just had mcRaes annual booster jab done today.. as he is 14mnth this is his first one since his jabs as a pup..i have heard conflicting storys regarding booster jabs from people on shoots,people who breed dogs train dogs etc .. some dont get them redone on a yearly basis as they think it covers there dog longer..some dont get them done at all after there initial jabs..and some say its just a money spinner for vets..me personally i will get it done yearly as i wont take the chance..also with taking him in the shooting field his worming and flea/tic treatment will be kept up to date...your thoughts/comments
Re: annual booster jab Hi Simon My own vet freely admits that some elements of the annual vaccination may last for more than one year. However, I am like you in theory, I do not want to take any chances. In practice, I have to admit, I sometimes let my adult dogs jabs lapse a bit... Pippa
Re: annual booster jab My vet will boost leptospirosis yearly and then add the others in when necessary, I think he does distemper every three years. Stacia
Re: annual booster jab Our vet recommends yearly boosters I think. I was surprised to find that Kennel Cough is not automatically in their batch of vaccines though - you have to ask for that one specially. I kept mine up while she was insured, as it was a condition on the insurance (I think this is quite common, so read your paperwork if considering opting out of the boosters!). However she is so ancient now that insurance is prohibitively expensive. We have decided to stop boosters now, choosing to go with the rumour that when they have been boosted regularly for years, they get some longer immunity. However I have not had that confirmed by a vet, so would be interested if anyone else has.... Sam.
Re: annual booster jab This is quite a controversial hot subject as we speak, I have read (cant find the link at the mo) that Annual boosters is "NOT REQUIRED" and the author a respected Vet goes on to say that Annual Boosters can actually have adverse effects on some Dogs. I would imagine that most vets would love to put a "gagging order on him". For me I think that the Veterinary Proffession has lost a lot of credability, and have lost touch with pure Animal Welfare! Pure Greed. Of course this then puts us the owners in a predicament - if we dont regularly Booster we cant Board, catch 22 or what? Paul.
Re: annual booster jab Also if most vets say you should boost, and a few say you should not, choosing to believe the few over the many is a big gamble to take with your dog's health...
Re: annual booster jab Having worked for vets, I do believe they are not out to get you. Yes, there is a yearly booster but it doesn't contain everything each year, the distemper is every three years. Having seen dogs die with distemper, parvovirus, I would always vaccinate mine. Stacia
Re: annual booster jab We are with an holistic vet, and my lab has titers to test his immunity rather than having boosters every year.
Re: annual booster jab Thats really interesting, can your vet do a certificate of immunity of some sort, for owners that want to board their dogs in kennels whilst they are on holiday? I know of people that only have the annual boosters as routine because they need the certificates to put their dogs in kennels. Are titers much more expensive than the jab Paddy? Pippa
Re: annual booster jab Yes the titers do work out more expensive than the boosters. But in view of my dog having some major health problems it's not adviseable to keep vaccinating unnecessarily. Incidentally, the manufacturers do state that vaccines should only be given to animals in good health. I haven't asked the vet about certifying immunity - as my dog has not needed to go into kennels, but I believe that this can be done.
Re: annual booster jab Antibody titres is a good idea - I had to have those done when I went to medical school! There was a list of vaccines you had to have had to work in the hospital, including Rubella - but I had had the illness and not the vaccine, so they took titres to test my immunity. I love that we can do all these human-medicine tests on dogs too.....but it can get ever so pricey! Sam
Re: annual booster jab There will always be exceptions to the rule regarding the safety or effiacey of vaccinations. My vet vaccinates his own dogs with full set every 18 months, he does mine too and he's not making money out of me as I work for him and get cost price.
