The old vaccination question

In the past, the boys were always in daycare so we just followed the madatory vaccination program required for them to be in daycare. But now that we have a great pug sitter and since I'm home more often, they don't go to daycare or get boarded anymore. So now I'm taking another look at their vaccination program.

We've stopped doing bordatella because we don't go to the dog park anymore (Bruno kept coming up gimpy at the dog park) and we don't do daycare or boarding anymore.

We are currently only on rabies and DHPP. Never did lepto and stopped doing corona a long time ago.

Since the boys are now 8, 8 and 5, I'm thinking about dropping DHPP also and just doing the 3 year rabies shot. Any thoughts?

I know there are no right or wrong answers. Just wondering what everyone else does who has stay-at-home pugs.

Kendie,

A few years ago, I went to a seminar about vaccinations that basically stated they have proven that the majority of these vaccinations last a minimum of 7 yrs or longer. Chyna only gets the rabies and nothing else. I'm going to get Tinker one more DHPP shot since he is just 1 2/2, but after that, I don't think I will do it. If there is any doubt, you can have blood titers drawn. I want my guys to have what they need, but I do not want to give them something that they do not need either. I found a vet that also does holistic medicine, and I talked to her about the vaccinations. She said based on what I told her about my gang (stay inside, they are not romping in the woods and rarely around strange dogs), she would not see any reason for them to need anything other then rabies.

Only 3 year rabies here. If I know a dog has any history of routine vaccines before coming to me, I stop vaccinating except rabies every 3 years. If I do DHPP, I do it every three years--and yes, there IS a 3 year DHPP. And I don't do DHPP in the same year I do Rabies.
I've never bothered with bordetella as I thinks it's useless. I did it once and that year every one of my dogs got kennel cough (I had five at the time--that was fun)

northernwitch wrote:Only 3 year rabies here. If I know a dog has any history of routine vaccines before coming to me, I stop vaccinating except rabies every 3 years. If I do DHPP, I do it every three years--and yes, there IS a 3 year DHPP. And I don't do DHPP in the same year I do Rabies.
I've never bothered with bordetella as I thinks it's useless. I did it once and that year every one of my dogs got kennel cough (I had five at the time--that was fun)

That is what we do as well, 3 year on all and just the rabies/dhpp. However, Sophie has been exempt from shots, but her vet feels it is ok now to go ahead but I admit to being nervous-she will ONLY get the rabies. I just have to work up my nerve.

We only do 3 year rabies here since Tyson had a reaction to vaccines. Mac will probably have a booster of the DHPP next year, but otherwise I plan to have titers done going forward for all of them. To me it's not worth the risk. They're never boarded and are very very rarely around other dogs.

Tyson&LuLu'sMom wrote:We only do 3 year rabies here since Tyson had a reaction to vaccines. Mac will probably have a booster of the DHPP next year, but otherwise I plan to have titers done going forward for all of them. To me it's not worth the risk. They're never boarded and are very very rarely around other dogs.

I don't board my dogs either, but they do spend alot of time around other dogs--I foster, we go to the dog park, etc. I believe that part of the reason I rarely see kennel cough in my resident dogs is that they have built up an immunity due to the exposure they get from other dogs.

I understand why some folks don't expose their dogs to other dogs, but I have a number of friends who stopped fostering/going to dog parks or moved out to the country and almost every one of them suddenly found their dogs (after a couple of years) picking up kennel cough and other stuff from the vet's or the pet store, etc. Speaks to the whole immunity I think and they agree. The lack of exposure over time has weakened their immune response to bordetella.

We do 3 year rabies and 3 year DHPP. We do Bordatella as well since they occasionally go to daycare and I do take them to fundraisers and other pug events.

northernwitch wrote:

Tyson&LuLu'sMom wrote:We only do 3 year rabies here since Tyson had a reaction to vaccines. Mac will probably have a booster of the DHPP next year, but otherwise I plan to have titers done going forward for all of them. To me it's not worth the risk. They're never boarded and are very very rarely around other dogs.

I don't board my dogs either, but they do spend alot of time around other dogs--I foster, we go to the dog park, etc. I believe that part of the reason I rarely see kennel cough in my resident dogs is that they have built up an immunity due to the exposure they get from other dogs.

I understand why some folks don't expose their dogs to other dogs, but I have a number of friends who stopped fostering/going to dog parks or moved out to the country and almost every one of them suddenly found their dogs (after a couple of years) picking up kennel cough and other stuff from the vet's or the pet store, etc. Speaks to the whole immunity I think and they agree. The lack of exposure over time has weakened their immune response to bordetella.

