Are annual shots overkill!!!

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Originally Posted by wolfsoul

People are NOT the same thing --- Polio and smallpox vaccines were not given to every single person for dozens of years annually or every few years. Dogs can have ten generation pedigrees where every single dog in that pedigree recieved the exact same vaccinations. Not only does this mean that the dog is breeding a weaker immune system into it's line, but that dog is carrying on a higher chance of vaccine sensitivities. Smallpox was not something that was vaccinated into the entire world population for years and years and years. Vaccinosis is extremely rare in people compared to dogs because people are not vaccinated as often and not with nearly as dangerous protocols. People are not able to start breeding at a young age and create litters that pass on the same genetic predispositions every year. Smallpox and polio compared to parvo virus is not the same thing at all. Parvo is one of the more common vaccinosis reactions, it has been known to last on sterilized surfaces for up to 7 years, etc. There is no way that every canine and feline disease could be wiped out as easily as polio and smallpox were.

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As I recall the Smallpox vaccine was only given once. As for the Polio, I remember those nasty little "sugar cubes." But when my cousin developed Polio from taking the vaccine all our parents decided that not one of us were going to take another one, thank goodness! Our dogs however have to take these needless shots annually. Why would I want to take a chance that I could, in the long run, be doing my dear pet harm. I myself got a flu vaccine and then I got the flu! Will I take another one? Not on your life! As with rabies vaccines you and your pet are getting a "live virus" with these vaccines! So why do it at all?

Rabies vaccines are NOT live virus.

On the whole you must have a Vet to give vaccines, I know it's not true here. My mom was suggesting a few years ago that she was going to do our Doxie's shots at home.

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Originally Posted by Lady's Human

Rabies vaccines are NOT live virus.

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You can get both killed and modified live rabies vaccines --- most people prefer live.

The vet school links I looked at all listed the killed vaccine, nothing about a live vaccine.

still making up my mind. Untill then, he will continue to get his full set of shots. One thing I have to ask is:
He has a mild case of epilepsy, the vet never said if he'd always had it or whatever, but it only showed up after a few years of annual vaccines. My question is, could this have ANYTHING to do with his rabbies vaccine?

I just found this thread...I've never heard of vaccinations causing behavioural problems. None of the articles mentioned are from scientifc journals...just my opinion, but I'm not going to take pet health advice from the Wall Street Journal or any other place then from a licensed veteranarian or a sound, peer reviewed scientific journal.

A while back there was a big fuss of the first MMR shot (I think it was this one anyway) supposedly causing autism. This was found to be erroneous, in fact autism is first displayed at around 15 months of age, around the time when the shot is administered.

My point is, you cannot create fact from a few examples of pets getting sick after being given shots. That is called anecdotal evidence.

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Originally Posted by Pembroke_Corgi

I just found this thread...I've never heard of vaccinations causing behavioural problems. None of the articles mentioned are from scientifc journals...just my opinion, but I'm not going to take pet health advice from the Wall Street Journal or any other place then from a licensed veteranarian or a sound, peer reviewed scientific journal.

A while back there was a big fuss of the first MMR shot (I think it was this one anyway) supposedly causing autism. This was found to be erroneous, in fact autism is first displayed at around 15 months of age, around the time when the shot is administered.

My point is, you cannot create fact from a few examples of pets getting sick after being given shots. That is called anecdotal evidence.

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First off I had to comment on the picture of your dog. That made me laugh. LOL As for fact or fiction, there are a lot of vets out there supporting not getting so many shots. They feel that too many of them all the time can cause the pet to get sick from them. They have done a lot of studies on this, and found them to be harmful in such high doses. Were not saying these things to get everyone riled up. Just to point out some facts.

Do you guys not even believe in giving the puppies their first shots, 6 weeks and up? Or is it strictly just the yearly shots that ya'll don't give?

Morgan turned 6 weeks old today, and is due for her first shot, but I'm not sure if I should take her to have it or not.

