Annual Vaccinations

[Zug Zug]

OK I am officially confused.

I have been hearing during the past few years that annual vaccinations (C3) are no longer considered necessary for mature dogs.

But I had my 2 at the vet's again yesterday (one to have her teeth cleaned, the other to have a wart and her eyes looked at), and they are almost due for their annual vaccine. The vet said that they still need it once a year or the dogs may not be covered against parvo etc. So I paid the money and had their shots done. They also said that there is a 3 yearly version of the vaccine available but that's not the one they use.

But I'd been reading elsewhere that there was not necessarily any benefit to annual vaccines once the dogs were mature. Did I get that right? Or have I misunderstood things?

Also my obedience club still requires proof of annual vaccinations so at this stage I guess we need to keep doing it unless and until that changes.

So what's the story? Are the annual vaccines needed or not? Both of my dogs are around 12yo and both have been vaccinated every year since I've had them (got one as a pup, the other at around 2yo). So if anyone has a chance of built-up immunity, surely these two are prime candidates...?

[Red Fox]

OK I am officially confused.

I have been hearing during the past few years that annual vaccinations (C3) are no longer considered necessary for mature dogs.

But I had my 2 at the vet's again yesterday (one to have her teeth cleaned, the other to have a wart and her eyes looked at), and they are almost due for their annual vaccine. The vet said that they still need it once a year or the dogs may not be covered against parvo etc. So I paid the money and had their shots done. They also said that there is a 3 yearly version of the vaccine available but that's not the one they use.

But I'd been reading elsewhere that there was not necessarily any benefit to annual vaccines once the dogs were mature. Did I get that right? Or have I misunderstood things?

Also my obedience club still requires proof of annual vaccinations so at this stage I guess we need to keep doing it unless and until that changes.

So what's the story? Are the annual vaccines needed or not? Both of my dogs are around 12yo and both have been vaccinated every year since I've had them (got one as a pup, the other at around 2yo). So if anyone has a chance of built-up immunity, surely these two are prime candidates...?

Titer test them and find out

I (personally) wouldn't vaccinate a 12 year old dog, if they don't have immunity by now they will never have it.

[alpha bet]

Your vet is being unfair - they should have received the information from the AVA and been more supportive to you......

My understanding that it is not a 'special' vaccination that is required. It is the normal C3 that will cover them for Parvo/distemper/Hep. (Perhaps some of the vet nurses on line could clarify this.)

Certainly the instructions that came thru from the AVA was that after about 10 years then dogs who have had regular vaccination should not require further vacc.

Consider changing your vet!

[twodoggies2001]

I had my two yr. old mini schnauzer to the vet to have a titer test done, because he was due to have his annual vaccination. Well the test came back that he still has immunity and not to bother with the vaccine. If next year, his immunity is low, he will get the three yearly shot. I try to keep vaccinations as minimal as possible.

[Zug Zug]

So it really does sound like I just immunised my dogs for no reason. They didn't offer me a titer test, even though I repeatedly expressed my doubts about the need for the vaccine. Not happy

Is there an article I can take with me to next week's check-up and leave with them to get them to think more clearly about this issue?

I have gone to this vet for a long time and I have always been very happy with him. I have seen other vets occasionally but always go back to this vet because he is sensible, explains himself clearly, and talks straight to me which I really value. He has taken very good care of my dogs over the years. I won't be leaving him - but I might consider trying to change him (hmm, that sounds a bit wrong but you get the idea...)

I guess on this occasion I just need to give him some feedback.

[all that glitters]

It sounds like he is a good vet if you've been happy with his service over the years, is he an older person? Sometimes the longer they have been in an industry and been doing and believing things for so long, they get set in their ways .. so maybe after years of doing vaccinations every year he thinks the whole titre testing and 3yearly idea is a whole lotta 'hullapaloosa' and 'hogwash' and can't be bothered with it, and so doesn't suggest it or accept it as an option. I say yes print off some info for him definitely

[k9katz]

Is there an article I can take with me to next week's check-up and leave with them to get them to think more clearly about this issue?

Here is an article that you can give him, although he should already have it by now. It came out yesterday.

http://www.apvma.gov.au/news_media/news/20...on_position.php

I decided to just have the C3 this year on my dogs and my vet was more than happy to do this for me, even though he doesnt routinely do it for his clients. I just asked, he also gave me the vaccination certficate stating their next booster was due in 3 years time.

[Erny]

Perhaps Vets need to be asked if they are aware of what their Australian Veterinary Association is recommending, when they insist that yearly vaccinations are still required. And why aren't Vets offering Titre tests for those who query the necessity of vaccinations, or even to those who don't?

Even every 3 years, IMO, is more than what is necessary. If the dog has sufficient levels of antibodies, why inject more drugs to the dog's body?

As has already been mentioned, a Titre Test could help to reveal. If it shows up sufficient levels, there's your answer. If it doesn't, well, that still doesn't mean that "cell-memory" would not apply in the event of exposure to one of the vaccinated diseases. In the latter event - that's a decision you need to make.

I don't plan to vaccinate again unless some event/reason comes along to have me reconsidering. Even then, I will consider and deliberate it - not necessarily go ahead with it.

