# Annual Vaccinatons



## melissaw140 (Jul 16, 2005)

Hi
I know we must get the annual Rabies shot. However I didnt think all of the other shots were necessary every year and can possible harm the dog. I thought once you get the dog the first set of shots ( Parvo, distemper, etc) that it stays with them.

I just started working for a vet that does all the vaccs annually even on older dogs. I dont believe in this. I feel that it is a way to get them in to make $$ 

Now that being said I do believe it is important for puppies and young dogs to complete the 1st cycle as stated above. 

What is everyones thought?


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

The first thing I would do is double check whether your county is required to give the 1 year or 3 year rabies vax. Do not ask your vet, call your county. 

It looks like it might have changed in 2006, although your vet might be staying with more frequent (and unnecessary vaccinations): http://tinyurl.com/5sb8sj http://tinyurl.com/5sb8sj



> Quote: Three-year Rabies Vaccinations for Dogs and Cats (updated 01/06) The Rabies Advisory Committee adopts the recommendation of the National Association of Public Health Veterinarians’ Compendium of Animal Rabies Control, 2006 in regard to 3-year rabies vaccines for dogs and cats:
> 
> "Vaccines used in state and local rabies control programs should have a 3-yr duration of immunity. This constitutes the most effective method of increasing the proportion of immunized dogs and cats in any population.”
> 
> ...


I agree with you, annual vaccinations for any dog, particularly for seniors, are dangerous.


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## Argonaut (Sep 21, 2007)

I agree about vaccinations: I do get the rabies every 3 years but in spite of my vet's insistence (and treating me like a criminal!), I refuse to get the other vaccinations for my senior dog or for my cats and if I do get the rabies this year ( I haven't decided yet), it will be their last one. But even with the rabies, I believe you can have them take blood titres instead; I think I remember that Bow Wow Meow (on this forum) said that her cat's levels of the rabies vaccine were so much higher than they needed to be even many years after her last vaccine. So not vaccinating not really a problem as far as protecting your dog or others. 

Plus, many studies have shown than vaccinosis and cancers forming at the site of injection are far more dangerous to an animal's health than going unvaccinated.

I think that most vets ( in my experience) are not really up on the new research on these issues and they may genuinely believe it's essential to vaccinate. It's what they were taught in school and they're not keeping up with the new trends. Some are, but as an example, my vet had never even HEARD of feeding raw and acted like I was some kind of tinfoil-hat-wearing-nutcase for feeding raw. So we have to educate ourselves about all this stuff!


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## Ilovealldogs (Nov 17, 2006)

My seniors have not had their vaccinations in a couple years besides rabies, nor have my strictly indoor cats. I have done quite a bit of reading that says it isn't always necessary. My problem is that eventually I would like to adopt a GSD (more than likely from a rescue) and they always have on the application if the pets are up-to-date on their shots. It's not that I am neglectful or anything like that, but I just think in some cases they do more harm than good once an animal reaches a certain age. I'm not sure how to bypass that requirement because they may not agree.


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## dOg (Jan 23, 2006)

You can google 
Vaccines site: http://www.germanshepherds.com

<span style="color: #3333FF">This one was searching word 'vaccinosis'</span> 

Anyways, it's a much more efficient search engine that the Search function built in here. As you can see, it's been discussed in detail,
often.

Her in MI, the law only requires rabies every 3 years. New studies suggest titres may indicate safe levels for much longer.

The vets learn from books published by big pharma, and thus many
are completely brain washed. But it's your dog, and your wallet, so
don't feel bad if you have to tell them to pound sand!

I lost one to vaccinosis, so have grown a very thick skin to their babble.


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

> Originally Posted By: IlovealldogsMy seniors have not had their vaccinations in a couple years besides rabies, nor have my strictly indoor cats. I have done quite a bit of reading that says it isn't always necessary. My problem is that eventually I would like to adopt a GSD (more than likely from a rescue) and they always have on the application if the pets are up-to-date on their shots. It's not that I am neglectful or anything like that, but I just think in some cases they do more harm than good once an animal reaches a certain age. I'm not sure how to bypass that requirement because they may not agree.