Blanche, I completely agree that it's a matter of immunity, as well as the fact the the vaccine doesn't cover all the strains. In our situation, it's not necessarily that we choose not to be around other dogs, it just doesn't happen often. Sure we pass the occasional dog in the neighborhood on walks, and Tyson does go to the vet monthly. But we haven't been to a dog park in years, and we haven't fostered since the wedding/honeymoon and Tyson's Addison's Disease diagnosis. So all the more reason to eat healthy and not bog down their system with all the vaccines and chemicals.
For dogs who aren't exposed to other dogs on a regular basis and build up an immunity that way, are there other things that can be done to keep immune systems in top shape so if they do encounter a dog carrying kennel cough, they have a better chance of not catching it?

Tyson&LuLu'sMom wrote:

northernwitch wrote:

Tyson&LuLu'sMom wrote:We only do 3 year rabies here since Tyson had a reaction to vaccines. Mac will probably have a booster of the DHPP next year, but otherwise I plan to have titers done going forward for all of them. To me it's not worth the risk. They're never boarded and are very very rarely around other dogs.

I don't board my dogs either, but they do spend alot of time around other dogs--I foster, we go to the dog park, etc. I believe that part of the reason I rarely see kennel cough in my resident dogs is that they have built up an immunity due to the exposure they get from other dogs.

I understand why some folks don't expose their dogs to other dogs, but I have a number of friends who stopped fostering/going to dog parks or moved out to the country and almost every one of them suddenly found their dogs (after a couple of years) picking up kennel cough and other stuff from the vet's or the pet store, etc. Speaks to the whole immunity I think and they agree. The lack of exposure over time has weakened their immune response to bordetella.

Blanche, I completely agree that it's a matter of immunity, as well as the fact the the vaccine doesn't cover all the strains. In our situation, it's not necessarily that we choose not to be around other dogs, it just doesn't happen often. Sure we pass the occasional dog in the neighborhood on walks, and Tyson does go to the vet monthly. But we haven't been to a dog park in years, and we haven't fostered since the wedding/honeymoon and Tyson's Addison's Disease diagnosis. So all the more reason to eat healthy and not bog down their system with all the vaccines and chemicals.
For dogs who aren't exposed to other dogs on a regular basis and build up an immunity that way, are there other things that can be done to keep immune systems in top shape so if they do encounter a dog carrying kennel cough, they have a better chance of not catching it?

I wasn't giving you the gears, by the way--just passing on what I've noticed. It's interesting that every year we get a rash of complaints from people whose pugs caught kennel cough--in theory--at one of our pug get togethers. I started following up on this and usually the dogs that get it aren't routinely exposed to other dogs and so get an "immune blast" at the get togethers. One of the folks who moved to the country is a long time rescuer and she was shocked when all of her dogs got KC. She had assumed after 12 years of fostering, etc, that her dogs likely had a pretty cast iron immunity to KC.
I do immune boost my dogs in any case as I have one (Tank) who is somewhat immune compromised. Interestingly, he caught kennel cough the first year with me, but hasn't gotten it since--although he seems to catch viral papilloma pretty easily. He has his second case of it now. I find that whoever is the newest permanent dog gets KC the first year with me and then usually never gets it again.
And of course, you are careful with a dog with Addison's. I would be too. Tank has been vaccinated up the wazoo in his previous homes so I only do Rabies with him as it is the law here and we do interact with other dogs and the public on a regular basis.

I know the vaccination thread has probably circulated in some form in the past, but I am feeling like a bad mom. Lola has always been fine and I can't even remember what shots/vaccines she does or doesn't get. I know that she is on the 3yr rabies. I haven't done bordatella except when she was sent to doggie day care/overnight sleep overs. They required it. She goes to the dog park once a month. I guess she is UTD on DHPP, but I would have to check. Or does she even need it?

Baby Girl does get a Bordetella shot (not the liquid) every 6 months. It was be really tough on her if she got KC so we can't take that chance. She is also now on the 3 yrs rabies. She isn't able to go to the dog park anymore b/c of her back and I just can't hold her the whole time.

Since I've been with SEPRA we have not done Lepto, but what is even in DHPP?

I think that next month when I take BG back to the holistic vet, I am going to ask her opinion in addition to my regular vet.

Jana:
DHPP is sometimes called DA2PP. They contain: Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, and Parvovirus

Ok, take this for what you want....

