The Vaccine Breakdown
Distemper/Parvo
Combo
(ie. DLHPP, DA2PP)-The
common practice is to administer mulit-disease (ie, poly-valent) vaccines or combination shots which
cover up to 7 diseases at one time. The
combo shots may cover distemper (D), leptosporosis (L), hepatitis
(H), parvovirus (P), parainfluenza (P), coronavirus (Cv), adenovirus (A), or
any combination thereof . The
vaccine is administered 3 times at approximately 8, 12, and 16 weeks,
boosted approximately one year later and then every 1-3 years after that
depending on the veterinarian. Proof of vaccination is often required for boarding and daycare.
At
Renegade Canaan Dogs, we limit our vaccinations to single dose treatments for
Distemper and Parvo only. We do not use multi-disease vaccinations.
Rabies
The rabies vaccine is usually delivered at the same time as the final set of
puppy vaccines. In most of the US,
state laws will limit your choices with the vaccine.
We suggest complying with your local regulations.
We also strongly suggest waiting until the puppy is 6 months before
administering a rabies vaccine because it is the most potent vaccine your dog
will receive. The rabies vaccine is
the one most often cited for vaccine related reactions. Most state laws allow
for this, please check your local regulations. The rabies vaccine is the
only one which must be administered by a licensed veterinarian. Proof
of vaccination is often required for boarding and daycare, as well as town
registrations.
At
Renegade Canaan Dogs, puppies receive the vaccination at six months of age (as
required by the state of Rhode Island). This is boosted approximately one
year later (as required) and then every two years (as required).
Bordetella
(Kennel Cough)
This is the
approximate equivalent to the human common cold. The Kennel Cough vaccine can be given as an intranasal
administration or injection and, if used, needs to be given every 6 months.
It does not guarantee your pet will not contract kennel cough, but it
supposedly lessens the likelihood. Kennel
Cough can be caused by a variety of viruses and bacterias, so one vaccine does
not protect against all of them. Proof
of vaccination is often required for boarding and daycare.
In addition, some people who frequently visit city dog parks administer
this vaccine. While highly contagious, it can
be successfully treated with antibiotics if it is caused by a bacterial
infection. If it is a viral, a healthy dog with a strong immune system should be
able to adequately fight the infection with supportive care.
Lyme
The lyme vaccine is
heavily promoted for use in the Northeast to prevent Lyme Disease carried by
some deer ticks. A tick must be
attached for at least 48 hours to transmit the Lyme Disease causing parasite. If
the disease is discovered at an early stage, it is easily treated with 30 days
of antibiotics. However, the disease can be debilitating
if allowed to progress untreated, Please keep in mind, vaccinated dogs can
still contract the disease.
At
Renegade Canaan Dogs, we choose not to vaccinate for Lyme Disease in spite of
our location in a high risk area. Instead, we are vigilant to remove ticks
and will occasionally treat with a dose of Frontline during high tick season.
It is our preference to treat with antibiotics if required versus administering
the vaccine on a regular basis.
Other
Vaccines
Other diseases
with available vaccinations should be considered based on your local area and
potential for exposure. For example, leptospirosis might be considered if there has been a recent outbreak in your area.
Leptospirosis
is a bacterial infection spread by animal urine. The bacteria has become
resistant to vaccinations and has mutated, therefore most
strains of leptospirosis that infect dogs are not covered by the traditional vaccine.
The leptospirosis vaccine has a high incidence of adverse
side effects such as acute allergic reaction (swelling, anaphylactic shock,
death) as well as not offering protection for greater than 6 months. If
contracted and not treated early, the disease can wreak havoc on the internal
body systems resulting in kidney failure and liver disease. Fortunately,
leptospirosis is a rare occurrence in dogs now and can be treated with
antibiotics if caught early.
Sometimes
this disease is covered by the combo-shots.
Other diseases you might encounter in your research may include (but not limited
to) Coronavirus, Adenovirus, among others. It is important to research each disease yourself to make an educated
decision about what your animal actually needs.
More Information
The
following books and Web sites
are a great guide for beginners and we encourage you to research the limited
vaccination method very carefully. You might want to consider finding a
holistic/homeopathic veterinarian.
We
do not proclaim to be health experts or veterinarians. We suggest that you
do your research and decide whether a limited vaccination lifestyle makes sense for your
pet.
|
