# vaccinations



## nicholas jones (Apr 3, 2013)

Hello everyone! I am a brand new shepherd owner and have a few questions/concerns. I received my puppy at 10 weeks old, my breeder had already given him his 1st and 2nd set of shots, as well as, chipped him. When I took him to the vet for a check up as well as his third set of shots, a week after receiving him(11 weeks old), I was told they would have to restart the vaccination process because I did not have the certificates saying he was vaccinated. I contacted the breeder but still have not gotten a reply. When I spoke to the vet, I had him check my puppy for a chip, as the breeder said she chipped him and one was found. I told him about my dilemma with the certificates and etc. He told me not to worry and to bring the puppy back in 2 weeks, they would just give him his 3rd set. My question is what is a normal vaccination schedule? what shots to they receive and at what time? Also, if I where to switch to Dr.Dodd's vaccination, how to I make that switch? How do I properly interpret the schedule? my puppy is 13 weeks now. Sorry about how long this is, I am literally a first time dog owner and have been getting a crash course in a lot of things.


----------



## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

This is normal. Lots of vets ignore the breeder's vaccinations because 
1) many times they are done so early that they wouldn't be effective
2) they have no control over the type and quality of the vaccine given, so they prefer to start fresh.

I would continue the series and then titer, if you can, to see if the dog is actually immune or you need more shots. 
In my case, he was not immune to Parvo and had to have an additional Parvo only vaccine.


----------



## nicholas jones (Apr 3, 2013)

Which series should I continue? And titer is pretty much checking to see if the vaccination is still strong in their system correct?


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Neko (Dec 13, 2012)

I was new at this as well, and decided to just trust my vet. I had a shot record from the breeder that I gave to my vet and we went from there.


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I would not give a dog shots 1 week after he had shots. It sounds like the breeder gave him shots at 6 or 7 weeks old and 10 weeks old? He should get his next set between 13 and 14 weeks old and then rabies between 4 and 6 months, depending on the law in your area. All the shots need to be boosted 1 year after the last shot. Then every three years beyond that. 

Allowing your puppy to start over with all the puppy vaccines, increases your risks of vaccine reactions, and immune problems down the road. 

Try to get the info from your breeder if possible. Did she do the shots herself. If so, then which shots did she give. Hopefully she used a vet, and you can get the vet information directly from the vet. Vet's will be more likely to accept the vaccs from another vet, because vets have protocols in how the vaccines are stored, and ensure they are within date. 

Welome to the site.


----------



## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

I believe the standard is for shots at 8, 12, and 16 weeks. Some breeders do give shots at 6 weeks and if the dog goes home by 8 weeks its up the the people to start it up again at 10 weeks. It's very difficult to predict when the pups don't have their mother's immunity after they're weaned off of her milk. Some breeders wean very quickly, others allow the pups to eat hard food but also drink their mother's milk. Depending on when the pups stop with the milk, you give the shots in order to prevent disease.

If you can't get a vet record...the breeder might be giving the shots themselves. They're quite "cheap" to buy in bulk and aren't hard to give. I believe only rabies has to be administered by a vet (due to legal requirements of record keeping) but everything else is available to the public.


----------



## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I would make very sure the breeder gave the DAPP or the DHPP (same thing, just abbreviated differently-basically distemper, adenovirus type 2 (which also immunizes for hepatitis), parvo virus and parainfluenza , then give as recommended by the vet the same vaccine 3 weeks from the last time it was given. Just be sure with the breeder what exactly was given. 

It takes 2 doses about 3 weeks apart for immunity..........and the first puppy dose is alway iffy because the mother gives the puppy antibodies in the womb and from the milk so it may not cause an immune response in the puppy.

If the vet is a holistic vet, they will probably follow the Dodds schedule and give separate parvo and separate distemper but the vaccines are much more expensive than the DAPP, do not immunize against heptatitis (Dodds has not revised vaccine schedule since that word came out, but it is making a comeback), and most vets feel they are fine. 

