Best shot?

How often should I vaccinate my dog? I have done a lot of research on this and advice is conflicting. I want what is best for my dogs, not what’s best for companies, whether they sell pharmaceutical vaccines or nosodes.

Can you provide me with some solid advice?

Mary Elliott, by email

Fact finding mission

Hello,

I hope you don't mind me contacting you but I am in bits about the loss of my dog and need some answers from someone who really may know.

My beautiful lurcher who was around 12 died on Sunday after a sudden illness, by the time we had the blood tests back showing liver failure it was too late.

Yesterday I was told the liver biopsy was non specific hepatitis, but the bloods indicated high titre levels for Weils disease. Our vet says the fact we have been back and forward with non specific "not right" issues for a few months may mean this was incubating or getting weaker and older made her less able to fight it.

She was vaccinated and boostered every year we had her (10.5 years) as a rescue dog we signed a contract to do this. However in May the vet did not give her booster as she wasn't quite herself he took blood and urine that showed very slight kidney damage and nothing else. we got involved in pain relief for her hips and kidney diets. Now she has gone I am told the lepto vaccine is only effective for <12 months, there are more strains than the vaccine can protect against and no indication a booster would have helped In this case, diagnosis is not 100% just based on the facts above.

Our vet says that we did all we could and we followed all their advice to the letter, but I am in such a state. Would she really have been unprotected 16 months after her last booster?, are there really lots of strains the vaccine does not protect against anyway?

I am fairly dog knowledgable, but had no idea lepto was such a weak vaccine or that as a swimming/ wading dog she was at risk. With metacalm for her hips she was running around and swimming like a youngster right up to the week before she died.

Any knowledge you have most welcome.

Thank you.

Kindest regards,

Carmella Delargy, by email

Getting shot of a cough

Has anyone ever had any problems with their dogs after vaccinations?

My rescue Staffie always got a terrible cough every time he had his vacs and was quite poorly so I now get him tested to see if he needs them and to see if they were linked. So far he hasn't and he hasn’t coughed at all and has been healthier than when he was getting vaccinations annually.

I've done the same with my Labrador but I wanted to take him to training/activity clubs for more stimulation and no training school would accept the vets report stating tests had been done and he was fine so I had him vaccinated and he now has a cough.

I have done some research and understand they can react after the vacs but I'm interested to know if anyone else has experienced the same problem as two separate vets are saying they've never heard of that kind of side effect.

Helen Gordon, via Facebook

Titre check

Thanks to Dogs Today, we have been re-educated to the possible harm that yearly vaccination can cause our dogs. We have a three-year-old Labrador-Rottweiler cross who, because he is creched, has to be up to date with his vaccinations (we know the Leptospirosis vaccine has to be given once a year). We are pretty sure that if we could confirm by titre testing and only vaccinate for what is actually needed, that they would be fine to accept this (and hopefully so would the insurance company). We did have blood tests done prior to his last full vaccination to check his immunity, which came back fine, but we still weren't comfortable with doing the full vaccination. We want to do the best for our dog by making sure he is protected, but not over vaccinated.

Does anyone know a vet in the West Sussex that does titre testing, as our vet doesn't? We left it too late last year to look into other options, but hope to find a solution this year.

Cheers,

Sue, by email

Vaccination frustration

Hello

I am the devoted pet of a six-year-old Springer Spaniel called Sadie.

We have an appointment at Sadie's vets today - for a check up and booster. I am not comfortable to vaccinate every year as I have read too many accounts of problems caused by over vaccinating an had decided to vaccinate every other year - I was somewhat shocked when the vet refused to give the booster shot and insisted on giving a full puppy course of vaccinations. I refused this and explained my concerns to no avail, and my request for titres was ignored.

I am now at a loss as to what is the best course of action for Sadie. Should I re-vaccinate and arrange an annual booster rather than give Sadie no protection? Or rely on her previous shots? Is there any alternative? Sadie never goes into kennels.

