You ask for people who have their dogs regularly boostered. I've been having my dogs done for 25yrs (not the same dogs, obviously!!) They have never had any reaction, other than maybe a day or 2 off-colour. I don't have them done every yr, every 2 or 3 usually, unless they are going into kennels. I have the first lot of jabs done & always have the next yr, after that, it's when I remember. I don't have the real oldies done after about 13yrs because they hate the Vet's anyway. My dogs have all lived to at least 14, I lost my little old lady at 16 1/2 earlier this year. I do feel that people who don't innoculate are relying on us who do (unless they are tested & shown to have enough immunity).
I nearly lost a 15mth old bitch from a Parvo like illness, she was a week off having her 1st booster, the Vet & I were convinced it was Parvo, but they sent a blood test off to the Vaccine company, who would refund all my vet's fees if it WAS Parvo. The test came back negative. Well, they would say that wouldn't they!!!! I've gone off the point here. I was going to say. If I hadn't had her innoculated & it had been Parvo & she'd died I would never have forgiven myself.
Well that's my point of view. Not many people now remember when losing dogs to distemper was commonplace, but I do remember when Parvo first spread (my dog had the cat vaccine which was all that was available) It was a very frightening & upsetting time, especially if you had a puppy. Everyone was very grateful for the vaccine then.

Then do you still do the shots for Rabies, parvo ect in the beginning? I have ran a little late so far on Junior and T-bone for their yearly shots they still need them. If I take them to any dog class they need to be up on all shots. Should I worry about getting them their shots? They have always done fine, they may be a little off the first day being tired, but back to normal in no time. Just wondering because hubby doesn't see the big deal on doing their shots except every 3 years because thats when they need the rabie shot. Do you think it would effect them at all not going every year and only every 3 years?

Any words of advise is all ways welcome, thank you

ttfn :)

Hi D/Face, if you scroll a little way up this thread there are a few links with the facts about vaccines/boosters, have a read of them & what`s been written about peoples experience, then you have to make your own mind up. :)

Christine, Spain.

Hi Anwen, thats the problem with parvo, it`s symptoms are very similar to other enteritis diseases & even vets can`t tell what it is unless a blood & fecal test are done. A blood test alone can`t determine an animal has parvo. Your vet would have been better doing a fecal sample & having it sent to independent lab.

Christine, Spain.

Hi Christine
I was cutting a long story short! At the time I didn't care whether it was parvo or not - I just wanted my bitch to survive - which, fortunately she did. I wasn't that interested in getting my money back - it was a small price to pay.The vaccine company would only accept blood test results & sending off fecal samples would probably have taken too long to make any difference to her treatment. (The blood test wasn't done until she was on the road to recovery.) The vet I was seeing was young, keen & interested as he had worked in Glasgow where a lot of research had been done on Parvo, it was him who suggested the test. Life's too short to take on a big company in a legal battle. I think what she actually had was similar to the recent outbreak around the Forest of Dean. How she got it was a mystery, there were 2 or 3 dogs who got it within 24 hrs of my bitch & at least 2 died very rapidly. They all lived within my practice area, but none near enough for us to have been in contact with. One of life's little mysteries.

Hi Anwen, Glasgow is where I got my info from, maybe the vaccine company wouldn`t do anything other than a blood test but certainly would have to accept the results from a blood/fecal test done from a reputable independent laboratory. The fecal tests results were back in about 2dys. I agree with you tho, I wasn`t bothered about the money either, it was the priciple of the matter that concerned me but unfortunatly unless you`re seriously wealthy you can`t go to court for principles.
Glad your girl recovered :)

Christine, Spain.

Hi Sami, thats great news :) Hope things go well with your oldy :)

Christine, Spain.

Hi Sami,
I'm so pleased for you that it all went well. I hope your oldie picks up now and continues to improve.

Kath.

Hi, I'm new to this but, am interested in what you have all been discussing about vaccinating. However can you tell me what you know about Sneyds wonderdog.......I have been thinking of changing to this very food!!!!!!!
Kate

Due to adverse reactions my dog will not be vaccinated again, vaccine manufacturer, vets, and homeopathic vet all agree it will put his life at risk.

Hi Sami, I take my one to a Homeopathic vet and I do not regret the day I went, I have seen much improvement :)

I hope your one feels a lot better soon :)

This thread's 5 years old ... ;)

> This thread's 5 years old ...