Edited February 24, 2010 by Erny

[jakeyjangels]

My 14 year old beautiful Labrador had his yearly vaccination on 12 December (we have never missed a year) last year because that is when it was due and as we were going on holidays to a caravan park for a week, a week later, and thought this was the right/responsible thing to do. We had to put him to sleep on the 31 December. I too questioned if this vaccination was necessary, especially at his age and with his ongoing health problems. I was told yes by our vet who we had used for 11 years.

Angry and dissappointed are just two feelings I have towards this vet. We trusted his opinions and advice.

We are going to find a new vet for our new 8 week old Labrador puppy that we pick up on Saturday.

[stormie]

We have all the AVA documents printed out with our reading magazines in our waiting room, just so that people can also have a read themselves to help make up their own mind, as well as hearing it from the vet.

Interestingly, we had a bit of a discussion/debate with one of the major vaccine company's reps the other day, because she couldn't believe we were going with the 3 year protocol with 'annual' vaccines, because it was 'off label' dosing. Ironic really, seeing the reason she stopped by was to supply us with another drug to be used 'off label'.

I questioned her about titre testing, memory cells etc and she could not tell me that I was wrong, in fact she did agree that once the dog has immunity, it should have immunity for a very long time.

This company is running a disease watch program at the moment, where by vet clinics document disease outbreaks nationwide. The company is still pushing for annual vaccination, so I'm guessing they want to use this information to prove parvo is still very much out there and people should be vaccinating annually. Interesting that there's no talk of the company just doing studies on their vaccines to find out immunity duration - probably because they already know the answer

[CheekyMonkey]

I was just wanting to ask a quick question, my 6mth stafford is just getting over parvo now the vet left us instructions that in 1-2 weeks of her feeling better she wanted her back in to be vaccinated, do you think that's ok?

[Erny]

I was just wanting to ask a quick question, my 6mth stafford is just getting over parvo now the vet left us instructions that in 1-2 weeks of her feeling better she wanted her back in to be vaccinated, do you think that's ok?

My knowledge base has me saying "no" to this vaccination. I think only 1-2 weeks of having her recover from Parvo is too soon to expect her system to be well and truly as strong as it could be and if it were me, there'd be no way I'd be subjecting her body to the stress of yet another 'dose' of parvo, even if in vaccination form. Also, I would expect that your dog, from the exposure she has had to the disease, would have the anti-bodies in her system already and I don't see why she would need vaccinating for something she already carries immunity to.

If I were you I would be approaching the idea of vaccination very cautiously.

I'm glad your youngster survived, CheekyMonkey. That is no mean feat in itself.

Edited February 25, 2010 by Erny

[twodoggies2001]

Before having the titer test done on my mini schnauzer, I asked my vet if she did titers. She didn't know anything about them. I then asked if she did 3 yearly shots and she said she didn't. I just moved vets to one that does both. She told me that my 12 something mini boy didn't need vaccinating at that age. Yearly shots are just, in my opinion, a money grabbing exercise.

[chuckandsteve]

I believe it cost me $145 to have my 2 dogs vaccinated last year, and the vet did a quick check of skin, eyes, joints etc. How much does the titer test cost? Can't imagine it would be any cheaper?

Edited February 25, 2010 by chuckandsteve

[whitey]

Isn't titre testing only good for distemper virus, adenovirus and parvovirus?

[lappiemum]

I believe it cost me $145 to have my 2 dogs vaccinated last year, and the vet did a quick check of skin, eyes, joints etc. How much does the titer test cost? Can't imagine it would be any cheaper?

about the same as vaccination, but the point isn't the cost

[CheekyMonkey]

I was just wanting to ask a quick question, my 6mth stafford is just getting over parvo now the vet left us instructions that in 1-2 weeks of her feeling better she wanted her back in to be vaccinated, do you think that's ok?

My knowledge base has me saying "no" to this vaccination. I think only 1-2 weeks of having her recover from Parvo is too soon to expect her system to be well and truly as strong as it could be and if it were me, there'd be no way I'd be subjecting her body to the stress of yet another 'dose' of parvo, even if in vaccination form. Also, I would expect that your dog, from the exposure she has had to the disease, would have the anti-bodies in her system already and I don't see why she would need vaccinating for something she already carries immunity to.

If I were you I would be approaching the idea of vaccination very cautiously.

I'm glad your youngster survived, CheekyMonkey. That is no mean feat in itself.

That's what i was thinking, that having had it recently it wouldn't be too good to have a vaccination so shortly after apart from anything the vet nurse told my husband that she should be carrying antibodies for it now, so i was wondering what the point would be of vaccinating her right at this time, I really don't want to do anything that could compromise her recovery (hence why i also haven't bathed her even though she smells REALLY bad)

We are suprised by the recovery she has made, Once she had the diagnosis i went to mr google and i don't think i really found one story of a young dog surviving, We got told it all depends how early you caught it, If you actually saw her right now apart from her thinness you wouldn't of known she was so sick last week, she keeps hounding me for food and running around with the kids playing, she's at the door now attacking her squeeky chicken.