# Can anyone summarize the whole vaccine thing for me?



## lavillerose (Feb 16, 2011)

Poodle Club of America 2010 Vaccine Protocol

That link is for puppies to a year. Afterwards, it depends on your area.

Look into what is required by law in your area, because that can have something to do with it. In the US, different states and even different counties within a state can have different requirements. If there is no yearly requirement in your jurisdiction, then your vet cannot force you into anything, and I would look into finding a more forward thinking vet. I have heard of some vets surreptitiously giving vaccines even if the owner refuses, which is ridiculous and probably illegal.


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

In a nutshell, you really should do a heartworm test every year.

Rabies is good for AT LEAST 3 years. If you live in an area where a 1 year vaccine is required by law, well, you have to unfortunately abide by that law. 

I recommend googling Dr. Jean Dodd's protocol for Distemper and Parvovirus vaccine protocols. After the puppy series has been completed (IMO ideally would just be DPV (Distemper and Parvovirus) but in practice often is DHPPV (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus) it should be repeated at 1 year, and then is LIKELY good for life. 

Personally, I would never vaccinate for bacterial illnesses like Lepto. I avoid bordetella vaccines unless I HAVE to for boarding, training, dog parks that require it. Then, I do it intranasally and only once in a year. 


Millie had puppy shots, 15 month follow up shots and will be titered in 3 years to make sure she's good. My vet said she's actually NEVER had a dog follow that protocol NOT show up with high titers even at 10, 11 years old. 

Tiger had DHPPV as a puppy, will get it again at 1 year after his last puppy shot and then will be done for life. 

I don't believe that anything other than Rabies is legally required anywhere in the States...


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## outwest (May 1, 2011)

You are only required by law to get rabies, but please do parvo at the very least. If you think you may board, boarding kennels require different vaccines. Some groomers require vaccines, too. Distemper is less prevalent than Parvo, but is a wicked disease that is still around. Parvo is nasty and fairly common. I got all the puppy vaccines for mine and plan to do titers when it is time for boosters. You can ask your vet about titers instead. My feeling is most vaccines are good far, far longer than they say they are. 

Check with your state. In my state puppies under a year get a one year rabies. After that it is three years.


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## outwest (May 1, 2011)

PS The vets here never recommend heartworm tests unless someone requests it, but in some states they do them every year. It depends on what state you live in and the prevalence of heartworm.


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

*LNB083:* I do the same as *ChocolateMillie*. And it requires me to have two vets, and to hold my ground. I go to one "conventional" vet who's local, for injuries and other routine things. I got to a second vet who supports my decision to follow Dr. Jean Dodds' protocol for vaccines. I do titers every three years and test for heartworm and Lyme's (we live in the woods) every year, and Rabies vaccine every three years as required by local law. Don't be intimidated by any vet, your wishes should prevail when it come to caring for your poodle. You can do a thread search on the forum for "vaccines," there have been a number of discussions on this very important topic. If you need people to support you and back you up; we're here!! Good luck!:clover:


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## PaddleAddict (Feb 9, 2010)

outwest said:


> PS The vets here never recommend heartworm tests unless someone requests it, but in some states they do them every year. It depends on what state you live in and the prevalence of heartworm.


I am not sure where you live, but I am in So Cal and my vet recommends yearly heartworm tests and monthly prevention all year


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## outwest (May 1, 2011)

Not mine. I probably live closer to the desert? He said heartworm testing was voluntary for us, not many mosquitos.


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## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

I don't mind getting heatworm tests - they just test stool so it does not hurt the dog. In CT we are advised to use heartworm prevention year round which makes the test unnecesary.


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## LNB083 (Aug 15, 2011)

Thank you all for replying and sorry so late to reply. I feel alot more informed now! Thank you!


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## Onyx11 (Jan 8, 2012)

After reading everything I am so upset! Onyx's second set was last week was DHLPP is this ok? also they were going to give him rabbies vac when he got his last set! I am waiting!


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## zyrcona (Jan 9, 2011)

*Heartworms*: You've got two choices. Either you worm the dog at least every six months with a drug that is effective at preventing heartworms, and in this case you do not need to do a test because if heartworms are present, the worms take seven months to mature and the infestation will not have progressed to the point where they will harm the dog when the medicine kills them, and the test will not show the immature ones anyway. Or, if your dog was last wormed with a medicine effective against heartworm more than six months ago, you must do a test first, and if the test is positive, the dog will need to be admitted and carefully monitored while an arsenic substance is administered to kill the worms. This is because adult worms in the heart dislodge and enter the bloodstream when they die, and the dead worms can cause pulmonary blockages and death. If the test is negative, then you can use a heartworm preventive wormer as above.

