Distemper vaccinations for puppies
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| I don't know about Canadian rules, but we do a series of 3 here. Your darn vet!!! ($$$$) |
| We did 3 with Dahlia last year. I would definitely question them unless as Dawn says, it is different in Canada? |
| 3 here too. It isn't really the number of shots: I think the ideal is to give the last one by at least 16 wks old, because by then maternal immunity interference should not be an issue for close to 100% of puppies (or something like that) Currently my vet's recommendation is 8 wks/12 wks/16 wks They don't actually NEED 3 (or 4) shots. They just need ONE - when it is effective. The problem is that varies from puppy to puppy, so you jab them with a series and hope you eventually get it right.  How old is she now? KB |
| I believe the timing got screwed up, and if that's the case I'll blame my vets. We got Gracie a few days younger than when we got Mady. She is 109 days old. She had her 3rd shots on Feb 24. |
| Here is my 2 cents. Way back when....it used to be recommended that puppies receive their first set of vaccines at 6 weeks of age. It was later found that pups have natural immunity from their mother until a minimum of 8 weeks of age and the 6 week vaccine is actually not a good idea as it takes away moms immunity she has given her pups. It would be ideal if I could have the entire litter titred at 8 weeks, and only vaccinate those whose immunity from the mother has worn off. However, that is not practical so all of my pups receive their first vaccinations (DAPP) at 8 weeks of age. A booster is then given at 12 and 16 weeks of age, and at 16 weeks I also give rabies. After that, they get a booster DAPP + rabies at 16 months old and then every three years after that (again, a titre is ideal) In my opinion your vet is dead wrong to give Gracie a fourth vaccine! Very dangerous in my opinion and I would never recommend that you give her a fourth booster at 20 weeks!!!! Overvaccinating is sooooo bad! Dawn I think you are completely right - it's all about the $$$. |
Baba wrote: I believe the timing got screwed up, and if that's the case I'll blame my vets. We got Gracie a few days younger than when we got Mady. She is 109 days old. She had her 3rd shots on Feb 24. That makes no difference! She should only have 3 sets of puppy vaccines. I say 8, 12 and 16 weeks however the difference of a few days never warrants an extra set of vaccinations. |
Mad Dog wrote: 3 here too. They don't actually NEED 3 (or 4) shots. They just need ONE - when it is effective. The problem is that varies from puppy to puppy, so you jab them with a series and hope you eventually get it right. KB Exactly! Like I mentioned earlier, ideally, titres would be done at 8 weeks then weekly and then vaccinate accordingly, however that is not practical to do with a litter of pups. Some pups may need the vaccine at 8 weeks, some 9 weeks, etc. |
| So could we titre her instead of the 4th vaccine? Isn't that just a blood test? A vaccine is $110 in total, would a titre be alot more expensive? Bottom line I want to make sure Gracie is vaccinated but not OVER vaccinated. |
Mady wrote: So could we titre her instead of the 4th vaccine? Isn't that just a blood test? A vaccine is $110 in total, would a titre be alot more expensive? Bottom line I want to make sure Gracie is vaccinated but not OVER vaccinated. That would be absolutely unnecessary! Kim, trust me, she is more than adequately vaccinated. You know how I feel.....not much more I can say. |
Mady wrote: So could we titre her instead of the 4th vaccine? Isn't that just a blood test? A vaccine is $110 in total, would a titre be alot more expensive? Bottom line I want to make sure Gracie is vaccinated but not OVER vaccinated. How can the vaccine be $110?? I just had Bond in for his last one, and the entire visit, with exam, was $34. He got his ears looked into with the fiber optic scope, heart listened to, and whole body checked out, weighed and a puppy packet with Heartgard and Frontline. And if I hadn't have wanted the whole exam, I could have just purchased the vaccine at the cheaper dispensed price (which I usually do - only rabies done at the vets normally). But this was his 1st visit, and I wanted him to go in and learn about the place itself, meet Troy (vet) and have Troy meet him and have a baseline. |
| As everyone's saying... do not over vaccinate. You'll risk forever ruining her immune system. We need to vaccinate enough to protect them but so much that they're irreparably harmed. You can't un-give or take back a vaccination... once it's done, it's forever done. Just an office visit here is $48. Vet care has gotten very expensive... |
