Shots for Dogs – Canine Vaccination Schedule – Pet Dog Vaccines
Dogs should be vaccinated against the following diseases;
Young puppies should have a combination vaccination known as DHLP-P which will give them protection against parvovirus, hepatitis, leptospirosis, distemper and parainfluenza. It is also necessary that they receive a booster injection every year.
Distemper is an extremely serious disease which can lead to death unless the animal has been vaccinated. It begins with respiratory problems in the animal which can be followed by seizures and lead to the dog dying.
Leptospirosis is a disease that affects the organs of the animal namely the liver and the kidneys. This disease is not prevalent in dogs.
Parvovirus which attacks the immune system of the dog by destroying the white blood cells is a deadly disease. The Doberman and Rottweiler breeds of dogs are particularly susceptible to contracting this disease and in smaller dogs especially the mortality rate can be as high as 1 in 4. Continuous retching and bloody stools as well as severe hydration are serious consequences of this disease.
It is important to have young puppies vaccinated against rabies when they are between 4 – 6 months of age. Older dogs normally would receive a rabies vaccination on a yearly basis. This is a viral disease that is deadly on the central nervous system of the animal and is a public health threat if not contained.
Dogs that are boarded at kennels on a regular basis or who often come into contact with other dogs e.g. at grooming parlors should be given a bordetella vaccination as a protective measure. This disease also known as kennel cough affects the respiratory system of the animal and causes it cough. It is a highly contagious airborne disease
Booster injections are also available as and when they are necessary. Consult your veterinarian as to how often they should be given.
Vaccinations against Coronavirus should be given to young puppies and an annual booster injection should follow. This intestinal disease leads to peritonitis.
It is always best to consult your veterinarian for dog health advice as to how often vaccinations should be given depending on what has already been administered and at what age. It should not be underestimated how essential vaccinations for certain diseases are. Neglecting them or the follow up booster injections could have devastating and fatal consequences for your animal.
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Comments on Shots for Dogs – Canine Vaccination Schedule – Pet Dog Vaccines
People who are concerned about the health of their pets should read the latest international guidelines for dog and cat vaccination.
In 2007 the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) published Dog and Cat Vaccination Guidelines (built on the US AAHA (Canine) and AAFP (Feline) guidelines) for global application.
Type: WSAVA Dog and Cat Vaccination Guidelines
into your search engine to find the guidelines
Type: WSAVA to find the Home website.
The WSAVA guidelines include a number of significant statements:
• We should aim to vaccinate every animal, and to vaccinate each individual less frequently. (p. 2)
• …we should aim to reduce the ‘vaccine load’ on individual animals in order to minimise the potential for adverse reactions to vaccine products. (p. 3)
• Vaccines should not be given needlessly. Core vaccines should not be given any more frequently than every three years after the 12 month booster injection following the puppy/kitten series. (p. 2)
• In the case of dogs, the Fact Sheets of the WSAVA guidelines note that duration of immunity after vaccination with MLV vaccines is 7 years or longer, based on challenge and serological studies, for Canine Parvovirus Type 2 (CPV-2), Canine Adenovirus (CAV-2) and Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) vaccines. (pp. 15-17)
In regards to duration of immunity, Professor Ronald Schultz, an expert in immunology and a member of the WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines Group, notes:
“I believe that dogs and cats vaccinated as puppies and kittens should be revaccinated at 1 year of age with the vaccines used earlier. After that I do not believe there is an immunologic need to revaccinate annually with CDV, CPV-2, CAV-2…” (Ref: Current and future canine and feline vaccination programs. Veterinary Medicine, March 1998, 233-254).
In an article published in August 1995 (14 years ago…), Professor Schultz stated:
“I don’t think there is a need to vaccinate adult dogs, since early vaccination will be sufficient to stimulate memory cells.” (Ref: Are we vaccinating too much? Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Vol 207, No. 4, 421-425, August 15, 1995).
If your vet sends you an annual reminder to have your adult dog revaccinated with the core MLV vaccines for parvovirus, adenovirus and distemper, challenge him. The latest scientifically based guidelines state that it is not necessary for adult dogs to have these vaccinations every year of their life. It is of no benefit and actually puts the dog needlessly at risk of an adverse reaction.
