Puppy Immunity

[Kiara&Heidi]

Hi everyone, I am relatively new to this forum and I just have a few questions. Sorry if I was supposed to put this topic in the puppy section instead - I wasn't sure.

I have a 9 week old chihuahua puppy and am quite confused about the appropriate vaccination schedule for her. She has already had her first vaccination which was a CC3 at 6 weeks. The breeder said the CC3 was more appropriate than C3 because she is so tiny (apparently the CC3 is a ferret dose?) So, her next vaccine is supposed to be another CC3 at 12 weeks, and I believe the one after that will be at 18 weeks.

Now, I am thinking back to when my Staffy was a puppy and I remember the breeder (also a vet nurse) told us she only needed two C3 vaccinations if they were further apart - could this be done for my Chi puppy as well?

Does anyone have any opinions about how far apart her vaccinations should be and how many she should have? I have been reading about titer testing but I don't know if it is appropriate for puppies or if it is just used as a measure of immunity for yearly vaccinations.

Can someone please explain to me the difference between the 3 puppy vaccinations - Why do they have 3? Are they all the same quantities? Are the second and third ones just boosters?

I also have a question about puppy preschool regarding immunity. The puppy preschool we are planning to go to is held at a vet clinic, and my puppy is booked to go there when she will be 11 weeks. My mum is worried she will pick something up from the vets while we are at puppy preschool because when my Staffy was a puppy she got Kennel Cough which may or may not have been from the vet.

The only reason I want to take her is so she can meet other puppies and people while she is young; we do not need to learn how to train a puppy etc, I have been to puppy training about 5 times before. So I am wondering if it is worth the risk for her health.

But then... I thought my efforts in avoiding the vet clinic will be all in vain because my puppy will have to go there for her vaccinations anyway!

Sorry, I know my post is a bit all over the place...I am just really confused and worried about over or under vaccinating her, and I dont want her to get sick when it is avoidable, so any opinions are very much appreciated.

Thanks!

Arielle

[Staranais]

How many vaccines - depends which vaccine your vet uses, and on when the first dose was given. 2 or 3 doses are normal for a puppy course, given 2 or 3 weeks apart, finishing at 14 or 16 weeks old. If she had her first vaccine at 6 weeks, it would be unusual and probably unwise to just give one more.

Why are 2 or 3 given - because the first ones may not work due to pup still having some immunity from mum until they're up to 14 or 16 weeks old (and you don't want to just wait until 16 weeks to give one vaccination that you know will work, as that can leave pup very vulnerable to disease if their maternal immunity wears off earlier).

I don't know what the difference is between a CC3 and a C3 sorry, we don't have anything called a CC3 where I am.

[stormie]

I've never heard of a CC3 either??

[Kiara&Heidi]

Thanks. I hadn't heard of a CC3 before either but i suppose I'll have to wait and see what the vet says.

[Everythings Shiny]

Never heard of CC3 here either.