Mady wrote: So could we titre her instead of the 4th vaccine? Isn't that just a blood test? A vaccine is $110 in total, would a titre be alot more expensive? Bottom line I want to make sure Gracie is vaccinated but not OVER vaccinated. If Amber says she's fine, she's fine. Honest  4 vaccines is absolutely excessive. We used to do a series of three starting much younger and at less intervals (every 2 weeks instead of four? Dumb, really, but we did what we were told, right?) and our puppies were protected just fine. She's already had a vaccine later than she would have under the old protocol. Please don't let your vet frighten you into doing anything. I had mine done at 8 and 12 weeks and while Dawn is the good girl and got Bond done pretty much on the nose at 16 wks, here his sisters are how old ?and I finally got around to making an appt for their 3rd shot, and I'm not entirely convinced they need that - and they've been going to classes and agility trials with me. I understand that it's scary. Should anything AGAINST ALL ODDS happen you would feel AWFUL, right? Odds are in your favor that it's actually healthier for her for you to JUST SAY NO TO 4. Your vet can earn his money some other way. Maybe he wants you in again to have another shot at scaring you into spaying her? When I had Mad's rabies done it was at a new to me vet clinic and I didn't think they were going to let me out of the building till I scheduled her spay surgery. I finally very sweetly said: "She is a SHOW DOG. Here is her breeder and co-owner's number. Or would you prefer to speak directly to her lawyer? "  Never had a problem with them again...just saying...  Use Amber as the bad guy if you have to. I bet she can take it I bet she feels it's worth it. I know I would. OK, I'll shut up now for a change of pace... Kristine |
Mady wrote: So could we titre her instead of the 4th vaccine? Isn't that just a blood test? A vaccine is $110 in total, would a titre be alot more expensive? Bottom line I want to make sure Gracie is vaccinated but not OVER vaccinated. Wow--that is expensive  Murphy had is 12 week vet visit today--he had his shot and the vet recommended 1 more at 16 wks- then rabies at 4 to 5 months. The vet weighed him and did a complete exam- (spent some extra time playing with him  ) and gave him his shot and the visit was $38.00.I agree that your vet might be about the $$$ and that is SAD!  |
| It isn't at all that I don't believe Amber-I trust her judgement completely. It is about getting the damn vaccination certificate from the vet so that we can do our puppy classes and other activities. I thought, if we titre, then we would satisfy the vet's concern. |
Mady wrote: It isn't at all that I don't believe Amber-I trust her judgement completely. It is about getting the damn vaccination certificate from the vet so that we can do our puppy classes and other activities. I thought, if we titre, then we would satisfy the vet's concern. Why would you not have a vaccination certificate? I get a vaccination certificate every time I vaccinate. Does your training class require 4 vaccines and overvaccinating? If so, run.....run very fast! I am sorry, unless your vet is a complete moron he/she KNOWS the fourth is not necessary! Why would you need to spend $$ to titre to prove something we all know the answer to? And yes, I would be more than happy to give them a piece of my mind  |
| Standard timing when I was a tech was distemper at 8, 12, and 16 weeks (give or take - and 3 days shy of 16 weeks is definitely close enough). Rabies could be given at 12 weeks, but we normally gave it at 16 weeks to ensure that last distemper wasn't missed. (Folks sometimes fell off the map once they got the rabies shot.) I don't normally speak up on vet costs, especially since they can vary greatly from place to place, but I must say that $110 seems awfully high for a well-puppy visit and one vaccination. Perhaps it's worth calling nearby vet practices to see what they normally charge, just for comparison? At least you'll have an idea if your vet is taking advantage, or if they're right in line with "market price" in your area. |
| Ottawa is an expensive city, our vet cost is fairly average and definitely not the worst We wont be getting a fourth shot, I will make that very clear to the vet. |
| I'd get a new vet. That's ridiculous. So are the prices. |
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