The following vaccine protocol is offered for those dogs where minimal vaccinations are advisable or desirable. The schedule is one I recommend and should not be interpreted to mean that other protocols recommended by a veterinarian would be less satisfactory. It’s a matter of professional judgment and choice.
9 – 10 weeks of age
Distemper + Parvovirus, MLV
e.g. Merck Nobivac (Intervet Progard) Puppy DPV
14 – 15 weeks of age
Distemper + Parvovirus, MLV
18 weeks of age
Parvovirus only, MLV
Note: New research states that last puppy parvovirus vaccine should be at 18 weeks old.
20 weeks or older, if allowable by law
Rabies – give 3-4 weeks apart from other vaccines
Mercury-free (thimerosol-free, TF)
1 year old
Distemper + Parvovirus, MLV
This is an optional booster or titer. If the client intends not to booster after this optional booster or intends to retest titers in another three years, this optional booster at puberty is wise.
1 year old
Rabies – give 3-4 weeks apart from other vaccines
3-year product if allowable by law; mercury-free (TF)
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. Visit The Rabies Challenge Fund for more information.
W. Jean Dodds, DVM
Hemopet / NutriScan
11561 Salinaz Avenue
Garden Grove, CA 92843
HOW CAN I PROTECT MY PET FROM DISEASES WHILE MINIMIZING UNNECESSARY VACCINATIONS?
The key is to understanding that the goal of vaccinations should be to illicit a protective antibody titer while minimizing over-vaccination. This can be done by using a titer to verify immunity after vaccination. Even years later!
WHAT IS THE SAFEST WAY TO VACCINATE MY PET?
Vaccinate separately and with individual antigens and only if a pet is healthy. Healthy means not harboring any underlying conditions or immune-mediated issues.
IF MY PET HAS A PROTECTIVE TITER, DO I NEED TO EVER VACCINATE MY PET AGAIN?
Perhaps. When a pet is first vaccinated for a disease, a titer should be checked four weeks later. If the pet developed immunity it may be protected for many years. Some pets will be protected for life. The only way to know for sure is to recheck the titer.
HOW DO I KNOW THAT MY PUPPY'S INITIAL VACCINATIONS PRODUCED IMMUNITY?
Ask your vet to do a core titer for parvovirus, distemper, and adenovirus four weeks after completing the initial puppy vaccinations. This is the only way to verify if those vaccinations produced immunity. A recent study showed that a percentage of puppies have not acquired immunity from their puppy vaccination series.
WHEN WILL RABIES TITERS BECOME ACCEPTED AS THE STANDARD INDICATION FOR ASSESSING RABIES IMMUNITY IN PETS?
As soon as enough concerned people are educated to these facts and help pass legislation to legalize titers in lieu of revaccination when revaccination isn’t necessary.
WHAT IS A TITER?
A titer test is a simple blood test that provides useful information about your pet’s current immunity to the diseases he’s been vaccinated against in the past. The results validate whether vaccination resulted in immunity.
WHERE CAN I GET A TITER?
All veterinarians have the ability to send out your dog’s serum to be titered. Cost can vary significantly. You can also ask your vet to do a blood draw and spin and then mail the sample via one of the following online resources on the TITERS FOR PETS website.
Dr. Patricia Jordan sent us an interesting link. The AVMA has published a page on their website, entitled “What to expect after your pet’s vaccination“.
Here is the information they are giving to pet owners .
It is common for pets to experience some or all of the following mild side effects after receiving a vaccine, usually starting within hours of the vaccination. If these side effects last for more than a day or two, or cause your pet significant discomfort, it is important for you to contact your veterinarian:
More serious, but less common side effects, such as allergic reactions, may occur within minutes to hours after vaccination. These reactions can be life-threatening and are medical emergencies. Seek veterinary care immediately if any of these signs develop:
A small, firm swelling under the skin may develop at the site of a recent vaccination. It should start to disappear within a couple weeks. If it persists more than three weeks, or seems to be getting larger, you should contact your veterinarian. Always inform your veterinarian if your pet has had prior reactions to any vaccine or medication. If in doubt, wait for 30-60 minutes following vaccination before taking your pet home.
Aside from potential collapse, it appears that vaccination is a pretty innocuous procedure (no pun intended). This is a pretty short and not-very-scary list. It’s no wonder pet owners are more than willing to allow vets to over-vaccinate their pets: we are all told about the potential good that vaccines do (vets are fond of scaring themselves and us into vaccination with “we just had a dog die of _____________ here last week), but rarely are we informed of the potential dangers.It would also appear that the vets are unaware of the dangers, if their own views on vaccine dangers match those of the AVMA. Vaccine Reactions In Dogs …
(Is your dog experiencing side effects to vaccines? Anti-Vaccinosis could be the solution. Visit our store…)
In case you are wondering what the real dangers of vaccination are, we will share with you a list complied by veterinary immunologist Dr. Ronald Schultz. Dr. Schultz has vaccinated thousands of animals during his clinical research and although he advocates vaccines, he tempers that recommendation with a realistic view of their inherent dangers.
Here is Dr. Schultz’ list:
Common Reactions:
Moderate Reactions:
Severe Reactions triggered by Vaccines:
“Safety studies on vaccinations are limited to short time periods only: several days to several weeks.” says Dr. Harold Buttram MD. “There are NO (NONE) long term (months or years) safety studies on any vaccination or immunization. For this reason, there are valid grounds for suspecting that many delayed-type vaccine reactions may be taking place unrecognized as to their true nature”. The AVMA and AAHA continue to recommend over-vaccination for our pets, despite the fact that there is scant evidence that they prevent less disease than they cause. Is this because they are not aware of the potential dangers of vaccines? It’s not a warm and fuzzy feeling, thinking that the veterinary associations don’t understand the dangers associated with vaccines. But it beats the alternative: that they are aware of the dangers but recommend over-vaccination anyway.
(To help prevent over-vaccination, consider titer testing as an alternative to routine vaccination.
To find out more about titer tests, view our article.)
-Article from DOGS NATURALLY
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