Doh... so it is lol

this is a sore subject with me.  i don't agree with yearly vaccinations at all.  in the U.S they vaccinate every 3 years and as they seem that bit ahead of us in research etc i would rather do this with my dogs.  I am trying to get my vets to come round to this but not having much luck at the moment.  one of my girls had a very bad reaction to her 1st vaccine and i had to rush her to emergency vet and also with my breed it is recommended not to over vaccinate. 

i believe that because the yearly vaccinations are the vets 'bread & butter' then they are not interested in looking into reducing the amount of vaccine's.  Time will tell!!

the vaccine manufacturers state that parvo and distemper booster should be every 3 years, and vets that continue to booster for everything every year are either ignorant of the advice or aware of it and as you say, it is their bread and butter.  Also, once dogs have immunity it usually stays with them for life or at least up to 7 years, so apart from puppy jabs we shouldn't be boostering.   Then there is the lepto scenario, this is supposed to be given every year, but the fact that it doesn't cover all the strains found in the uk and is only effective between 3-7 months it leaves our dogs unprotected part of the year anyway.  Also the vaccine that is most likely to cause adverse reaction.

Bit of a sore point with me to Wendy, you are not alone.

> Then there is the lepto scenario, this is supposed to be given every year, but the fact that it doesn't cover all the strains found in the uk and is only effective between 3-7 months it leaves our dogs unprotected part of the year anyway

I didn't know that. They don't tell you that when you get your dog boostered!
My neighbours dog nearly died a few weeks back after a severe reaction to her booster vaccine. They didn't think she was going to survive but luckily she pulled though - just!

sorry to hear about your neighbours dog rachel.  This is exactly the sort of thing that happens probably a lot more than we know about!!

I think it definetly the time now that the vets in this country reconsider the vaccinations.

> the vaccine manufacturers state that parvo and distemper booster should be every 3 years

some do - some still say annual - and i think there is one that is 4 yearly now.

http://www.noahcompendium.co.uk/Intervet_Schering-Plough/Procyon_Dog_DA2PPi_CvL/-40884.html

I know for a fact we dont booster our dogs, we have had dogs for years and years and never carried this out... never had a problem what so ever with any of our doggis! Just goes to show doesnt it!

> I didn't know that. They don't tell you that when you get your dog boostered!
> My neighbours dog nearly died a few weeks back after a severe reaction to her booster vaccine. They didn't think she was going to survive but luckily she pulled though - just!

Oh dear, it is starting to sound from the posts on this board, that the boosters actually seem to do more harm than good!! I think a definate re think is needed on this money making situation!

> I think it definetly the time now that the vets in this country reconsider the vaccinations.

They have never stopped reviewing the evidence.  This is what you do in evidence based medicine.

> Oh dear, it is starting to sound from the posts on this board, that the boosters actually seem to do more harm than good!!

These posts may make it sound that way but scientific studies are the only way of determining the actual levels of risk and benefit. 
This all seems to be news to you despite deciding it is appropriate not to follow the recommended vaccination protocols.  Perhaps if you do a search on the subject you might learn a little more.

Sorry Isabel, but i dont feel the need to be patronised by you!! I found that very demeaning that comment!

You would be surprised by what i do know actually, and i just dont see the need for these boosters... as dont a lot of people!!

And as for the boosters doing more harm than good, i didnt say THEY DID, i said the posts make it sound like they do!

Appologies, it sounded like surprise to me.

Accepted :)

What did you mean by the last bit, im lost now :-O

Which last bit?

> it sounded like surprise to me.

That bit lol, im off home now, but speak tomorrow :)

I appologises because this bit

>Oh dear, it is starting to sound from the posts on this board, that the boosters actually seem to do more harm than good!! I think a definate re think is needed on this money making situation!

sounded like you were surprised and this was news to you but it turns out you knew all this all along :-)

Ohhh i get you now!!! hahaha!! No i wasnt surprised at all, i have heard a few stories before, but i meant from the posts on the board to someone who wouldnt understand or even know what a booster was, they might think its a bad thing to have done... when they do have benefits but we just dont do them... if that makes sense... its hard to explain over writing lol :)

I think vaccination is down to the individual person isnt it. Same as MMR with children. If  you fully understand the implications and possible consequences then it is up to you IMO

I think the MMR is an excellent example of people find it very difficult to fully understand when they are given misleading information or simply not having the study skills to evaluate the information that are given.