Well, the recommendation for shots is every 3 years (and that's conservative), so if you are adopting soon, then, yes, they are up to date. The other answer that you can give is that your pets are up to date according to the vaccine schedule that you and your vet have agreed upon, the schedule that best compliments the health of your pets. 

How does that sound?


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

> Originally Posted By: dOg....I lost one to vaccinosis....


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## ILGHAUS (Nov 25, 2002)

> Quote:I know we must get the annual Rabies shot.


FL law is rabies every 3 years so it is <u>your</u> vet's choice to go with the annual. Out of 4 dogs I have two that are getting ready to get their last rabies vac. -- one is 8 and the other is 6. No rabies shots for my pack after the age of 8. The other two are ages 7 and 6 and they do not get rabies anymore because of health issues. 

FL recognizes titers with a letter from your vet. 

Parvo and distemper are also titers with my dogs from now on once they have had their initial round.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

My vet does 3-year vaccines and she advices on not vaccinating older dogs as much if at all. She also doesn't normally give ALL the vaccinations available, just a few. 
My dog had a vaccine reaction the last time she had the combo vacc when she was about 9 years old (at another vet) so we decided no more for her after that, except of course (3-year) rabies as it is required. When the vaccines came due we did titers instead.


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

> Originally Posted By: ILGHAUS
> 
> 
> > Quote:I know we must get the annual Rabies shot.
> ...


Vets like this drive me nuts -- those that annually vaccinate in a 3-year state. How many of their clients do they tell this to?!?!?!?????


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Basu had horrible health problems because he was vaccinated yearly before I adopted him. 

My seniors get NO vaccinations, not even rabies. After their initial set I vaccinate my younger dogs for rabies every 3 years and don't do anything else.


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## dchamness (Oct 18, 2008)

Okay coming from a tech..let me tell you my opinion. We in Oklahoma also recognize the 3 yr rabies vaccine. The way one of my vets does vaccinations is this...If it is a senior animal over 5 he will generally give a 3 year rabies and IF they board or travel alot a bordetella vaccine...if the animal is 3 years old he will give a DHppcv, bordetella, and rabies and then the next year, a rabies and bordetella only. He skips to every other year on the dhppcv... he won;t vaccinate a pup until it is 8 weeks old, and then it's a series 8 weeks dhppcv...11 weeks dhppcv and bordetella, 14 weeks, dhppcv, bordetella and rabies...and begin hw preventive. The 3 year is always available but he prefers the animal to be 3 years old to receive it (don't know why exactly) perhaps it's because he wants a young animal to get the continued vaccinations for the 1st 3 years of it's life to make SURE it is protected. Parvo runs rampant around here and it's a WHOLE lot cheaper to vaccinate then to treat parvo!!


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## Maedchen (May 3, 2003)

> Originally Posted By: LisaT
> 
> 
> > Originally Posted By: ILGHAUS
> ...


I know of plenty of vets here who send out their annual vax reminders, despite that GA accepts the 3yr vaccine- and I know those vets know better since I talked to some of them. It's all about making money. First they make animals sick by vaccinating yearly, then they make even more money by treating the illnesses they've caused.


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## RenosMom (Sep 28, 2005)

I did not know Georgia accepted the 3 year. My vet said I had to get it every year. So Reno got his rabies vacc this year, I don't need to get it again til 2011? I can just ignore the reminders?


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## Maedchen (May 3, 2003)

Is your dog licensed? If not, ignore the reminders. Worst situation what can happen is, once your dog bites someone (how likely is that??) they want to see proof of current rabies vaccination. Since you have proof that your dog was vaccinated (even a couple yrs ago) they will only require that you update the vaccine. The dog might be required to be under quarantine (often at your own home) for a couple weeks, but maybe not.