I learned this the hard way when my dog (Sasha – an eight year old Maltese x Silky terrier) became very sick with what was diagnosed as “haemorrhagic gastroenteritis” eight days after her last unnecessary revaccination with core MLV vaccines (C5 booster). It is very interesting to note that “haemorrhagic gastroenteritis” seems to have the same symptoms as parvovirus… My dog had six annual boosters during her life, most of which were unnecessary, and needlessly put her at risk of an adverse reaction. Sasha is now dead, put to sleep four days after the visible onset of her illness. The veterinarian who vaccinated her refused to consider her illness (and subsequent death) might have been caused or influenced by the vaccination. I now have to make an “adverse event” report myself.
I have been researching this subject since Sasha’s death last September and I am shocked by what I have discovered. Australia is way behind on this issue. A culture of unnecessary and possibly harmful annual over-vaccination with core MLV vaccines has become entrenched. The US is moving towards triennial revaccination, but I understand, like annual vaccination, there is no scientific basis for this.
The whole system is weighted against acknowledging and reporting delayed reactions that might have been caused by vaccination. According to a paper by an expert in this area, Dr Jean Dodds, vaccination reactions can occur up to 45 days later, or even longer. (Ref: Vaccination Protocols for Dogs Predisposed to Vaccine Reactions. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association, May/June 2001, Vol 37, pp 211-214.)
Who knows how many other people’s pets have gotten sick or died a week, a month or even longer after a revaccination and they haven’t made the connection that the revaccination could have been at fault? The veterinarians aren’t likely to mention it are they? It might impact on their income… The WSAVA guidelines make the point that adverse events are grossly under-reported. (p. 8). So dogs and cats can end up with chronic illnesses, or even die, and the pet owners would never know that over-vaccination may have been the cause – a case of veterinarians “burying their mistakes”. If I hadn’t decided to do some research after Sasha died, I wouldn’t have found out about this. Sasha would have been just another unknown and uncared for statistic. I also am in touch with other concerned people who believe their pets were similarly affected.
As more and more people discover that there are veterinarians who are actually putting their beloved pets needlessly at risk with unnecessary over-vaccination with core MLV vaccines, there is likely to be a significant backlash against the veterinary profession.
Those veterinarians who value the integrity of their profession need to address this untenable situation and work to ensure that the unethical practice of unnecessary over-vaccination is ceased immediately. This scandal has been going on for years and scientifically based information on duration of immunity has been withheld from pet owners.
Read the WSAVA Dog and Cat Vaccination Guidelines and decide for yourself, including the Fact Sheets (Appendices) from page 15 onwards. Note, the WSAVA Guidelines are built on the AAHA (Canine) and AAFP (Feline) Guidelines.
People should be informed before they make the decision to revaccinate their pets. There are serious – and unnecessary – risks involved with over-vaccination.
Here’s some more information to support my previous comment. Please do pass it on to any pet owners you know. In my personal experience, it is unlikely they will get this information from their veterinarians… (I am specifically researching this issue as it relates to dogs. However, cat owners should also carefully read the WSAVA vaccination guidelines).
I believe vaccine companies and veterinarians who recommend annual or triennial revaccination with core MLV vaccines are misleading pet owners.
The AAHA Canine Guidelines 2006 (revised 2007) recommend revaccination with MLV CPV-2, CDV and CAV-2 “at intervals of every 3 years OR LONGER”. (pp. 4-5) (My emphasis).
(Type 2006 AAHA Canine Guidelines, Revised into your search engine to find the AAHA guidelines).
The WSAVA Guidelines 2007 recommend revaccination with core MLV vaccines “SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN ANY MORE FREQUENTLY than every three years after the 12 month booster injection following the puppy/kitten series.” (p. 2). (My emphasis).
(Type WSAVA Dog and Cat Vaccination Guidelines into your search engine to find the WSAVA guidelines)
If you read these recommendations carefully, they do NOT actually recommend revaccination with core MLV vaccines EVERY three years.
The AAHA guidelines note that duration of immunity with MLV CPV-2, CDV and CAV-2 vaccines is 7 years. (pp. 4-5). The WSAVA guidelines note that duration of immunity is 7 years or LONGER based on challenge and serological studies. (pp. 15-17).