I didn't used to believe in giving the shots at 6 weeks -- however, Visa's breeder has turned me over. They say that a pup keeps it's mother's immunity until 15-16 weeks -- then why did Visa and her littermates develop parvo at 5 weeks? Something that Marla was told could never happen. Spirit (the mother) was not sick a day in her life, she had been innoculated for parvo the year before and was titred two weeks before conception, showing that she was immune. So how is it that her puppies got parvo at 5 weeks? After that, Marla now gives the puppies parvo and distemper shots at 6 weeks. The vet thought that the puppies that died (not Visa and her siblings that lived) also had distemper (something else Spirit was immune to), as none of them died of parvo -- they died of heart failure and had distemper-like symptoms.

It just makes you think...

Fozzie has gotten all 4 sets of his puppy shots, I think it's totally over-board to with hold boosters from a puppy because the whole idea is that it sets them up for immunity from the diseases. I've heard of people successfully giving only 6, 12, and 16 week shots - which seems fine, and a program that my Vet even encourages.

Because Gonzo is exposed to dogs potentially with kennel cough & such when going to Flyball & Agility and training, he gets vaccinated every 3 years and titers done yearly. In my county, we have to vaccinate against Rabies every 2 years so I do that too, of course.

There is SO much disease out there, and I don't want to lose my dogs to something stupid, so I try my best to be sure they're protected. Of course it isn't the same world as it was 50 years ago... back then, a pet dog rarely came in contact with strange dogs, and there was less disease as people lived further away. Because I live in the suburbs where other dogs are sitting right across a fence, and I bring my dogs everywhere, and there are outbreaks of Parvo at the local dog park, I would rather be on the safe side. I also do not want to over-vaccinate, as it can be just as dangerous.

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Originally Posted by molucass

Do you guys not even believe in giving the puppies their first shots, 6 weeks and up? Or is it strictly just the yearly shots that ya'll don't give?

Morgan turned 6 weeks old today, and is due for her first shot, but I'm not sure if I should take her to have it or not.

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I would assume you know why vaccines are pushed to be given, so I can PM you some links against them if you'd like. Just let me know, I'm not on my computer right now so can't send them until later.

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I think it's totally over-board to with hold boosters from a puppy because the whole idea is that it sets them up for immunity from the diseases.

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I dont think its overboard, the reason for not giving vaccins that young is that before around 15-16 weeks they still have the antibodys from their mom, basicly the vaccines that young do nothing whatsoever, because the pups are ALREADY proected. by 15-16 weeks the moms antibodys have worn off, so this is when I do Parvo. my vet agree's with this, I know when Blairs breeder was taking all the pups in for there puppy shots we asked her to skip Blairs vaccines, her vet like spazed lol my vet, after looking him over, told us that we were lucky we asked to not have him vaccinated beceause it could have made him dangerously sick(Blair was 2 weeks premature). of coarse some breeder might not be so willing to comply with that one lol

I meant, basically, just bypassing shots for puppies. Some people feel that healthy puppies should just fend off disease on their own, without any shots. I understand your opinion, totally. However, I feel it's better to get shots done as long as it does not compromise the puppy's health, after hearing Jordan's story about Visa contracting parvo, and after knowing of bad breeders who did not get their pups vaccinated at all (then again... they were also outside and exposed to many other dogs and even neighbors dogs/loose dogs) and lost whole litters to parvo at 6-8 weeks.

Yeah, that is a very understanding breeder. :) The breeder I was going to get my Corgi pup from also practiced limited vaccinations.

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Originally Posted by bckrazy

I meant, basically, just bypassing shots for puppies. Some people feel that healthy puppies should just fend off disease on their own, without any shots.

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I'm a little upset by this comment.

If I ever go to a breeder instead of a rescue, I would never buy from a breeder who did any vaccines. None. I don't think any vaccines are a good thing and feel they do more harm than good. I don't think I am any less responsible than someone who minimally vaccinates or vaccinates out the ying yang. We are all doing what we believe is right. I wouldn't take my 12 week old pup out in public whether they were vaccinated or not, and don't think anyone should. Too much is out there and too many diseases can be contracted, vaccines or not. Anyone who thinks otherwise is kidding themselves.

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after knowing of bad breeders who did not get their pups vaccinated at all (then again... they were also outside and exposed to many other dogs and even neighbors dogs/loose dogs) and lost whole litters to parvo at 6-8 weeks.

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That's the problem, not the fact that they weren't vaccinated.



Sorry, I'm kind of bitter this morning =/