EDIT: Just looked at something else, and apparently the heartworm in the USA is different from the heartworm we have here and in Australia. Heartworm here is passed on by dogs eating slugs and snails, which eat poo from infected dogs. Treatment may differ slightly. Ask your vet and always tread on slugs as a precaution ;-) (wearing shoes of course).

*Vaccinations*: In the USA you must abide by your state's regulations for rabies shots, but you can determine immune response (i.e. whether a lapsed vaccination is still effective) by asking your vet to do titres.


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

I would avoid Lepto in the future!


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## Onyx11 (Jan 8, 2012)

What should I ask for I am going to call ahead of time he does not go again for 4 weeks.


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## partial2poodles (Feb 11, 2010)

I just did titer tests for Rabies $138 and Distemper $127 done this week so I could have my 9 year olds teeth cleaned. Its all a moneymaking gimmick..im not convinced. I REFUSED vaccines on him. He is so perfect. Vaccines always upset his balance for about 6 months. He gets ear infections and runny eyes and lethargy. Ao since im very new to this I will let you know what his tests show. The rabies titre takes 20 days for results and 10I days for the distemper. This particular dog has ALWAYS been lightly vaccinated. So both the vet AND I am super interested in his blood titers. This will show what is still in the blood. His last vaccs were 5the years ago in 2007.


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## zyrcona (Jan 9, 2011)

Onyx11 said:


> What should I ask for I am going to call ahead of time he does not go again for 4 weeks.


If you have started a course you're not happy with, you can talk it through with your vet but it's probably best you stick to the course until he completes it or the vet may insist you have to start the new course you decide on again. It's currently popular to be vaccine-minimalist so as to minimise the chance of a dog having a reaction to a vaccine and because of concerns about dogs' immune systems being overloaded with antigens, but reactions are uncommon and the vaccine is unlikely to do him any harm.


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## Onyx11 (Jan 8, 2012)

partial2poodles said:


> I just did titer tests for Rabies $138 and Distemper $127 done this week so I could have my 9 year olds teeth cleaned. Its all a moneymaking gimmick..im not convinced. I REFUSED vaccines on him. He is so perfect. Vaccines always upset his balance for about 6 months. He gets ear infections and runny eyes and lethargy. Ao since im very new to this I will let you know what his tests show. The rabies titre takes 20 days for results and 10I days for the distemper. This particular dog has ALWAYS been lightly vaccinated. So both the vet AND I am super interested in his blood titers. This will show what is still in the blood. His last vaccs were 5the years ago in 2007.


I had never even heard of titer I am so gald I found this site! That is my plan for next year when he is due! I get worried about every little thing! about 4 months ago I lost my 6 year old St Beranrd to Pyometra I did not even know there was such a thing!!!! Cant wait to hear what comes back.


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## zyrcona (Jan 9, 2011)

Onyx11 said:


> I had never even heard of titer I am so gald I found this site! That is my plan for next year when he is due! I get worried about every little thing! about 4 months ago I lost my 6 year old St Beranrd to Pyometra I did not even know there was such a thing!!!!


I am sorry to read that your St Bernard died. :-( If you have another bitch in future, it might be best to have her spayed. Spaying is a generally very safe operation that completely eliminates the risk of pyometra. Also you might discuss with your vet when to get your new puppy neutered. Neutering will make him think with his brain instead of his willy and he will be a lot less frustrated when he grows up.


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## partial2poodles (Feb 11, 2010)

I just had an 8 year old develop Pyometra when her babies were 5 weeks old. She was an amazing female. Still have her altho she got spayed. But her pyo was well controlled BEFORE her spay, my O year old with the titer business is still going to be bred. He is a total gentleman. I don't believe in overvaccinating and EARLY desexing. Its a bunch of bull....we are educated, caring responsible poodle owners, why don't we get our 12 year olds children fixed?....and you can't ever convince me that vaccines are relatively HARMLESS!


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## Onyx11 (Jan 8, 2012)

It was so upsetting! She went in for emergency spay we went to see her and 3 hours later they called and said she was crashing! I want to learn as much as I can so I feel good about the health of Onyx! On the fixing thing when should it be done? If you wait will they start to mark?


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## zyrcona (Jan 9, 2011)

Onyx11 said:


> On the fixing thing when should it be done?


Neutering and spaying shouldn't be done before a dog is six months old. It's best to discuss with your vet to decide when is the best time to spay/neuter. Usually it's between six months and a year old.

Obviously if dogs are to be used for breeding, they are not spayed and neutered, although bitches who have finished breeding are often spayed afterwards.


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