Vaccinating Dogs: What You Should Know
By Clifford Mardinger, The Animal Clinic
Have a question for our vets? Click here
 Vaccines, or immunizations, play an important part in keeping your dog healthy. Recommendations regarding the type and especially the frequency of vaccinating have changed dramatically in the last few years.
What exactly are vaccines anyway? Vaccines are agents that essentially trick the body into thinking that it is fighting true illness, when in fact it is simply getting ready for “the real thing.” Agents in vaccines are either modified or killed versions of real infectious agents (like viruses). More recently, recombinant vaccines have become available. These vaccines contain only parts of a bacteria or virus (such as surface proteins), instead of the entire organism. The body mounts an immune response against these parts and thus will recognize the organism if a real infection occurs.
Vaccines are typically classified as either “core” or “optional” vaccines. Core vaccines in dogs include distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza, and rabies. Optional vaccines include Bordetella, Leptospirosis, and Lyme (Borrelia). Vaccines should be tailored to the needs of an individual. For example, dogs that do not come in contact with raccoons, rats, and other wildlife or do not drink from puddles, creeks, or streams are likely not at great risk for acquiring a Leptospirosis infection. Dogs not coming into contact with ticks should never receive a vaccine for Lyme disease.
Studies have shown that core vaccines can be given every three years. Some studies have shown at least three years of immunity, if not much longer. Most rabies vaccines guarantee protection for at least three years. A canine vaccination taskforce was set up by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) to look at vaccine protocols in dogs. The current recommendations are to vaccinate puppies at 8, 12, and 16 wks of age (or receive three shots between 6 and 16 weeks of age). Puppies should get a booster one year after their initial puppy shots. Adults should be vaccinated every three years for the core vaccines, and annually or as needed for the optional ones. Vaccinating annually is no longer recommended for core vaccines.
It is important to note that risks of vaccine reactions are present but are far lower than the risks of not vaccinating your dog. Simply put, vaccines prevent disease. Reactions to vaccines range from very mild to lifethreatening. One should consider no longer vaccinating a dog that has had a dangerous vaccine reaction in the past. However, this does depend on the severity of the reaction. A dog that is tired for a day or so after receiving vaccines is not suffering from a dangerous reaction. Some pet owners have even coined a term for these mild reactions: vaccinosis. This term is not a medical term and essentially describes any mild unwanted reaction following a vaccine.
For those granolacrunchy pet owners against vaccines, there is recourse: antibody titers. This is a blood test that can detect the level of antibodies against specific organisms, such as parvovirus, distemper, and rabies. It has been well shown that antibody titers correlate well with the level of protection against these diseases. These tests can be pricey but are a good alternative to vaccinating every 3 years. Puppies still need their shots!
Please talk to your vet about what vaccines your dog needs and how frequently they should be given. If your vet wishes to vaccinate your dog annually for core vaccines, or feels that all dogs should receive all vaccines, then he or she may be behind the times.
To view the entire 2006 AAHA vaccination revised guidelines (pdf file), please go to: http://www.aahanet.org/PublicDocu-ments/VaccineGuidelines06Revised.pdf
Ask The Vet
Do you have a question for our Vets? Send us your questions via email to info@torontobarks.com. Each month we'll post a reply to one of your questions. Please note - for immediate concerns it's best to call your local vet.
About The Author
Dr. Clifford Mardinger - Veterinarian, The Animal Clinic
Dr. Mardinger received his Honours Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Concordia University. After working with children as a “Mad Scientist”on cruise ships for one year, he attended Universite de Montreal and received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. After practicing in Montreal, he moved to Toronto where he worked for The Blue Cross Animal Hospital until joining The Animal Clinic in May 2005. His professional interests include internal medicine, dermatology and infectious diseases.
Clifford has been a guest on several television programs including Roger’s Daytime Toronto and CP 24's Animal House Calls with Ann Roehmer. Clifford can be contacted at 416 868-1545.
Clifford welcomes questions regarding your pet’s health. Please post them on his blog site and he will gladly respond www.tovet.blogspot.com. |
Submit an article to Toronto Barks
To submit an article to our site, please send us your article to info@torontobarks.com. Please be sure to include your name and email address which we will be posted with your article. |
