Traditionally dogs have been vaccinated 3 times as puppies and then every year after that with a C5 or even a C7 vaccine.
However many people including vets are starting to realise that this is overkill and is doing a lot of harm to our pets. 1
The good news is there are other options now commonly available.
Firstly the C3 vaccination is now registered as a triennial vaccine. Which means it can be done every 3 years instead of every year. Studies show that often the duration of immunity is even longer than 3 years.2
Secondly, titer tests are also an option. A titer test is a blood test that measures the antibody levels and can quantify whether or not your dog’s immune system has sufficient immunity against parvovirus, adenovirus, or distemper virus (the 3 core viruses in the C3 vaccination). As long as your puppy or dog passes the test then they do not require another vaccine.3
Why vaccinate?
The reason we vaccinate against these viruses is because they can be so deadly. Parvovirus is the main one that concerns me and ideally, a vet would prefer to prevent your pup from contracting parvovirus because treating parvovirus puppies is probably the absolute worst part of our job. I have seen enough of it to last a lifetime. It is an awful disease that causes pups (mostly up to 2y.o.) to get hemorrhagic diarrhoea and vomiting. The virus wipes out the bone marrow which is where most of the white blood cells to fight infection are produced, as well as causing severe bleeding throughout the digestive tract.4 The smell is horrendous. Around 50% of puppies survive. It isn’t fun for anyone involved.
The good news is Adenovirus ( a form of hepatitis) and distemper are much more rare (in Australia) and I haven’t personally ever seen a case of these. For more info you can check out these resources; Adenovirus and distemper.
The important things to consider;
The main thing to consider here is that parvovirus is really deadly and relatively common in puppies in Australia (although since working on the Sunshine Coast since 2017 I have been lucky enough not to see a single case). It is a resistant sticky virus that can be spread on objects such as shoes and live in the environment for up to 9 years.5 It is also resistant to most regular disinfectants (bleach is an exception). Thus protecting your puppy is a pretty sound idea.
Usually, your pup will have already had 1 vaccine at around 6 – 8 weeks old. Unfortunately, this is often ineffective because the mother’s maternal antibodies (which protect the puppy) interfere with the ability of the pup’s immune system to respond to the vaccination and create an immune reponce6
The maternal antibodies disappear between around 10 and 16 weeks old. This is why most vets will vaccinate 2 more times after the initial one with the breeder (3 times in total). We cannot be sure when the pup is no longer protected and when exactly the pup will be able to respond to the vaccine and create an immune response.
However in my experience, if the 2nd vaccination is given at around 12 weeks old; the majority of puppies will then pass the titer test at 16 weeks old. If they fail then a 3rd vaccination is recommended.
Dr Nat’s recommendations;
Thus my recommendations are to get your puppy vaccinated with a C3 vaccine at 12 weeks old and then titre test at 16 weeks.
If kennel cough is also required (this is more optional read more here) then do the intranasal KC injection at 16 weeks to separate the vaccines and allow your puppy’s immune system more time to respond.
After this, I recommend titre testing 1 year later and then every 3 years after that. Kennel cough if required is yearly.
When your pup receives a vaccine is it a good idea to also protect them with a homeopathic to help negate any possible side effects.
Finally, one of the major influences on your puppy’s immune system is of course their nutrition. Make sure you give your pup the best start by feeding them a raw diet. Check out my article here for more info.
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