their animals vacinated but i didnt want to take the risk, next people will be saying they didnt or dont worm there animals,why take the risk ?:confused

[wotchooterapolis]

No, you'd probably sooner die of carbon monoxide poisening.

Getting off track, I think.

I won't stoop to your level with a reply to that. By the way POISONING is what your trying to say, and I don't have a chimmney.

[neepnipper]

Don't you mean chimney? Whoops, down there at your level again!

[Ash]

I won't stoop to your level with a reply to that. By the way POISONING is what your trying to say, and I don't have a chimmney.

you have both gone off track .............

[neepnipper]

Sorry, just sometimes people wind you up (on purpose, I think!).

All decisions you make in life are up to you, read and make informed choices and do what you think is best, there are always two sides to everything, just make sure when it involves pets that you do what you think is right for them.

End of subject for me.

[crustyroll]

Its a far more complicated thing than most people think and it can become so complicated and long winded that your brain shuts down :lol:

I personally know of a vet that stopped vaccinating a dog because of its auto immune problem and allergies, each year the dog was getting worse and it's skin was so sensitive that the vaccinations were extremely painful for her.

As to keeping your puppy in until it's had it's second jab, well everyday you go out you are putting all your dogs at risk as YOU can carry disease back on your shoes and clothing. All you are really doing is minimising the risk, not avoiding it completely.

I also believe that the number of dogs out there that have actually got immunity from vaccinations will be less than we are led to believe. Many puppies are now getting vaccinated at 6 weeks or the usual 8-10 weeks but are still carrying immunity from the Dam. When they get the jabs, their natural immunity still present will fight against the vaccination and it doesn't uptake. Vets and manufacturers of the vaccines know this but don't tell us and continue anyway.

People now question the vaccination regime for their kids and are searching for information but won't do the same for their pets? The information is out there and while it is down to personal choice of whether to vaccinate or not, at least take some time and look a little deeper at what it CAN do to your pets. I would never tell anyone NOT to vaccinate but then again I wouldn't come on and believe I have the right to tell everyone that they should vaccinate their pet, I think the vets already do that!!!!!

[neepnipper]

I wan't telling people they have to vaccinate their dog, it's just my opinion which I wanted to share, didn't think there would be so many people who are anti vaccination, just my opinion that we should vaccinate our dogs, I'm not preaching I just get fed up of talking to people who have no information one way or the other about vaccinations, thought I'd point out a few facts, that's all.

SSPCA. RSPCA and other rescue centres, police, army etc etc all vaccinate dogs so they must think it's the right thing to do.

Everyone has a right to an opinion, the org wouldn't exist otherwise!

That is my final comment.

[binbob]

I wan't telling people they have to vaccinate their dog, it's just my opinion which I wanted to share, didn't think there would be so many people who are anti vaccination, just my opinion that we should vaccinate our dogs, I'm not preaching I just get fed up of talking to people who have no information one way or the other about vaccinations, thought I'd point out a few facts, that's all.

SSPCA. RSPCA and other rescue centres, police, army etc etc all vaccinate dogs so they must think it's the right thing to do.

Everyone has a right to an opinion, the org wouldn't exist otherwise!

That is my final comment.
as i said ..each person has the choice.u have made ur mind up...and that is UR right.i had to watch my 7 year old boy bleed to death over 3 days..17 days after a booster.he [jack] died,bleeding from every orifice[ i thought he would get better].......his brain bled,his lungs filled with blood.absolutely awful...so i will not vacc. [other than puppies] cocker spaniels are very prone to auto immune problems...so i am playing safe.my basset hound[now 2] also had her puppy vaccs.and she will have no more.

also u might like to check out the rec. made by the top vet at glasgow vet school..........he only recs. that vaccs be done every 3 years after a blood test to check the dog s immunity.
this is what they also rec. in usa.so he is a vet too..........must be something in it???

[connieb19]

Does the same thing apply to cats or are they better to have their booster every year?

[binbob]

Does the same thing apply to cats or are they better to have their booster every year?
sorry,connie...i am not very knowledgeable about cats.
have a search on the web...there must be some info on the subject.
dogs are my passion.

[Oddquine]

My last dog died at 15 about four years ago, and having had three long lived dogs inthe last forty years I think I must have been very lucky................as none to my knowledge were ever vaccinated, wormed after leaving their mothers or even got fleas.

Maybe mongrels are hardier...or small towns safer.

[connieb19]

My last dog died at 15 about four years ago, and having had three long lived dogs inthe last forty years I think I must have been very lucky................as none to my knowledge were ever vaccinated, wormed after leaving their mothers or even got fleas.

Maybe mongrels are hardier...or small towns safer.I think you're right there about the small towns. My cat is always catching fleas and I swear it's the neighbourhood I'm in. :eek:

[blondscot]

Does the same thing apply to cats or are they better to have their booster every year?

I dont give any of my cats a booster even my pedigree ones, they only got the first lot when they were kittens and it is the same for my dogs. It is personal choice and we all do what we feel is best for our pets whether it be to vacinate or not to.