The WSAVA guidelines also note: “Most vaccinated dogs will have a persistence of serum antibody (against core vaccine antigens) for many years. Immunologically, this antibody reflects the function of a distinct population of long-lived plasma cells (memory effector B cells). Induction of immunological memory is the primary objective of vaccination. For core vaccines there is excellent correlation between the presence of antibody and protective immunity and there is long DOI for these products.” (p. 5)
So, if there is “long DOI for these products” where has the 3 year revaccination recommendation come from? If duration of immunity is 7 years OR LONGER why vaccinate every three years? It is not logical or legitimate to recommend revaccination every three years.
I have been advised in personal communication with some veterinarians that the 3 year recommendation is just a compromise that has been arrived at by the veterinary industry (a compromise which excludes pet owners). It seems it’s all about money…
In a paper published in 1998 titled: “Current and future canine and feline vaccination programs” (Veterinary Medicine, March 1998, 233-254), Professor Ronald Schultz, an expert in immunology and a member of the WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines Group, says:
“I believe that dogs and cats vaccinated as puppies and kittens should be revaccinated at 1 year of age with the vaccines used earlier. After that I do not believe there is an immunologic need to revaccinate annually with CDV, CPV-2, CAV-2…”(p.239).
Professor Schultz also makes the following supporting comment:
“An important question to ask yourself is: ‘What do we do to ensure that children who are vaccinated at an early age, usually less than 6 years of age, still have immunity at 20, 40, 60, or 90 years of age?’ Nothing! We don’t measure titers in people, and we don’t routinely vaccinate adults. We rely on the memory cells of the immune system. Since vaccines for people are similar in many ways to canine or feline vaccines, since the immune system of a person is similar to that of an animal, and since immunity persists for the life of a person (average 70+ years), then why wouldn’t immunity from canine or feline vaccines persist for 10 to 15 years? The answer is that many canine and feline vaccines do provide the same lifelong immunity.” (p. 246).
This whole revaccination story is just a myth that veterinarians and vaccine companies perpetuate, relying on unproven vaccine manufacturers’ product label recommendations to revaccinate to “ensure continuity of protection”. I have not yet discovered any scientific evidence supporting annual or triennial revaccination with core MLV vaccines.
According to a paper by E Kathryn Meyer published in 2001 “duration of immunity studies are not required to support label revaccination recommendations for all current and future vaccine products containing many commonly used canine and feline antigens…” (p. 495). Meyer also notes “prelicensing safety testing of vaccines involves a relatively small number of animals, and the results are not routinely required on product labelling”. These could include “rare events, events that occur after repeated exposure, and events that occur in a subgroup (e.g. specific breed, age)”. Meyer also notes that “adverse event information derived from postmarketing surveillance is not routinely required on the product’s label”. (Ref: Vaccine-Associated Adverse Events. Veterinary Clinics of North America. Small Animal Practice. Vol. 31, No. 3, 493-513. May 2001).
So it appears that trials were not conducted for the life of the animals or on different breeds of dogs. In which case, we do not know the consequences of revaccinating every year with core MLV vaccines. The possible range of adverse reactions from regular over-vaccination are not necessarily known or included on the vaccine product label.
In addition, the WSAVA guidelines note that “there is gross-under-reporting of vaccine-associated adverse events which impedes knowledge of the ongoing safety of these products”.
This raises important questions: Why weren’t longitudinal trials conducted to test the effects of revaccination during a dog’s lifetime? Why aren’t the range of possible immediate and delayed adverse reactions noted on vaccine product labels? Why is there “gross under-reporting of vaccine-associated adverse events”? Why is there a lack of regulation, transparency and accountability?
Despite a lack of scientific evidence to support revaccination, the veterinary industry still persists in pushing triennial (and even annual !) revaccination with core MLV vaccines.
Annual and triennial revaccination with core MLV vaccines is not necessary. It is of no benefit to the animal. It needlessly puts the animal at risk of an adverse reaction. Due to inadequate testing of these vaccines the range of adverse reactions is not known. The range of possible adverse reactions is not noted on the vaccine product label. Pet owners are not warned of the possible adverse reactions that can occur.
I believe information about duration of immunity noted in the WSAVA and AAHA vaccination guidelines is being withheld from pet owners. They are not being informed. Veterinarians who withhold this information from their clients are not obtaining informed consent.
