Official recommendation–no more annual vaccines

[Kananga]

@Quercus:

I am actually concerned about vet practices. This will kill a lot of them, because people won't bother to bring their animals in at all, until they are sick…really sick. A lot of vets rely on income from annual checkups/vaccines. Other vet services will have to go up in price to cover the cost of business

They have to find a way to adapt. Perhaps instead of pet owners spending as much $ on annual vaccines, they can put it towards other preventative care that would normally be overlooked due to existing priorities.

To me, the dog's health should be the primary concern. If it's proven that the frequency of vaccines are unnecessary, they should change.

A smart vet will take a change like this and alter their business practices to help their business remain profitable going forward. There's always a way. It just comes down to motivation and acceptance.

[Shaye's Mom]

There is another problem in that even if the vet changes his protocol, most daycare/boarding facilities require proof of yearly vaccinations. Of course if you never have to leave your dogs, ever, then there's no problem.

[thunderbird8588]

@Shaye's:

There is another problem in that even if the vet changes his protocol, most daycare/boarding facilities require proof of yearly vaccinations. Of course if you never have to leave your dogs, ever, then there's no problem.

a very good point and also some insurance policies are invalidated if the animal is not up to date with boosters.
I'm afraid in the UK the protocol is for yearly boosters, have been in touch with the royal society of veterinary surgeons and they told me that they couldn't comment and it's up to individual vets.
Whenever i have asked the question about vaccinating less i am given a standard answer.
Maybe we will catch up at some point

[DebraDownSouth]

@Shaye's:

There is another problem in that even if the vet changes his protocol, most daycare/boarding facilities require proof of yearly vaccinations. Of course if you never have to leave your dogs, ever, then there's no problem.

If enough people REFUSED to used places that do that, you can bet they will change. Yep, yearly on kennel cough, I can see. Up to date on rabies, absolutely.

The rest is crock. The only… ONLY ONLY ONLY adult dogs who ever get distemper or parvo are dogs with weakened immune systems. GUESS WHAT? Vaccinating wouldn't help. You need a good immune system to make the antibodies (hence every single vaccine says DO NOT VACCINATE SICK DOGS).

[agilebasenji]

@DebraDownSouth:

If enough people REFUSED to used places that do that, you can bet they will change. Yep, yearly on kennel cough, I can see. Up to date on rabies, absolutely.

The rest is crock. The only… ONLY ONLY ONLY adult dogs who ever get distemper or parvo are dogs with weakened immune systems. GUESS WHAT? Vaccinating wouldn't help. You need a good immune system to make the antibodies (hence every single vaccine says DO NOT VACCINATE SICK DOGS).

Kennels, daycare, etc in this state must follow laws put forth by the Ag department in this state. And dogs do have to be vaccined in accordance with the state law (3yr vacc is okay, yearly for kennel cough). So boycotting won't do much good, unless you'd rather go to uninspected places that are not in compliance with the law.

[DebraDownSouth]

Yes but some say require yearly. Some require the dog on heartworm meds. GA Ag told me rabies only requirement, yet boarding have their own. Anyway, call around, find those who let you do 3 yr, or find a good pet sitter.

[gbroxon]

I still have not found what I would consider an "official recommendation" of this vetinfo.com official recommendation; some site like the AVMA that I could point my ordinary-pet-folk friends to (those who are unwilling to spend time researching). Anybody find anything like that?

[DebraDownSouth]

@gbroxon:

I still have not found what I would consider an "official recommendation" of this vetinfo.com official recommendation; some site like the AVMA that I could point my ordinary-pet-folk friends to (those who are unwilling to spend time researching). Anybody find anything like that?

I gave one hospital.
This is the AAHA (vet hospital guidelines)… sadly you need to print or turn head sideways to see the 3 yr guideline info
http://www.aahanet.org/publicdocuments/vaccineguidelines06revised.pdf

http://secure.aahanet.org/eweb/dynamicpage.aspx?site=resources&webcode=CanineVaccineGuidelines

This very good article from the AVMA journal gives overview and states:

Some veterinarians, who may be abiding by corporate policies, recommend that every dog and cat receive every vaccine every year. This is a blatant example of overvaccination, he said.

http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/sep04/040915l.asp

[tanza]

This is the 3 yr recommendation that most all Vets are now using? I think the question was where is this new one that clms none needed after one set of shots as a puppy at 6 months? (Exception being rabies)

[DebraDownSouth]

Pat, I have no idea. Vetinfo is typically on spot top info. I am actually going to write them. I understand the logic, since many research vet schools have said there is no reason to expect dogs to need continued boosters any more than humans. What I suspect, strongly, is the vet schools are already getting flack from vets over saying not annually… so instead of standing up to what they believe, which is no real need for the basic shots after 6 mos/1 yr vaccines, they are supporting 3 yrs so vets don't stroke out. So did the Vetinfo folks decide to take a stand? If so, they should have worded it that way, not saying all the vet schools agreed. I am sorry I took them at face value, it's one site I rarely have to double check on.

[tanza]

Thanks, that makes sense….