This is just a general reply but I am going through this scenario as well and have encountered a difficulty.  My Vet agrees it will be safe to booster most things every three years instead of every one.  But isn't the fact that all vaccines are given at once, just now every three years, just as important a consideration?  I have read some websites that believe the jolt of vaccines for several different ailments all at once can adversely affect the dog's system and is possibly the more serious concern.  I wonder what the thought on that is?  I do know of some people who have tried to have them separated and of course got charged an extra fee because it is cheaper for the Vet to buy a combination vac., instead of purchasing them singly.

> I have read some websites that believe the jolt of vaccines for several different ailments all at once can adversely affect the dog's system

After spending millions on years and years of research this was found not to be the case in the MMR.  

Thanks Isabel.  I'm still looking into this.  Can you post a link to MMR?  Or spell it out so I can google it?

Unfortunately I am a member of a canine cancer forum (lost my beloved dog to Lyphoma 3 months ago) Funnily enough it came to light approx 4 weeks after the rabies vaccine was given. Today I have received a very lengthy post about vaccinations in America. I have just pasted the very first paragraph, if anyone is interested in the remainder I will post privately so as not to cause controversy. But it makes very interesting reading.

VACCINATION NEWS FLASH

I would like to make you aware that all 27 veterinary schools in
North America are in the process of changing their protocols for
vaccinating dogs and cats. Some of this information will present an
ethical & economic challenge to vets, and there will be skeptics.
Some organizations have come up with a political compromise
suggesting vaccinations every 3 years to appease those who fear loss
of income vs those concerned about potential side effects

>Can you post a link to MMR?

http://www.mmrthefacts.nhs.uk/

> Funnily enough it came to light approx 4 weeks after the rabies vaccine was given.

There would have been a 1 in 12 chance of that happening.  Not so off the wall really that it was just coincidental.  Sadly dogs get cancer and always will :-(

Alison I think that's old news from a few years ago as I remember reading this. Some vets here did try to push for change but so far it has not happened.

Just remembered that my first dog died of cancer 4 weeks after her booster. Just a coincidence obviously.

>Some vets here did try to push for change but so far it has not happened.

Really????   There was some absolutely brilliant threads on these boards on vac, must be a couple of years ago now.  The 3 yr licence for some vac manu's for Parvo, Adeno & Distemper came into effect or was filtered down to vets at local level in 2004 I think.

I thought most vets in the UK had already moved to the 3 yr protocol for the core vaccines, PI & Lepto annual, a couple of years ago now.  Has it not happened across the board or has some moved back to the 1 yr????

> Really????  

This has been cut and pasted across so many websites, all the usual suspects :-)  Goodness knows when it really dates from or what the original source was but when you read it is says nothing really just vague changes in the pipeline before exorting you to take it to your vet and wave it about in front of him :-)

>I have read some websites that believe the jolt of vaccines for several different ailments all at once can adversely affect the dog's system and is possibly the more serious concern.  I wonder what the thought on that is?

I saw a programme on sky last week about the dangers of vac; it was on in the background when I was reading and I was a kinda half watching it.  The jest of it was that lots of vac at once can adversely affect the immune system.  And to be honest, it makes common sense to me, like all things in life everything has a limit about how much it can be stretched at one point in time before the tears start to show, and that includes the immune system.

Ah ha..... Isabel, we've been here before.......lol.  So it's just the same info that we had many discussions about in 2005 then?  Well it actually predates to years before that but like all things, it takes years to filter down the system.  

> Has it not happened across the board or has some moved back to the 1 yr????

No it has not :( many still use the 1yr

Many?  Are you sure they are not referring to the Lepto?

> Many?  Are you sure they are not referring to the Lepto?

I am 100% sure. My vet still does it. All in the area I reside do it.

Have you tried requesting that he does not and just gives the Lepto?

Only one of the three nearest vets to me (a private practice unlike the other two which are part of larger national groups) uses the nobivac 3 yearly vaccine.  The other two use a product which requires - allegedly ;) - annual boostering for DHPP as well as Lepto.

IMO using the latter system is for the purposes of bringing in regular money only - not for the benefit of pet or owner :(

> Have you tried requesting that he does not and just gives the Lepto?

If the question is for me he is not allowed to be vaccinated everyone agree's including the vaccine manufactur vets.

Hi kath_barr, I'm new to these champ dog forums, & realise I'm replying to an old post, but could you please tell me why you say don't buy Sneyd's Working Wonderdog?  (Asking because I feed my two Sneyd's Working Wonderdog (their Premium variety).  Thanks.  Jacki.