# vaccinosis



## Charlotte Carlson (Mar 5, 2009)

We took our gsd to the vet yesterday for his rabies shot - fortunately, South Carolina allows the three year vaccine (killed virus). However, they also wanted to give shots for distemper, bordatella, Lyme disease, Leptospirosis, and canine influenza. We opted for the rabies, distemper, and bordatella only. 
The rabies is, of course, mandated by law, and the bordatella is necessary for us as it is a requirement for boarding, but what about distemper?
The research that I have done suggests that the duration of immunity, after the initial round of puppy shots, can be years, if not the life of the dog.
I certainly don't want to put my dog at risk of vaccinosis but at the same time I want to make sure he gets any shots that are critical to his health.
Any thoughts?


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## Don Turnipseed (Oct 8, 2006)

Distemper is practically non existen in many areas.ide of widlife populations. If your dogs isn't chasing game the odds are slim.
I had a vet tell me a 6 mo old dog had DT a few years ago. I asked him if he got his vet license out of a box of cracker jacks. Well that got it started. It is also called the hard paw disease because the pads of the feet get hard. Dogs act a little squirrely when they have it and this dog held it's head down low and tilted to one side. And older dog bit it and severed the tendon on one side that connects to the top of the head. Had the dog put down.....but it in no way resembled DT. Anyway, the vet was looking for a new job the next day.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

How old is your dog, Charlotte?


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Charlotte Carlson said:


> We took our gsd to the vet yesterday for his rabies shot - fortunately, South Carolina allows the three year vaccine (killed virus). However, they also wanted to give shots for distemper, bordatella, Lyme disease, Leptospirosis, and canine influenza. We opted for the rabies, distemper, and bordatella only.
> The rabies is, of course, mandated by law, and the bordatella is necessary for us as it is a requirement for boarding, but what about distemper?
> The research that I have done suggests that the duration of immunity, after the initial round of puppy shots, can be years, if not the life of the dog.
> I certainly don't want to put my dog at risk of vaccinosis but at the same time I want to make sure he gets any shots that are critical to his health.
> Any thoughts?


How old is he?

You don't say whether this is a puppy or adult.

Have you seen the Dr. Jean Dodds schedule?

http://www.weim.net/emberweims/Vaccine.html

http://www.itsfortheanimals.com/DODDS-CHG-VACC-PROTOCOLS.HTM

I included the older one posted first because of the useful comments in the "comments" boxes.


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## Guest (Mar 17, 2010)

How old is your dog? Not that it really matters as vaccinosis can occur a any age, but just so we know.

What is his vaccination and illness history?

There is so much debate over this issue. It really depends who you ask. It even depends on the vet. Some vets regurgitate what they were taught in vet school, others have done loads of outside research and have varying points of view on the subject. Many vets only carry the vaccine cocktails so you may have to find one with a more holistic approach to medicine to find single doses. Having lived with a vaccinosis dog for a decade now, I can tell you that I do not do and never will do full "puppy" shot regimens. 

My current pup had her first breeder shot, which really is totally 100% unnecessary unless the pup needs to be shipped. She checked out healthy, robust and worm free at 9 weeks and received no shots at that time. At week 12 she again checked out worm free, in wonderful condition and had her first vaccination of 1 single parvo shot, *not* a cocktail of 5 or 7 vaccines. At 16 weeks she checked out worm free and had another parvo shot along with her rabies. At 5 months we went back for a single newer Lyme's disease vaccine as ticks are becoming a big problem here. That's all. 

She lives on a farm and spends 90% of the day outside getting into all kinds of crap. She comes in after dark for a while, then we're out again. She comes in to sleep and to hang out when she wants. Never had a problem at all. Never even had the runs. She has never been sick, never had worms and never been wormed. 

That's just how I chose to go this time around and I have been very happy with the relatively hands off results. 

If you feel you need vaccines, you could choose the diseases that are local to where you live and get them one at a time. 2 at the most. Yes, this takes more time and may cost a bit more, but its less of an immune system shock and better than a lifetime of trouble. 

Of course, most people get the cocktail and worm their dogs once a month and their dogs seem to be fine. 

Without real research we'll never know.


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## Charlotte Carlson (Mar 5, 2009)

Thanks, Connie. That is the first I've seen of Dr. Jean Dodds' vaccination protocol. I'll be sure to keep it on hand for future reference. 
My dog will be 3 years in July, so he has already had his required round of vaccinations.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Ideally what you want to do is discuss with your vet a plan of risk/benefit analysis and for what is endemic to your area. You can also discuss doing a staggered schedule of vaccines 2-3 weeks apart. If you require vaccinations to board or for training classes beyond the 3 year rabies as required by law and your are concerned, you can get parvo/distemper titers tested if they will accept that. Your vet will draw a blood sample and send it to a diagnostic lab to look at immunoglobulin levels. They are indication of whether your dog has been exposed to the virus before, either in terms of native virus or vaccine. They are not fool proof though and are not a guarantee a dog will mount an appropriate immune response. 

I am required by my therapy dog club to get the full vaccine series on my visiting therapy dog due to zoonotic concerns, but my other dogs just get the 3 year rabies as required by law once they have had vaccinations as an adult and titers done at our vet school diagnostic lab. But as every dog and owner have individual situations, it's important to note that no one protocol will be appropriate for each dog.


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## Charlotte Carlson (Mar 5, 2009)

Vin - kudos to you for being brave enough to keep shots to a minimum. Sounds like a good philosophy to vaccinate against disease that is local to the area giving only one shot at a time so that the immune system is not overwhelmed. 
Also, thanks for your input, Maren. Though I don't have many posts, I have been a regular visitor to the forum for quite some time and always find your advise thorough and knowledgeable.


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## Tammy St. Louis (Feb 17, 2010)

you can also titer your dog to see if his levels are good for distemper / parvo and such 

I send my blood to Dr. Dodds to titer and have done all 8 of my dogs in the past yr ( first yr titering ) they all came back with good to very good levels , so did not need to be vaccinated 
the titers hold up for about 3 yrs then you check again to ensure you are not putting your dog in danger


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Charlotte Carlson said:


> Vin - kudos to you for being brave enough to keep shots to a minimum. Sounds like a good philosophy to vaccinate against disease that is local to the area giving only one shot at a time so that the immune system is not overwhelmed.
> Also, thanks for your input, Maren. Though I don't have many posts, I have been a regular visitor to the forum for quite some time and always find your advise thorough and knowledgeable.


Thanks Charlotte! One of my own dogs had a vaccine reaction, but I still feel having a moderate and judicious approach to them is best.


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