Do you vaccinate?

[Newfs Forever]

You "raw" folk out there, do you vaccinate or not?

And if so, what do you vaccinate for?

Sue

 

[Angela]

Rabies every 3 yrs, it's not the law here but is needed in order to go to the U.S. which my guys do.

Hepatitis, Distemper and Parvo, their baby shots and follow up at One year and then 3 yearly.

 

[BoundlessNewfs]

We're still weighing pros and cons. I'd like to really sit down and study it some more. Titering sounds like a good way to go, then vac only for the boosters they need. Still studying it, though.

 

[Ivoryudx]

We titer every year, and booster what is needed. Rabies every three years because of the law, but will break that on a weak/ailing dog.

I'm a strong believer in titers because my 8 year old has needed a Parvo every year, as she does not hold immunity to it, and my four year old needed Distemper two years in a row, but has now held it for two years. Had I not titered every year I would not have known.

Titering is more expensive, than just vaccinating them, but I do believe vaccinating every year for everything is not needed, and can cause more harm than good over years.

Susan

 

[Annie Milliron]

At this point and time, yes. However, we are concerned about the ramifications, and are re-evaluating. Russell went to hear Dr. Jean Dodds speak at the National in Carlisle, and was very impressed. Here's a link to

Dr. Jean Dodds' vaccination protocol

[ 04-05-2005, 11:20 AM: Message edited by: Annie Milliron ]

 

[Newfs Forever]

Ivory,

I agree. I have been titering for a long time now, and fortunately the kids have not had to be boostered.

And it is more expensive but I would rather pay the price.

My holistic vet says she has seen so many problems with vaccinosis.

However, by law she cannot titer for rabies. So that is the only shot they get. Fortunately here it is every 3 years, as opposed to annually.

Sue

 

[alexmaddy]

We also titer. No vaccinations were needed at all this year. Maddie's distemper was a bit low, but they give the distemper injection with parvo and another vaccine, which she did not need.

We will get rabies for each one as the due dates come up.

mj

 

[AngusMcDubhsMom]

May I ask if Lyme disease is also something that should be vaccinated for annually, or can it be titered too and done less often?

 

[Annie Milliron]

Anne,

Dr. Dodd's says that unless you live in an area where Lyme is "endemic in the local area" it's not necessary. However, I believe in your case, it would be necessary, because isn't Lyme Disease prevelant in the Northeast???

 

[csk1134]

I also think that once you get vaccinated for Lyme you almost always come up positive when tested for it.

For some reason that's in the back of my mind... anyone else know that to be true or false?

I also titter and vaccinated as needed.

 

[Newfs Forever]

Anne,

I am here in SE NH and I have not had Lyme's for either of the kids for several years. You have to do what you feel comfortable with.

In my case, I use year round nosodes for heartworm and Lyme's. So far so good.

Sue

 

[Pam G]

Originally posted by Coral:
[QB]I also think that once you get vaccinated for Lyme you almost always come up positive when tested for it.
anyone else know that to be true or false?

/QB]

When Madison was sick and had all those tests, she tested postive for lymes ...even though she had not had a lymes shot in four years. Then we had to do the Western blot test to distinguish between a postive because of vaccine or the actual lymes disease itself. She didn't have lymes disease. As far as vaccinating, mine get the lepto yearly ..bacause of the area we live in and the rest of the vaccines every 3 yrs.

[ 04-05-2005, 01:29 PM: Message edited by: Pam G ]

 

[Jeannie]

I was just talking to my vet about this today. Seems there is one just approved three year parvo/distemper vaccine. She also said the puppy shots, then a one year booster then every three years. After talking to my vet I plan to titer from now on. She said Sam's allergy problems could be the result of vaccinations.

 

[pawsx12]

I have only titered for the past 9 years now. It was NOT the popular thing to do when I started BUT my dog at that time was from a litter that had a high sensitivity to vacs, and therefor it presented a REALLY scarey health problem for them. My GSD old girl has NEVER had to be re vac for anything since she was 4 and she will be 11 in a few weeks. Of course they get rabies only the 3 year. My old girl will NOT be given any shots this year, due to her condition. The pups will be titered on Wed. this week, and also have their rabies. We will see what the levels are, as this will be their first titers since their puppy vacs. I also have attended 3 seminars on this topic, the same one Russell attended at the National, and two from Dr. Schultz from UW. Great info at all of them. Made me even more secure in my decisions about this.

 

[ROM Newf]

I've been titering since hearing Dr. Dodds speak at the National in Carlisle. I've had to vaccinate one bitch yearly as her titers are consistently low for distemper and parvo. We don't do lepto as it hasn't been a problem here. Also stopped doing Lyme vaccinations as some dogs will get Lyme even with the vaccination (like some of mine).

Had a long talk with our vet this winter about vaccinations- he doesn't necessarily believe in vaccinating every year (especially since my dogs do get a physical exam yearly) but for the casual dog-owner, the yearly vaccination is the only time he will ever see a dog. There are vets who believe in titering with no routine vaccinations and other vets who believe that "down the road" we're going to have big problems because people aren't vaccinating their dogs yearly. We've come to the consensus that the younger dogs will be vaccinated every 3 years but the older ones only if titers show it's necessary. Rabies is required every 3 years here.

 

[ardeagold]

Rabies every three years. Others only when needed.

There's a new test for Lyme (this is the same info I posted in the post about Angus') Sorry for the duplication, but the subject is being discussed in two places at once (for different reasons):

The new test is called a C6 ELISA and is available in the SNAP3Dx test kit which provides the veterinarian with data concerning three vector borne diseases of dogs: Heartworm, canine Erlichiosis and Lyme disease. The C6 ELISA component of the SNAP3Dx is unique in that it is specific for the antibody that is produced when live Borrelia burgdorferi interact with cells in the spleen of an infected animal. Thus it offers the veterinarian the ability to determine whether a dog has Borrelia burgdorferi antibody that is produced in response to active infection rather than by vaccination.
This distinction is a vital part of the diagnosis of Lyme disease in dogs that may have been vaccinated against the Lyme organism. This information was previously only available through the Western blot test which is time consuming, expensive and potentially difficult to interpret.

Here's the whole link:
Lyme Info Link