My pugs get their last set of vaccines at 6 years old.... after that no more. No rabies, combo, bordatella...nothing. I have owned dogs for my entire life, and my parents always self vaccinated the labs until they were 5/6. Also here in our county the vaccines and rabies are for 3 years, so by the time they are 9 I dont feel a need to go any further. As you all know my dogs have been exposed to everything under the sun. With rescue, showing, traveling, etc. I think they all have immune systems of an ox. Actually now that I think about it, Bean has not been vaccinated in over 8 years. He is 10.5 now and can run circles around puppies. He had seizures for a year due to vaccines, so that is the reason behind him.

I think when it comes to having older dogs, do what you are comforable with.

Penny and I had a long talk with her dogtor, and we decided to do rabies titers. I don't worry about bordatella, since she is an only child and we don't interact much with other furkids. She got a 3 year rabies and 3 year distemper in fall 06 when we left Ohio, and her rabies titer is so good that she could swim in it and not get it.

OK, so here's my next question.

Is there an actual 3 year DHPP, or is it the "one-year" DHPP that can actually go 3 years? You know, like the "one year rabies" story. I'll bring it up with my vet next time I see him anyway. I just got a reminder card that Chester and Bruno are due for their DHPP but they still have me on a one-year schedule. Since they are both 8 years old, I'm thinking this will be it for them. We have to do rabies here because the boys are licensed and I need to submit rabies certificates to the city.

Rabies vaccination is mandatory here in Reno-Sparks, too. Penny's dogtor wrote a letter saying that she is a 12 year old pug with health issues and that her rabies titer was outstandingly immune. We still get the license every year. Talk to your dogtor.

Timely topic, Kendie! Thurston is due for his shots and I've been thinking about what to do for him for a month or so. He's 2 1/2. He needs rabies by law and I've always gotten him everything, but he's alwasy been exposed to other dogs (and that's not going to stop). He eats better than most dogs I know and gets additional supplements with immune boosting qualities. My thinking is to do DHHP for a year or two more, continue with rabies as required, and quit the bortadella.

My cats are never vaccinated. They have very limited exposure to other cats except when they go to the vet. When they DO go to the vet, the always get sick, but it is not one of vaccinated illnesses.

Pugsaunt wrote:Rabies vaccination is mandatory here in Reno-Sparks, too. Penny's dogtor wrote a letter saying that she is a 12 year old pug with health issues and that her rabies titer was outstandingly immune. We still get the license every year. Talk to your dogtor.

Actually, Nancy, I'm okay with doing 3 year rabies. They've never had a reaction to rabies shots (Bruno did get a lump for about a week once when he was a puppy but it went away). Now that there is Logan and since they are being exposed to more kids, I'd rather have all three pugs up to date on rabies. It's really the other stuff that I'm on the fence with given their ages now.

smoochieface wrote:OK, so here's my next question.

Is there an actual 3 year DHPP, or is it the "one-year" DHPP that can actually go 3 years? You know, like the "one year rabies" story. I'll bring it up with my vet next time I see him anyway. I just got a reminder card that Chester and Bruno are due for their DHPP but they still have me on a one-year schedule. Since they are both 8 years old, I'm thinking this will be it for them. We have to do rabies here because the boys are licensed and I need to submit rabies certificates to the city.

The 1 year and the 3 year combo are the same, just like the rabies. However, what is different is county to county in your state. I know that my county recognizes the 3 years DHPP, but 2 counties up they dont. I think that for the most part we over vaccinate. As adults do we get vaccinated? That would be no, for the most part! I did have to have MMR after I had Seb, how weird was that?

I only vaccinate for Rabies now and I do that every 3 years. I've stopped the bordetella, distemper, etc. I do take my girls to the dog park occasionally but maybe once every few months. The bordetella shot only covers a handful of strands of the illness and there are hundreds and hundreds of strands of it. I also read from the AAHA that they are now finding that vaccinations are lasting up to 7 years now. So, I figure by the time 7 years rolls around, there will be another report out saying they last for the rest of their life after they had their first round and then boosters. Here is the link if anyone wants to read how long each vaccination is good for:

http://www.aahanet.org/PublicDocuments/VaccineGuidelines06Revised.pdf

I have not gotten Spanky his shots since he had his puppy shots.He almost died twice from them.Me and the vet talked about it and agreed for him not to have them again.He hasnt even had the rabies shots.I dont take him to public places or around other dogs.Lola came with her records and I will get her shots for her till she is older.But I take Lola to pug partys and she goes in public around other dogs.So dont feel bad about not getting the shots.My mom stoped getting her 2 older pugs there shots around age 8 but gets there rabies.I dont know alot about the shots but for me Spanky is almost 10 and is fine without them,