It is a scandal that veterinarians and vaccine companies keep pushing unnecessary and possibly risky revaccination with core MLV vaccines. Over-vaccination can make dogs and cats very sick. It can even make them die…
@Elizabeth Hart
The key question is whether the animal (including humans) is intolerant to the food it eats or not. To be intolerant, the animal has to have a gene that recognizes unique structural elements of the proteins in the food and to have the immune system turned on to recognize those structural elements. Virus membrane proteins share these structural elements with certain food proteins. Infections or vaccinations with virus proteins that contain these structural elements turn on the food intolerance, and if the food continues to be eaten, the immune system becomes hypersensitized. Vaccination of such animals now runs the risk of a dangerous cytokine flux that can damage the health of the animal. Products are now available to reduce the risk of this hypersensitivity.
@Elizabeth Hart
I am from Lucknow, India. My white male Royal German Spitz, Jerry, has been pumped with annual boosters of 6-1 comprising of distemper, parvo, hepatitis, parainfluenza, leptospira canicola, and icterohaemorrhagiae; coronavirus and antirabies. It would be of age 13 on November 14. However, 7-10 days after its last vaccination in September 2009 of 6-1 and coronavirus, it lost stability of its hind legs and started dragging one of them. A month later its cataracts became worse and it also lost control of stool ejection. An ultrasound and blood test showed no problem with kidneys, liver, and spleen. Blood glucose, platelets, rbc, and cholesterol levels were normal though the lab mentioned blood thickening due to low intake of water. The tests, however, showed a small enlargement of the prostate pushing into the rectum and some calculi in the gall bladder. The vet surgeon-cum-radiologist just refused x-ray of the pelvic region or synovial fluid biopsy and ruled out any benefit of surgery. The vet also reported formation of anal sac due to constipation from earlier years having weakened the muscles of the anorectal region.
None of our “learned vets” here would accept that oligoarthritis in the hind legs was due to over vaccination despite it starting almost immediately after its last annual booster and despite showing them various reports of effects of over vaccination to the autoimmune system at http://www.petplace.com. Please visit http://www.petplace.com/dogs/immune-mediated-polyarthritis/page1.aspx. They have kept arguing that it is the onset of osteoarthritis due to old age as is the cataract. These arseholes also recommend deworming tablets every three months instead of six. I usually give one tablet of Bayer’s Drontal Plus now due to age though earlier I gave 1½ tab as its weight is around 14 kg.
I have been regularly feeding him Pedigree Professional Adult Small Breed slightly soaked in lukewarm water with a bit of fresh cream that would make it more appetizing. The vets have prescribed 5g per day of Bayer’s Megaflex powder for animals to be mixed in the feed for three months, Antoxid (antioxidant capsule) one tab every other day for 30 days, Neurobion forte (with high concentration of B6 and B12) one tab every other day for 30 days, and vitamin A one-half tab every day for 30 days. Though Megaflex being glucosamine and chondroitin with devil’s claw, etc. is quite expensive being Rs. 330 (US $ 7) per 100 g, I am more concerned of Jerry continuing to walk else I dread to think what we will do. For hard stool it has been prescribed Livoluk, a lactulose solution which has not been required since the advent of the above regimen of medications. But it has bowel incontinence whereby its soft stool (no diarrhea) comes out at any time mostly in the house. I do not mind cleaning as I am most glad that it is passing it at least.
Cataract surgery in animals here means just a pinhole surgery rather than replacement of eye lens or even removal of the clouding. I have not gone for that. I continue to give dexamethasone eyedrops (Dexcin).
Any other suggestions for my beloved friend would be most welcome. I can understand your pain on the loss of your dear Sasha that prompted you on this research as it has been the same with me. I switched careers from a professional accountant to home-based medical transcriber about four years ago in order to be with my Jerry at home and this helped me understand the medical jargon applied to its discomfort. I have taken cudgels against these orthodox vets on vaccinations issues and accordingly advise all pet owners I meet with print outs of proofs that I have collected from the net. As a periodic titer test can be very expensive, pet owners get easily intimated by vets arguing in favor of annual boosters. However, there will be no more boosters for my Jerry.
gspal at indiatimes.com