If your dog is licensed, they will want to see proof of vaccination. Get the 3yr vaccine done in the future and they should accept that.


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## RenosMom (Sep 28, 2005)

No, he's not licensed. I had asked my vet if Georgia allowed for the 3 year rabies, and he said the law was every year. Then he told me they use the best rabies vacc that is 3 year anyway( but still tell everyone to get it every year). 

He then said that if for some reason we didn't get the vacc for some years and there was a question, he(the vet) could show proof that Reno was still covered. Not that there would be, the Beano wouldn't hurt a fly. Crazy people exist though and I want to make sure he's covered.


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## dOg (Jan 23, 2006)

An interesting fact I found out this year. The dosage is the same for 1 or 3 years!
Hugo had his first 1 year, and there was a mobile clinic at the feed store administering shots. IF he was still within that first year (he was), they would give me a 3 yr certificate...but if he had expired that first year's certificate, it would only be good for 1 year.

As for other shots, you can purchase those at the feed store here,
and administer them yourself for a small fraction of the cost of going to the vet. In a multiple dog household, the savings add up!


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## Maedchen (May 3, 2003)

_The dosage is the same for 1 or 3 years!_

The one year and three year are the very same vaccine. They have just tested to verify the 3 years, but kept up the label for the one year also, for those states or people who still have the need to vaccinate yearly.

RenosMom, Ga accepts the 3 yr vaccine, despite their one year mandate. Your vet is stupid-sorry. I know of several dogs who are licensed in different counties in GA (including Gwinnett) and the counties accept the 3yr vaccine or even a waiver to avoid vaccinations at all.


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## RenosMom (Sep 28, 2005)

Wow. I'm glad I read this thread. We are definetly not getting this every year. I think I'm gonna see a new vet.

Thanks for the info!


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## melissaw140 (Jul 16, 2005)

Thanks everyone


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## dchamness (Oct 18, 2008)

"As for other shots, you can purchase those at the feed store here,
and administer them yourself for a small fraction of the cost of going to the vet. In a multiple dog household, the savings add up! "

Word of warning here...sometimes the feed stores get in vaccine that has not been kept cold..therefore being ineffective...Best bet is to order your vaccines from an online source, then if it comes in warm, it can be returned. I'm all for saving money---but be careful to keep the animal's health in mind!!


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## Barb E (Jun 6, 2004)

Also make sure that any training, boarding, etc will accept proof of owner given vaccines or at least titer results. 
It would not be a good thing to find out that you couldn't do something with your dog you wanted unless you got another vaccine given by a vet!!


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## Asuquita819 (Oct 16, 2008)

I couldn't understand why I was told Harley needed another set of puppy shots. When I got him, he already had two sets. I took him for the 3rd set and was given an appointment for a fourth set. The vet office says that they do not count any shots that were given before 8 weeks old. He had his first set given at 6 weeks, so that doesn't count. Is this the norm regarding puppy vaccinations?


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

"the more the better" is the mantra of some vets. They want to keep hitting them with vaccines because they don't know when the maternal antibodies wear off and the pup is exposed.

personally, I think that's too many vaccines.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I live in west Michigan and my vets are still on one year. One time I was there and they said my dog was due. I showed her my certificate that said 7/27/07-7/27/10 and I said the dog is on a THREE year schedule for rabies and the combo and the vet said "as far as I know there is no three year vaccine." Um hello?!!? It's the SAME one, just only every three years. We just don't talk about vaccines or neutering









With Nikon I'm doing their puppy shots, then I will do the combo and the rabies again after one year, and then every 3 years after that. I feel that's a fair compromise. We have to do bordetella every 6 months b/c of the training and boarding requirements. Pretty much every facility requires that.

I've never known anyone that's had problems on a one year schedule but why spend more $$$ than I have to?


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