I feel as though I must also add...I had all 5 of my children vaccinated as well :D (Though not against Parvo or Distemper LOL) I would rather they had the benefits of vaccination rather than possibly succumbing to a life threatening disease

At the end of the day, you pays your money and takes your choice :)

Yep - and my son (19) had his MMR booster in September, and is due his tetanus booster soon. People forget that their own jabs need boostering too! ;)

I was refused the MMR and Tetanus boosters at my doctors cos they said I don't need them (I'm 24!!)  Also Mumps was rife at my uni and they wouldn't give me that either - said only the 'boys' needed it :rolleyes:

Very strange about the tetanus boosters - I'm due my next one in 2 years time because it's 8 years since my last one, and they need doing every 10 years (unless you're in a high-risk occupation when you need them more frequently) until you're at least 60.

They didn't have mumps vaccinations in my day, none of us got them.  I had the mumps when I was 14.  I didn't have the BCG either.

But are we supposed to get tetanus injections every 10 years? Why?  When did that start?

I think that it has always been that they needing renewing every 10 years. However, some areas of the country have higher levels of risk than others and so, often people just don't bother and only have a booster when they sustain a dog bite or serious cut etc etc.

Daisy

To side-step a little  - one spin off of boosters is that it gets dogs into the vets surgery every year

I wouldn't take a dog to a place full of infection and viruses unnecessarily any more than I would go to the doctor's surgery!  I find that people go with an ingrowing toenail and come home with flu!! :rolleyes:

I realise from reading some of the posts that many owners aren't observant or knowledgable about their dogs, but for those who are, then their attention is often the best examination for their pets.

Totally agree - however it is amazing how neglectful some people are about their pets, whether it is just ignorance/plain stupidity/stinginess :( :( Someone I meet on walks told me the other day that her 11 year old bitch has a lump on a teat. She has had it for a few months and the woman has done nothing about it - because she can't decide whether she would want an operation or not if it was cancerous I did suggest to her that she should, at least, take the dog to the vets so that a diagnosis could be made and the choices offered to her. She said that she would wait until the New Year before making a decision about whether to go to the vets or not :( :(

Daisy

Absolutely Val :)

Ahhh..... I remember we had an outbreak of lockjaw in the cattle about 30 years ago and we all had to have a tetanus injection.  But that was the last I heard of it. 

There seems to be a lot of vaccinations around these days. 

Doesn`t there just

Don`t think I`ve been vaxed or had mumps either Spender, daughter got it even tho she was vaxed against it :rolleyes:

Haven`t had a tetanus for over 20yrs now I don`t think, don`t know much about it but heres a link :)

http://www.nccn.net/~wwithin/tetanus.htm

Thanks Christine, very interesting.  I don't like needles; so I tend to avoid them wherever possible so no boosters for me I'm afraid.  ;-)

Nurse at our practice caught me with my knickers down :P  Went along for smear test and she said "while you're here you might as well have your Tetanus jab as it's so many years ......."  She told me at the time that we have an area in our town that has a particularly high incidence of natural spores for Lockjaw so went ahead and had it done - well in the order of things it didn't seem so bad ;)

"Nurse at our practice caught me with my knickers down :-p"

hahaha a little too much information ;)

I got jabbed with a flu vaccine when I was there on Fri (I've got a low immune system) and now feel like I've got the sodding flu :rolleyes:

Re: Tetanus jabs - I was told something along the lines of that its not a common problem where we live and is generally only given out if people sustain a bite etc...

You`re welcome Spender :)

Hate needles as well :D

My BIL/SIL only had their eldest son vaccinated against whooping cough (he's 33) not the younger 3 boys (because of a 'scare' that the vaccination was dangerous). Of course, when an epidemic of whooping cough came around the oldest boy was the only one that didn't get it. Fortunately, none of them were left with lasting problems, although two had it badly. They all now, probably, have an immunity to it - but the oldest 'suffered' least for it :)

Daisy

I`m not even going to get into comparing them with childrens/humans........

The scientific evidence done by a world reknowned expert immunologist is there, once a dog is immune to parvo/distemper the immunity is for life & certainly for 7 years.

You either believe that or you don`t & thats how simple it is :D

Christine, Spain.

To side-step a little ;) - one spin off of boosters is that it gets dogs into the vets surgery every year :) At our training club, new members are required to produce the pup/dog's vaccination card before joining. In theory no-one ever asks for proof of boosters after this - but from time to time, certain members are asked for proof that their dog has been for it's boosters because the trainers are worried about the dog's health (maybe the owner is the sort of person that won't take a gentle hint or the trainer doesn't want to worry them unnecessarily) and the owner then has to take the dog to the vet :)

Daisy

>The scientific evidence done by a world reknowned expert immunologist is there, once a dog is immune to parvo/distemper the immunity is for life & certainly for 7 years.

