Immunisation Schedule Question

[bellske]

When I got my pup we we're given an immunisation schedule with dates for flea, worming and immunisation she's had her first two already with the latest one being on 10/8 and the final puppy booster due on the 10/9, we just got a letter from the vet saying the 30/8 is her next due shot so 20 days since her 2nd booster, is it safe to get the last c5 booster then? or wait until the the breeders scheduled date comes around? Also would you do the sr12(heartworm shots) now or just keep giving chews until the pup is 12months?

I'm a bit confused as her breeder happens to be vet nurse, and even with the fleaing my partner( used to work with animals also) said to not do it two weeks early as she's only a pup, and the only reason I wanted to do it early as her scratching and defleaing bites picked up, we think she got fleas from puppy preschool

[LisaCC]

Generally the shots are given 1 months apart.

I'm pretty sure you can;t give pups the heartworm shot anyway I thought they had to be a minimum of 6 months.

[bellske]

OK thank you Lisa, I'll stick to the breeders schedule with the immunisation :)

With the heartworm, its a two shot course when they're young the vet also said that, but she said most people wait until the dog is 12months old then get the yearly heartworm. I guess I'll just wait until she's 12months because I don't have any issues with giving it to her or keeping it up monthly.

[Rebanne]

OK thank you Lisa, I'll stick to the breeders schedule with the immunisation :)

With the heartworm, its a two shot course when they're young the vet also said that, but she said most people wait until the dog is 12months old then get the yearly heartworm. I guess I'll just wait until she's 12months because I don't have any issues with giving it to her or keeping it up monthly.

So pleased you are not going to overload your babies immune system with such stuff as heartworm injection. Nor with over doing the vaccinations!

[bellske]

So pleased you are not going to overload your babies immune system with such stuff as heartworm injection. Nor with over doing the vaccinations!

thanks :) I really wasn't sure about this schedule the vet sent, it seemed like a bit much, so figured I'd ask :)

[Lasareina]

I have heard different opinions on the necessity for the yearly booster immunization shots? Some say once they have received the full course of puppy immunizations then the yearly booster is unnecessary and possibly dangerous in the long term. Does anyone know much about it? I would be inclined to go better safe than sorry and get the yearly booster shots, but I have heard some plausible sounding objections to this practice.

[espinay2]

Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority Statement (noting as a Govt body they are generally quite conservative): http://www.apvma.gov.au/use_safely/vaccination.php

The Australian Veterinary Association Policy: http://www.ava.com.au/about-us/policy-and-positions/topics/veterinary-medicines

The World Small Animal Veterinary Association Guidelines (on which most of the Aust guidelines are based and which has some reasonably comprehensive reading on the issues): http://www.wsava.org/guidelines/vaccination-guidelines

Dr Dodd's protocol (considered a leading world authority on vaccinosis): http://drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/34024828409/dodds-canine-vaccination-protocol-2012

In a nutshell:

After puppy vaccines and booster 12 months later it is generally recommended that dogs be vaccinated every THREE years with core vaccines (the C3) vaccine, with other vaccines one a case by case basis.

As an alternative to triennial vaccination, owners may, depending on their situation, choose to TITRE test their dogs when they would normally vaccinate to determine if re-vaccination is indeed necessary or not (in quite a few cases it is not as the dog already has sufficient immunity).

Of course the guidance that a sick dog should not be vaccinated (as a dog with an already immune compromised system may react badly and may potentially suffer further permanent health issues as a result) also applies.

[Lasareina]

Thanks for the info Espinay2 ... I'll have a look at those links :)