If the vet wants to give a puppy DHLPP, I would refuse it. Not all at once nor would I accept rabies the same day as otehr vaccines. If the puppy has a fever or allergy going on no vaccines that day either.

To me the most important thing is NOT to give the rabies with any other vaccines but wait 3 weeks after the last DAPP.

------

Then, one year after first set is complete give either the DAPP or find someone to give the separate distemper and parvo. Basically then you can kick into Dodd mode and only do titers. You may have to talk your vet into that but they can send them out and hemopet (Dodds) can also do them. 

The more I have learned, the less I am concerned about the DAPP as long as you are NOT giving the lepto at the same time. If you do give lepto (hard decision), I would wait until well after the rabies and have it given all alone.


----------



## Saphire (Apr 1, 2005)

What I found online for Jean Dodds Vaccination Protocol...

Dr. Dodds’ 2012 Canine Vaccination Protocol

Note: The following vaccine protocol is offered for those dogs where minimal vaccinations are advisable or desirable. *The schedule is one I recommend and should not be interpreted to mean that other protocols recommended by a veterinarian would be less satisfactory. *It’s a matter of professional judgment and choice.Canine Vaccination Protocol

9 - 10 Weeks Old: *Distemper + Parvovirus, MLV (e.g. Intervet Progard Puppy DPV, now renamed Nobivac DPV, when Merck and Intervet merged)

14 Weeks Old:Same as above

16 - 18 Weeks Old (optional):Same as above (optional)

20 weeks or older, if allowable by law:Rabies

1 Year Oldistemper + Parvovirus,MLV (optional = titer)

1+ Years Old:*Rabies, killed 3-year product (give 3-4 weeks apart from distemper/parvovirus booster)

Perform vaccine antibody titers for distemper and parvovirus every three years thereafter, or more often, if desired. Vaccinate for rabies virus according to the law, except where circumstances indicate that a written waiver needs to be obtained from the primary care veterinarian. *In that case, a rabies antibody titer can also be performed to accompany the waiver request.*


----------



## nicholas jones (Apr 3, 2013)

Unfortunently, I did not get his shot records from the vet. However, his Akc paperwork still has not come, so hopefully everything will come soon. I do believe she did them herself because I contacted the vet who did his bill of health for flight, all they ha on file was that they did a bill of health. Thanks guys for your help!


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## nicholas jones (Apr 3, 2013)

I meant did not get a shot record from the breeder.


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## GatorBytes (Jul 16, 2012)

nicholas jones said:


> I meant did not get a shot record from the breeder.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Contact your breeder and find out exactly what was given and when they advise the LAST round of puppy shots..even if just verbal, have a pen handy...

YOU decide on the last round (puppy) and when and what, NOT your vet...try to wait to do rabies until 6 months, and do not give at any sign of illness, i.e. diarrhea, fever, lethargy, waining appetite, or upon administration of any HW/flea prevention which as a puppy, definatly should NOT have, especially spot-on ones


----------



## MuMKA (Apr 30, 2013)

Hello everyone. I use this post for my questions, since I am a brand new dog owner like Nicholas too and I am also confused about the vaccinations. I and my fiancée got our GSD puppy Bars 18 days ago (at 8 weeks of age) and were under the impression that we are supposed to give his “last” vaccination this week and he can then be taken out for walks. The breeder gave us a Canine Health Record paper with stickers of 2 previous vaccinations and deworming schedule and told us that we shouldn’t even let him out of the car during the road until he gets his 3rd “last” vaccine (we brought him from California to Arizona). I read many posts here and I see that Dr. Dodds schedule is recommended, however I am not sure how we should proceed since Bars got the following vaccines from the breeder:
5 weeks – Parvovirus Vaccine Modified Live Virus
7 weeks – Coronavirus & Distemper-AdenovirusType2-Parainfluenza-Parvovirus