Any advice would be welcome.

Fiona James, by email

In the dark about shots

Hi

Me and my wife have just got a Cockerpoo puppy and he had his first vaccinations at the breeder and his second lot when we had had him a couple of weeks. We're taking him to puppy classes and one of the other owners said dogs don't need annual vaccinations.

Please could you tell me if this is true?

Thanks.

Jim MacColl, Chesterfield, Derbyshire



Alison Logan, vet, advises...

Vaccinations have brought us to today’s situation where the incidence of diseases which were the scourge of our dog population has fallen to a, thankfully, very low level. I remember when canine parvovirus was first identified in the UK, and the fear that it would wipe out our nation’s dogs. Thankfully, a vaccine became available, but not before many canine lives had been lost. I did see distemper in an unvaccinated dog whilst training during the 1980’s, but have not seen it since. In 1991, I battled unsuccessfully to save four unvaccinated farm dogs from leptospirosis.

In recent years, there have been localised outbreaks of parvovirus, and there really is nothing quite like the frustration at nursing a puppy with parvovirus, knowing that vaccination could have prevented it. It is a truly horrible illness to witness…

The annual vaccination visit is also an opportunity for your dog to be examined by a veterinary surgeon for health problems, and a chance for you to air any concerns you may have. There are many dogs who are fortunate enough to have only vaccination visits recorded, having not needed veterinary attention for illness, accidents or other reasons. These visits provide a baseline for health, with bodyweight recorded and monitored on an annual basis. I enjoy vaccination visits - you would be amazed what can be found by a veterinary surgeon of which an owner may not have been aware, such as dental disease, heart murmur, early signs of arthritis, and even obesity.

We are as a profession seeking to base our vaccination protocols on best research and also tailored to the particular life style of each dog, so that we do not over-vaccinate for an individual’s level of risk. The first annual vaccination, after your puppy’s first birthday, is now seen as an important part of the puppy vaccination course, providing a vital boost to that initial level of protection. Rather than worrying about other dog owners’ views, ask your veterinary surgeon for his or her opinion, either now, or when you see him at an appointment for something else, or at that first annual booster visit.

Our priority as veterinary surgeons is your dog’s health and wellbeing.


Richard Allport, vet, advises...

Quite true, Jim, the WSAVA (World Small Animal Veterinary Association) has published advice for dog vaccination which states categorically that for what are known as the ‘core vaccines’ (Distemper, Parvovirus and Canine hepatitis) dogs that have had puppy vaccinations followed by a booster a year later will have protection for many years and need revaccination only after three years or more. Also the advice states, equally categorically, that if dogs have had puppy vaccinations and a booster a year later, but no subsequent boosters, it is only ever necessary to give a single shot to achieve full protection and not (as many vets seem to suggest) another course of two vaccinations.

Vaccines for other diseases, such as Leptospirosis, Rabies and Kennel Cough do not give protection for as long, but are not classified as core (essential) vaccines. They should only be given to dogs at particular risk of these diseases.

Leptospirosis vaccine is particularly associated with adverse effects, doesn’t necessarily give protection for a full twelve months, doesn’t give protection against all types of Leptospirosis (there are many different strains), and is inadvisable to give to toy breeds unless they are in an environment of especially high risk.

Rabies, in the UK, is only given to dogs that will be travelling abroad. It is also a vaccine associated with a higher risk of side effects, and in my view it is far better to keep your dog in the UK than to risk not only side effects from the Rabies vaccine but also that of contracting unpleasant diseases such as Leishmaniasis and Ehrlichiosis which your dog can contract on the continent.

The Kennel Cough nasal vaccine is unpleasant to administer (it has to be squirted up the nose), often causes side effects (symptoms of coughing and sneezing) and isn’t guaranteed to prevent kennel cough occurring anyway, although it may minimise symptoms.

Do not, under any circumstances, allow your Cockerpoo to have a full booster every year.