Has the research done by the expert immunologist been replicated by others or is he the only one to discover the immunity for life theory?

Yes it has :)

Although as I`ve already said, don`t expect anymore due to it being unethically acceptable nowadays :)

And don`t forget there is NO scientific evidence anywhere for boosters to have ever been needed yearly in the first place ;) :D

But boosters arent needed yearly, so why should the club ask for proof of them Daisy  Even PATS dog are accepted as having nosode certificates instead of conventional vax :)

Better all round for people to get used to the idea their pets need an annual check-up :)

Don`t forget, no vax should ever be given to an unwell/ill or unhealthy animal ;) :)

The club DOESN'T normally ask for proof of boosters - it accepts that as long as a dog has had at least the initial vaccs. then that is sufficient. Experience has shown that there are just SOME people who will not take their dogs to the vet even when it has been suggested that the dog is 'not quite right' - but they WILL go to have their boosters done. It may be daft - but some people avoid vets as they avoid dentists :(

Daisy

So we`ve got to get the message out dogs need an yearly check up then :)

Exactly - obviously a lot of people - most on here :) - are more than capable of noting whether there is a problem with their dogs and then making a decision whether professional help is necessary :)

Daisy

I think I'm pretty good at spotting when my dog is off colour or not in the appearance of blooming health but when I go to the vets for a vaccination they listen to heart and lungs as well as a abdominal palpation none of which I am either trained to do or have the experience of examining enough specimens to be able to spot an abnormality.  I doubt many dog owners are :)   An early detection of heart failure, lung congestion or a small, developing pelvic or abdominal mass must be helpful in seeking a successful treatment.

Absolutely. Checking for visible abnormalities is easy-peasy, but internal ones requires specialist training. I check my male dogs for testicular lumps, but I've no idea how to check their prostates!

>Although as I`ve already said, don`t expect anymore due to it being unethically acceptable nowadays

Sorry don't understand that bit, what's unethical?

With human diseases some give lifelong immunity such as Smallpox, Dyptheria (is that still around?) whilst others don't Tetanus does 'run out' and I believe that Polio does as well although that has just about been eradicated I think.  BCG doesn't give 100% protection.  So it depends upon the disease and to the liklihood of being exposed and I would have thought that dog diseases would be the same.

It does seem ludicrous to give boosters if there is no need for it but I would be surprised if all diseases vaccinated against give lifelong protection.  What diseases was the research on?

*Sorry don't understand that bit, what's unethical*

To do scientific research for any of the dog diseases it would be necessary to keep a fair number of dogs in total sterile isolation for many years to see the outcome/results of the tests. After vaccinating them many times with either the disease or a placebo, intoducing that same disease into them to see how the vaccinated ones thro off the challenge, or not. Time & time again :(  This is how all scientific studies are carried out.

Parvo/Distemper/Adno vaccines now give immunity for 3 years, there is scientific evidence that once immune to those 3 its a lifetime immunity :)

I personally am happy with the evidence already out there :)

>Parvo/Distemper/Adno vaccines now give immunity for 3 years, there is scientific evidence that once immune to those 3 its a lifetime immunity

sorry

Not sure why you`re sorry or confused Cheryl tell me why & I`ll try n explain :)

Ok forget that think I understand know :)

Research has been done on all diseases. conclusive evidence has been found on parvo, distemper & adno. Lepto results concluded it gave immunity for only possibly 6-9 months & the serovars used in the vaccines to give immunity aren`t the serovars causing disease. In some parts of the USA lepto hasn`t been seen by vets for a very many years, so prompting the question is it necessary?? Do the risks outweigh the benefits as its known to be the trigger for many adverse reactions. Ditto kennel cough.

>Parvo/Distemper/Adno vaccines now give immunity for 3 years, there is scientific evidence that once immune to those 3 its a lifetime immunity

Well it looks like a contradiction, so what do you mean?  Are they protected for 3 years or a lifetime?

*Well it looks like a contradiction, so what do you mean?  Are they protected for 3 years or a lifetime? *

The immunologist has published evidence immunity is lifetime in most dogs, nothing is ever 100% ;)

When a lot of concerned people kept referring to this evidence & questioning the whole booster issue the vaccine manufacturers finally caved in & had to do something so now say their vax gives immunity for 3yrs as opposed to only a yr.:rolleyes: Better than nothing I suppose.

So do some research & see who you believe after you`ve read all the facts ;) :D

Re- tetanus boosters. In the PCT where I work our immunologist recommends that the 5 tetanus vaccs given within the childhood schedule gives lifelong immunity. However, at the practice I work at, we boost if the pt is travelling abroad where the vaccine is recommended, and also if someone prsents with dog-bite, infected wound etc, regardless of whether they can remember when their last imms was. If someone books an appt for a 10yrly booster, I give it, but it isn't always necessary.