We took him to a vet last week and they told us there should be at least 3 weeks period between the vaccines, i.e. to bring him this week but they never explained us what vaccine exactly. The novices that we are, we thought that it was the Rabies vaccine. However, today we took him to another vet for the vaccination, because of an umbilical hernia we wanted second opinion about. This is another confusing matter. I read here that in most cases it is a “delayed closure” not a true hernia, and is not inheritable, but both vets said it is inheritable and we should neuter and never breed him period… Anyway, back to the vaccinations. The new vet told us the same thing they told Nickolas to restart the set of vaccinations. He said we should vaccinate him 3 more times, but I am not sure if he meant 2 DAPP and the Rabies, or 3 DAPP. So today 10 ½ weeks of age they gave him the f/w set of vaccines:
10 weeks - DAPP & Bordetella Bronchiseptica

So one of my questions is should we let the vet give 2 more DAPP if he recommends, just one, or none as per the breeder’s initial plan in order not to overvaccinate? And also when could we start going out for walks? I cannot imagine keeping him home until he gets his Rabies vacc. (as far as I understand at 4-6 months of age). I read that the socialization between weeks 10 and 16 is very important, but I cannot understand how this could happen if the puppy is not supposed to meet other animals or go out before the vaccinations? I am really sorry for the long post.


----------



## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Thing with vaccines given young is they may not "take" due to maternal antibodies and they need two shots to immunize.

Many of us use Dodds or some variant, but that is not an "official" stance here. Her views are not the mainline views accepted by most vets. Mainline views on vaccines can be found in the 2011 AAHA Guidelines which you can google. It also explains about maternal antibodies.

If at 10 weeks if they gave him DAPP, I would give again at 13 weeks then the rabies at 16 weeks or later if it were my dog. Bordatella - meh - some puppy schools require it. Dodds would have you giving separate Parvo and Distemper vaccines and not give Hepatitis. Living where you are with Hepatitis coming in across the Mexican border I am not sure I would risk that (Hepatitis is the A in DAPP). Corona is not recommended-strange your breeder bothered with it.

You will have to determine what level of risk you are comfortable with for socializing. I had mine out very young but I did not go to places where dogs were frequent, only socializing him with known immunized dogs. Most of my socialization was to "the world" not other puppies. ......


----------



## lzver (Feb 9, 2012)

Our breeder gave us copies of all vaccination and vet records when we got Jake at 8 weeks old. Our vet accepted that and did not insist on starting over. Hopefully you get more info from your breeder.


----------



## MuMKA (Apr 30, 2013)

Thank you so much for the input Jocoyn. I will certainly check the AAHA Guidelines, but I am more comfortable now with what the vet suggested. We got confused initially and thought he is going to overvaccinate our pup to get more money. As for the socializing, we will probably start by walking him in our neighborhood for now and bring him to friends who have dogs. The breeder telling us not to even let him out of the car from California to Arizona made us paranoid, but now I am seeing she was probably exaggerating a bit. 
Izver, I am not sure if your post is for me. If yes, thank you so much for the input. We also got the vaccination records, but as far as I understand it is better to be on the safe side in cases when the puppy got his shots too early.


----------



## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I think the most important thing with adult dog socialization is to ONLY expose him to adult dogs you KNOW are good with puppies and other dogs. One traumatic experience can set a puppy back, some more than others, though.

With other puppies - I personally don't think it is necessary and have no issues at all with my current boy who is now an almost 2 year old intact male who has, btw, been used by a friend as a "good adult" to expose her own puppy to. - but there are many different opinions. I also won't go near a dog park. no matter what you do avoid those and the floor of petsmart until immunizations are complete!


----------



## MuMKA (Apr 30, 2013)

Thank you. We will definitely try to make sure he meets "good adults" only for now and will stay away from parks & pet stores. Our neighbors have two shih tzus and another small dog (not sure of the breed) and they suggested we bring him over. One day their daughter saw me in front of our house with Bars and ran over to bring one of them. He seemed awfully friendly, but I was still paranoid from what the breeder said and lifted him up. We will ask them if all three are friendly and maybe introduce them one of these days.


----------



## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I would do any introductions one on one. A group of dogs may feel empowered to pack up on one .


----------