[Therese Leimback]

Deschroedter all US states now only require 3yr rabbies. Here is the link to Texas state law. http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/health/zoonosis/laws/vaccine/
You just have to be proactive with the vet to give 3yr labeled vaccine to your pup. You can also take this link to your vet to help make your case, as well as license dept to license your dogs. Many people don't realize rabbies vaccines are 3yr in all US states now.
Therese
(Begging for folks to not over vaccinate, it is not always better to vaccinate for many things as some vets would have you believe. Don't be afraid to ask questions for the sake of your dogs and cats)

[DebraDownSouth]

@Therese:

Deschroedter all US states now only require 3yr rabbies.

Sorry but I don't think that is correct. Not all states allow 3 yr rabies (note 1 b not w)

http://www.avma.org/advocacy/state/issues/rabies_vaccination.asp

It appears that Kansas, Virginia and Missouri all are town by town, many but not all have switched to 3 yr.

http://www.dogs4dogs.com/rabies-laws

http://www.avma.org/advocacy/state/issues/rabies_vaccination.pdf
District of Columbia: 1 yr

[LindaH]

Could someone clarify something for me, please?

In Debra's very first post, the link she gave says, in part:

"The new guidelines stress that a puppy's immune system is fully mature when he reaches 6 months of age. At that time, he should receive a modified live virus (MLV) series of vaccines. Individual vaccines should be spaced three to four weeks apart for optimum effectiveness. There is no need for further vaccinations or boosters after that."

It sounds like it's saying that, at 6 months of age, the dog should receive a "series" of MLVs spaced 3 to 4 weeks apart (doesn't say how many shots are in the "series").

Does that mean that NO SHOTS should be given until 6 months of age, or does it mean that the normal series of puppy shots should be given as normal and then, at 6 months of age, another series should be given?

I just can't imagine letting a puppy go unprotected until 6 months of age, but, to me, that's what it sounds like this paragraph is saying.

Blaze has already had 3 series of puppy shots and is due for this 4th, and final, shots now. I was planning on having boosters done at one year (April/May 2012) and then going to the 3-year protocol, or having titers done every 3 years. Should I, instead, have the boosters done at 6 months of age (just 2 months from now)? And, if so, how many shots, 4 to 6 weeks apart, constitute a "series?"

As you can tell, I'm totally confused as to what the above paragraph is really saying!

Another question regarding shots: Blaze is also due for his first rabies shots. Can I have that done at the same time that he receives his other shots, or should I wait a week or two between shots?

[tanza]

I always wait at least two weeks between shots, usually more like a month.

And I only get a series of three shots? 9wks, 11wks, 13wks (give or take) and then rabies at 16wks. Never remember doing 4 shots (unless you count the last one, rabies as one)

Since no one has been able to provide were this new recommendation is coming from, I am following the puppy shots, boster at one year and then 3 yrs.

[DebraDownSouth]

See my post above with these links…( EDITED: USE LINKS IN ORIGINAL POST NOT HERE AS THEY DON"T WORK, ONLY IN ORIGINAL POST ABOVE)
Pat is right. Even though every study shows they can, just like many human shots, have immunity for life, the recommendation is STILL every 3 yrs officially.

I also give puppy shots about 3 wks apart, then again at 1 yr, then every 3 yrs (or longer).

This is the AAHA (vet hospital guidelines)… sadly you need to print or turn head sideways to see the 3 yr guideline info
http://www.aahanet.org/publicdocumen…s06revised.pdf

http://secure.aahanet.org/eweb/dynam…cineGuidelines

[LindaH]

@tanza:

I always wait at least two weeks between shots, usually more like a month.

Thanks, Pat. I'd feel more comfortable waiting, too, since I don't like to have a bunch of different shots given all at the same time.

And I only get a series of three shots? 9wks, 11wks, 13wks (give or take) and then rabies at 16wks. Never remember doing 4 shots (unless you count the last one, rabies as one)

Interesting. I'm almost positive the breeder told us to have the fourth shot done. I remember because the fourth shot should actually have been done during the month we took to get from Arizona, where we spend the winters, to Washington State, where we live in the summers, but the breeder said it would be OK to wait until we'd returned to Washington. So I guess the only shot Blaze needs now would be the rabies.

Since no one has been able to provide were this new recommendation is coming from, I am following the puppy shots, boster at one year and then 3 yrs.

Which is what I plan on doing, too.

[LindaH]

Debra, the second of your two links is no longer good and the first one goes only to "Welcome to AAHA's Revised Website." I had to do a search for "vaccinations" to come up with this: Canine Vaccine Guidelines Revised.

[DebraDownSouth]

@LindaH:

Debra, the second of your two links is no longer good and the first one goes only to "Welcome to AAHA's Revised Website." I had to do a search for "vaccinations" to come up with this: Canine Vaccine Guidelines Revised.

IF you go to original post, it works. When copied/pasted in last post, dear old Basenji forums didn't really work. The link you gave in your post is actually the one I gave. I didn't realize copy/paste messed them up. But I did say go to the post.

[Buddys Pal]

Here is one: http://www.doglogic.com/vaccineinfo.htm#news