Grandview Animal Hospital
- 50 years of "Healing, Caring & Sharing"
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Our canine vaccination protocol at Grandview Animal Hospital may be different than you are accustomed to. The traditional approach to "yearly shots" or annual vaccine visits are a thing of the past. It is very well accepted in the veterinary community that the vaccines available for DHPP (distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza) provide immunity for much longer than 12 months. This is just a guideline! Every dog is different and we will work with you to determine what vaccines are appropriate for your dog's lifestyle. We also have access to quick and easy titer testing to see if your dog needs vaccination or has protective levels of immunity. See below for some FAQ's regarding vaccinations and your dog. If you have any other questions just ask!
Q: Why do the LEPTOSPIROSIS and BORDETELLA vaccines still need to be given every year? A: The DHPP componets of the vaccination are developed from viruses. These provide quick, long-lasting immunity to diseases such as distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and parainfluenza. Many studies demonstrate that 3 year intervals for the DHPP vaccine are safe and effective for the vast majority of dogs. Leptospirosis and Bordetella vaccines are bacterins developed from bacteria. These vaccines are not as effective as those developed from viruses and need to be boostered at 12 month intervals to provided continued immunity. Q: Why are small and large dogs given the same dose of vaccine? A: The same dose of vaccine is administered to all dogs, regardless of age, breed or size. The vaccine acts on "memory" cells, triggering them to "remember" an immune response after exposure to a bacteria or virus. Each dog, regardless of age, breed or size has the same processes happening after vaccination. It is a dose sufficient to trigger an adequate response in the immune system. It may be the opinion of individual breeders to recommend a "half-dose" for toy-breeds but there is no evidence that this is a logical practice. The danger of inadequate protection to parvovirus or distemper is a far greater concern than an uncommon vaccine reaction. Dosing recommendations are made after years of administration and challenge testing by the vaccine manufacturers. Q: What is a vaccine "reaction"? A: Animals may experience a true anaphylactic reaction post-vaccination. This is similar to a person developing respiratory arrest following a bee sting. What we commonly see in our patients (maybe 1/500 or less) is the development of hives and/or facial swelling. This is treated with an antihistamine injection. If this happens, those animals are usually treated with an antihistamine before, and possibly after, subsequent vaccination. Occasionally the immune system will trigger an auto-immune reaction post vaccination. This may result in a life threatening anemia or destruction of platelets. This is usually treatable and those animals would not be candidates for future vaccination. Q: What alternatives exist to vaccination? A: We have changed our recommendations to parallel well accepted guidelines developed by AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association). An alternative to the DHPP vaccination is monitoring titers. A titer is the level of protection detected in your pet's serum. A blood sample is submitted to our outside laboratory and if an inadequate immune response is measured then we would recommend vaccination. The reason pets are not routinely screened for protective titers is cost. This test for DHPP is approximately $75.00. The interval between vaccination for rabies is determined by various state or local municipalities and for serious public health reasons should not be extended past manufacturer recommendation. |
