Hi All, Some of you may remember me from late last year, took my bitch to be mated on day 20 after 5 premates and no puppies!! Anyway, all water under the bridge now and we are just about to embark on our 2nd attempt. She's come into season 7 weeks early, which is lucky as she had just been re eye tested. I am going back to my breeder to get her mated and I am going to be giving her the CHV. At the moment she is on day 2 of her season and she is on Folic Acid and Wheatgerm Oil for Vit E. My question is exactly when does she have the 1st vaccine??? I am due to take her to my breeder on day 10 so we can see if she's doing anything, but obviously won't know if she will be ready on that day. On the Merial website it says "at/or soon after mating", but I notice the site doesn't seem to have been updated since 2001?? I also found a PDF document which gives information for vets on how it should be administered and that states "during heat or soon after mating", plus I have been told various times by different people so I'm a tad confused?
Another question, I phoned my vets who have never given this vaccine before so they said they would get back to me with a price etc. They phoned me back to say it would be £47 for the 2 injections which seems very reasonable to me but they then said I had to pay for 2 injections when the first one gets done even though she might never receive the 2nd one if she doesn't get in whelp?? Does this sound right?? Thanks in advance for all your help.
Gill

Hi
I tried to get to CHV but left it to late for the 1st vaccine. As my vet had trouble getting it in, it needs to be given 7-10 days after mating. There was a shortage at the company who supplies this. I would ask your vet to order it as soon as your bitch has mated. The next injection is then due 2 weeks before she is due to whelp, which my vet said he would order when she is 5 weeks. This is to give the company plenty time to get the vaccine. I hope all goes well for you and your bitch
Shell

Two doses of the vaccine are given to the bitch, the first dose at or soon after mating and the second dose six to seven weeks later, i.e. mid - late pregnancy. This stimulates the bitch to produce high levels of protective antibody to CHV, which she then passes to the puppies in their first feed of colostrum.

The vaccination schedule must be repeated at each pregnancy,

This info was copied from http://www.canineherpes.com/  it gives you full details on the vaccination etc.

Hi Gill, I never mate without giving the CHV Vaccine.  The 1st jab to be done asap after mating, prefereably within 5 hours, but best within 24hours, the 2nd jab to be given exactly 7 days before due whelping date.

The cost of the vaccine sounds very reasonable, but your vet is correct to say that both need to be paid for.  The vaccines have to be specially ordered and come in together as a batch, so the vet has to pay for them whether you use it or not, since they cannot use the single dose that is left and would have to be disposed of.

Good luck and hope all goes well this time
Kay

Thanks very much for all your replies :-)
I decided to give my breeder a phone as she is using the vaccine regularly. She gave me the details of her vets so I phoned them and they are happy for me to take her there and get the vaccine. Also they DON'T charge for 2 vaccines, you pay as you need them and they are charging me £20.77 for each one, which is even more reasonable than my own vet. Saying that they have a regular supply so maybe thats why. My vets are maybe concerned they are going to be left with something on the shelf that they can't sell.
Also I phoned another vet in my area and they said that they could order it in single doses and the cost would be £37 for each one, so the price seems to vary greatly!!
My breeder prefers the vaccine to be carried out before mating so I am getting it done on day 10 and then taking her to my breeder to see if she is ready or not as she never seems to tail off and premates told me day 20 last time which I feel is WAY off the mark. Not that day 20+ matings don't happen but in my personal observations I feel she is ready much earlier than that. Again I would like to thank you all for your advice, it's very much appreciated :-) I'm sure I'll have loads more questions to come!!!!

It could be, as you said, different areas, charge different prices, and if a vet keeps a regular stock, obviously a larger catchment area of breeders, this would seem sensible. 

Anyway, glad things are sorted for you and hope all goes well

Kay

Can someone let me know what the prevalence of this problem is as no-one in my breed has ever used this vacccine?