Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!! Oh well, I have a year to read what Champdogs members say and research the matter before I have to worry about that one!

I have stopped boosters also,the view now is that you should get the puppy shots done and then get the booster 1 year later and thats it,the vacc. lasts through out the dogs life,so in effect you are boostering a dog who is already covered therefore you are overloading the dogs system with chemicals which can only be a bad thing!,vaccinations are a huge money spinner for vets which is why most push for owners to get their dogs done every year,why dont humans get vaccinated every year??It's the same thing for our dogs.The less chemicals and drugs our dogs get pumped into their systems,the better!

Christine

"the vacc. lasts through out the dogs life"

Hi Christine, that may be true for the viral diseases though there is no real proof yet, but it isn't true for leptospirosis. Many vets and researchers do question annual viral boosters but there just isn't enough research to say that the immunity lasts life long. The AVMA and many vets are now saying that vaccine protocols should be tailored to the individual dog - eg it's health, activities, age and where it lives. Some viral disease vaccines are now licenced for two yearly boosters and some protocols and vets say 3 yearly 'core' boosters are sufficient for healthy young dogs.

Unfortunately leptospirosis is a bacterial disease and the vaccine does not give even a full year's protection. Worse, lepto vaccines do not give full protection because different variants of the pathogen are becoming more common. I'm not certain but think this is a greater problem in the US than the UK. And the lepto vaccine is one of the ones that most commonly causes adverse reactions. I do vaccinate annually for lepto because I live in a high risk area but might not if I lived elsewhere. This is a low risk area for parvo & distemper so I now only give the 'core' booster every three years.

IMO the real risk is with people who take the questions raised about the need for annual boosters to extremes and don't vaccinate at all. Most reputable sources advise full puppy vaccination plus the first booster as an absolute minimum. Some would say that the first booster should be given at 6 not 12 months. This is because there is a lot of variation in the duration of maternal immunity even within a single litter and it may last up to 20 weeks in some pups. Such pups will not be properly covered by their puppy vaccs because of the lingering maternal immunity and if not boostered until they are a year old they will be at risk for 9 months.

eek!

Thanks for the info peeps.

Thanks for the info Jas,i must find out if lepto is prevalent here in Australia?I will call my vet and go from there.
Another reason i am worried about vaccinating is coz of my girls allergies,i have read that an overload of vaccs. can aggravate allergies,she is allergic to grass,pollens etc. has anyone else heard of this?

thanks again :)

Christine

Hi Christine, leptospirosis is contracted primarily through contact with the urine of an infected animal, especially rats but can also be transmitted through bite wounds. In the UK dogs, especially hunting breeds, that live in rural areas and are exercised at and around farms are usually at the highest risk because they have ready access to potentially contaminated water and may catch & dispatch infected wildlife. It's mainly a disease of tropical and temperate climates because the bacteria needs warm humid conditions so if you live in one of the hot dry parts of Oz the risk is probably fairly low. Because of that the high risk time in the UK is late spring & summer, so my lot get their lepto jags in early spring to give them the best cover over the highest danger period.

I've never had a dog with allergy problems & don't know anything about vaccination & allergies but hopefully someone else has info.

Both my mother's cairn terriers were castrated, they did not gain weight as she just reduced the food intake.  Both my dogs were castrated and they did not gain weight either and in all four no "feminisation" took place, no male dogs were interested in them and they did not lose their playfulness, energy or working abilities.  The benefits for one of hers and one of mine was less "dribbling" around bitches, leg cocking and general "btiching" and a slightly more "relaxed" outlook on life in general :)

HTH

Thanks for that Tohme, one of my biggest fears was that my dog would loose his playfulness and zest for life. So it's good to hear your positive comments.
Thanks,
A

Hi A,

There are absolutely no effects from neutering or spaying a Cairn.  No change in coat.  No change in appetite.  No change in metabolism. No change in temperament.

However, whether or not you neuter, be warned .. Cairns aren't called the "labs of the terrier world" for nothing.  Most of them have hearty appetites and strive to be rotund little barrels.  :-)

Stacey

It's really nice to get some positive feedback, thanks Stacey. 
A