Solving the Vaccination Puzzle

There are canine vaccines for more than two dozen diseases. Very few dogs are at risk for all or even most of the diseases. Your first step is to learn about the diseases the vaccines are designed to defend your dog against.

Today, most veterinarians discuss vaccines in terms of “core” versus “non-core” products. Core vaccines are those that can protect your dog from the diseases that are widely distributed in your part of the country, virulent, and highly infectious. Think of them as the vaccines with the highest benefit to risk ratio. Non-core vaccines are those that are intended for a minority of dogs in special circumstances. They may target diseases that are of limited risk in your area, or those that present only a low-level threat to your dog’s health.

“Core” vaccines
These are the vaccines for diseases that most experts agree puppies and dogs should be protected against – diseases that are highly contagious and potentially fatal:

• Canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2)
• Canine distemper virus (CDV)
• Canine adenovirus type 2 (CAV-2)
• Rabies virus (RV)

For what people commonly refer to as “puppy shots,” many veterinarians use a combination vaccine that contains antigens for distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parainfluenza, and parvo (referred to by its initials, DHLPP). If you are concerned about over-vaccination, ask your veterinarian if she can vaccinate your puppy against just parvo, distemper, and adenovirus (the rabies vaccine is usually given separately later, after the puppy is 16 weeks old).

Most experts agree that puppies should be vaccinated against distemper, parvo, and adenovirus, not before six weeks, and at least once after the age of 12 weeks; the rabies vaccine is given after 16 weeks. About two weeks after the last vaccination with distemper, parvo, and adenovirus, ask for a vaccine titer test to confirm your puppy has been successfully immunized).

“Non-core” vaccines
Some veterinarians refer to all the other vaccines that are available as non-core, suggesting that these be given only to dogs that need them, and only as often as needed.

A good example is leptospirosis. The duration of the immunity typically conveyed by the lepto vaccine is generally less than one year. This suggests that administering the vaccine would benefit only those dogs living in an area with a current, high rate of infection – and only if they are properly vaccinated at frequent intervals with all the available strains.

“Not recommended” vaccines
Some experts classify some vaccines in a third category of “not recommended.” These would include any vaccine for which they perceive to be no realistic benefit.

For example, there is now a vaccine against giardia, which is a protozoan intestinal organism that dogs may be exposed to when drinking out of ponds or streams. Many veterinarians feel that despite the marketing efforts behind the vaccine, giardiasis poses little risk to most dogs.

Other vaccination tips

• Do use vaccine titer tests to determine whether your dog is adequately immunized against the core diseases.
• Don’t rely on low-cost clinics for your dog’s vaccinations.
• Do take your dog to your veterinarian at least once a year. A thorough annual (or better yet, semiannual) health examination and annual titer test is the best way to find problems early.
• Do not vaccinate dogs who suffer from chronic or acute health problems, running a high temperature, or who have a history of vaccine reactions. Dogs after 3 yrs should be good for life. Unless leaving the country..etc/
• Don’t vaccinate elderly dogs. If your dog has been vaccinated many times in his younger years, he is probably as well immunized against disease as he will ever be.