Injections - yearly OR once every three years good enough???

[Kirsy & Jasper]

Vets recommend to do yearly injections. Here in Australia it is PROTECH C6 (for Parvovirus, Distemper, Hepatitis, Adenovirus, Kennel cough and Bordatella Para-influenza). We don't have Rabbis in OZ! Lucky!

There is a lot of talk, that those injection actually last/ protect for over 3 years!

Having an epileptic Dog, I try to do as little as possible medics.

Any input on this would be appreciated!

Kirsy & Jasper, who HATES injections

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Jack does not get vaccines every year any more, since I found out there is a better alternative. His specialist recommended a three year rabies (we do have to have them by law here) and blood titers to check immunity for the parvo, distemper, etc. rather than just giving shots he may not need. He showed full immunity and did not need any shots for the past two years. We will test again next year.
One word about the kennel cough/bordatella...it is the same disease, and it has varied forms, like most viruses. Bordatella vaccine can be given intranasally, which is what we do. So to sum up, Jack gets a rabies shot every three years, blood titers at the same time, and a dose of intranasal bordatella vaccine every year. The year you do the blood work & rabies, it is pretty expensive, but then you have two years with nothing but bordatella, so it averages out very well over the three year period, and I feel much better knowing he isn't getting vaccines he doesn't need.

[Nancy - Opal, Meadow & Tariki]

I follow the same protocol. My dogs have not had shots other than the 3 year rabies and the internasal bordatello in 3 years and their titers still after 3 years register an adequate amount. My one regret was the lab my last titers got sent to does not report over 50.... their frist titers reported up to 25,000 or something like that.

[Jacque Reynolds]

My vet just told me (this week) that they only need it every 3 years. Also some things are not suggested, such as coronavirus.
Dr. Jean Dodds has a sensible protocol for vaccinations: http://www.itsfortheanimals.com/DODDS-CHG-VACC-PROTOCOLS.HTM

[Kirsy & Jasper]

That was a great link Jacque! Also the part about blood titers. I forwarded this link to my other Epilepsy support group on Yahoo, because we had a forum about this recently.
Thank you.

[Jacque Reynolds]

Glad that you found it useful. I really like the research done by Dr. Dodds. :o)

[Kirsy & Jasper]

Jean Dodds helped me BIG TIME in regards to Jasper's Epilepsy issues. Thanks to her Natural approach advise we seem to get his seizures under control now. This woman is an ANGEL!

[Jennifer and Jack]

My Jack Doodle is coming up on his two year shot, physical etc time. I really think I am leaning toward having his titers drawn instead of just giving him the vaccine. I never would have known to do that had I not read it on here. He is due in June, I think the end of May I am going to pay, it is spendy $70.00 for each individual titer to be drawn vs way less to just go ahead and get the shot.

 

I am on a limited income, very limited because I only work a small amount and my disability isn't huge but I just can't justify giving him shots he may not need.

 

Jack has his three year rabies. We will continue with that as required by law, He actually got his two part flu shot last year because he was in daycare so much. I didn't get it this year.

 

Has anyone had titers drawn and found that they did not have high enough numbers that they had to go on and get the vaccine as well?

 

Also I thought the canine cough was required every six months? They stopped giving Jack his canine cough intra nasal and he now gets it in the form of injection, Is it better to get it intranasal? What about the once a year vs every six months? How come I was told every six months? Anyone know?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

My vet is now offering three year distemper/parvo vaccines. We already do the three year rabies. The flu vaccine is now combined with the bordatella vaccine.

I'm thinking I'll do the three-year D/P vaccine this year instead of titering. JD isn't due for his rabies for another year, so that will be done in 2012, and we'll do the bordatella/flu vaccine intranasally at a separate visit.

[Jennifer and Jack]

Can I ask why you are choosing to switch to getting the three year D/P instead of the titer testing. I am not 100 percent sold on doing the titer testing, that is just what I thought. Since I respect your knowledge a great deal, I am just curious why you are switching. I am not questioning it. I am just trying to figure out what is best for my JD.

 

Thanks for your help

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I did the titer testing because I didn't want to over-vaccinate by giving the shots every year, and because that's what the specialist recommended. There wasn't a three year option on anything other than the rabies vaccine.

I still have to check with the specialist about the three-year vaccine, but that's the way I'm leaning right now.

Oh, and the original Jackdoodle says to tell you this forum ain't big enough for two JD's, and your little guy needs to find his own nicknames, lol.

[Jennifer and Jack]

We will gracefully bow out of the JD, His Name is not Jack Doodle though, It is Jack Daniels. Daniels is my mom's maiden name, it just worked out cute that it is Jack Daniels. I will call him Jack Daniels from now on, since your JD can eat my Jack with one bite, LOL

 

Let me know if you will what your specialist says, as I am usually the one informing my vet of things.....

 

Thanks again