What You Need to Know About Puppy Vaccinations

Puppy vaccinations is an extremely controversial topic lately. Many pet owners are choosing not to vaccinate their dogs due to the side effects from over vaccination. Vaccinating your puppy does prevent disease, but over vaccinating can cause disease, so what should a pet owner do? Before listening to opinions and personal experiences only, it’s important to understand the facts about dog vaccines.

Dr. Ronald Schultz, PhD, Diplomate ACVIM American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine has been at the forefront of dog vaccination research. He played a pivotal role in determining 2011 recommended vaccinations for puppies and dogs. As research on pet vaccinations continue, one thing is for sure and that’s all dogs should be titer tested yearly.

What Do Puppy Vaccinations Do?

Similar to children, puppies must be vaccinated. Numerous puppies die from parvovirus every year. Yet, it could be prevented with perfectly timed puppy booster shots. Aside from parvovirus, puppy vaccinations also prevent:

• Distemper
• Adenovirus
• Rabies

Before, puppies were given a combination vaccination, which is one vaccine that prevents multiple viruses. Now, it’s recommended to give a single virus vaccination and wait at least 3 weeks in between other vaccinations.

Which Puppy Vaccinations Are Absolutely Necessary?

It depends. Immunology is complicated, and one vaccination protocol won’t work for all puppies. There are many factors to consider, such as a puppy’s breed, genetics and environment.

Certain breeds of puppies are more susceptible to parvovirus than others, so their vaccination protocols will be different. Additionally, puppies living in shelters will need a different vaccination protocol than a low-risk puppy living in a home.

To learn more about which vaccinations your puppy should receive, visit American Animal Hospital Association’s 2011 recommended vaccination protocol. For an easier read, check out Dr. Becker’s outline as well as interviews with Dr. Ronald Schultz.

Adult Dog Vaccinations & Yearly Booster Shots

All puppies need a series of vaccinations to prevent disease, but the controversial question is: “Do adult dogs need yearly vaccinations?” Again, it depends. The best way to know if your dog needs an annual booster shot is through a yearly titer test.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Never assume a dog is immune.[/perfectpullquote]

During a dog’s annual checkup, a veterinarian takes a blood sample and sends it to a laboratory to check immunology for distemper and parvo. If a dog’s immunity is low for a specific virus, a booster is highly recommended. If a dog has sufficient immunity, then no vaccinations are needed.

RELATED: 6 Reasons Why Dogs Need Veterinary Preventive Care

My Experience

Never assume a dog is immune because you never know. Over a 17-year period, I’ve titer tested all my dogs for distemper and parvo and each one had sufficient immunity except my Miniature Bull Terrier. She needed a parvo booster when she was 3 and 5 years old because she had no immunity. That’s 1 out of 6 dogs with no immunity that shared the same household and environment as my other dogs.

Additionally, a very good friend of mine lost her 2-year-old Rottweiler to parvo due to lack of immunity. Her littermates were tested immediately, and 5 out of a litter of 7 had zero immunity to parvo. Annual titer tests are a must. Even better would be to titer test a dog after a booster shot for several weeks to confirm immunity.

Rabies Vaccinations

Since humans can contract rabies, state and county laws control rabies vaccination protocols. Each state and county has its own regulations based on the severity of rabies cases in the area. Many small mammals, such as raccoons, can pass along this deadly disease.

As of 2017, many states and counties recommend 3-year rabies vaccinations while some still recommend yearly boosters. Regardless of over vaccination concerns, state and county laws are strict on rabies vaccinations and can confiscate an unvaccinated dog.

Research shows dogs have immunity against rabies long after three years from their first rabies vaccination. With the said, research is still being conducted. Soon, rabies titer testing will become an acceptable from of immunity proof.

Partner With Your Veterinarian

Remember, your veterinarian wants what is best for your dog. During your puppy’s first vet visit, express your concerns and ask for single virus vaccination using the 2017 AAHA vaccination protocols. As for rabies, your vet will know the laws for your state and county as well as any epidemics within your area.

For yearly puppy vaccinations, request titer tests for both distemper and parvovirus. If your dog falls below the normal range, complete a booster and re-titer test to ensure your dog has sufficient immunity. Vaccinations do work, but be your dog’s advocate too!