The American Beagler Forum

One of my dogs last year had a terrible reaction to her annual vaccination shot. It is time for her to get her shot again. The Leptospirosis portion of the shot caused the problem. Leptospirosis will not be given again. The vet said the dog will need to be premedicated before the shot and given Benadryl for 24 hours following the shot. I have been reading that adult dogs do not need to be vaccinated every year. Of course the vet said she disagrees with that research. I use to give my own shots, but afraid to now. What do other beaglers do?

The only shot that mine get annually is rabies.
I give one five way Parvo at twelve weeks. I've buried several dogs at ten to twelve years of age in the last fifteen years. I've not had a pup nor adult beagle with Parvo during that fifteen years. I'm not changing my vaccination schedule until I have a problem.

Ive talked to enough vets that claim the annual booster is gross overkill. You will never hear that from a small animal vet that funds their business off giving these shots. Personally I give 1 shot to pups and 1 shot at 1 year of age. If your dog had a reaction to the vaccine I would personally not give another. Risk outweighs the reward.

Keeping a clean kennel, exercise and proper nutrition will do more for dogs health than anything.

If your vet does not agree with your research ask her to please show you what studies/research she is getting her info from stating dogs need to be vaccinated yearly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBSt1rk-J6s

U don't give your children a shot each year ---after they have all their shot when they were small ----

Annual vaccinations do not hurt a dog. And, if u compete at trials, where a dog is exposed to a lot of things plus a lot of stress, vaccinations will help keep the dog healthy and hopefully ensure u aren't bringing back disease to ur kennel.

Lepto should NEVER be given to a pup under 12 was of age. Perhaps the shot u gave her wasn't properly transported or stored before u bought it. That will get u in trouble but u won't know it until the dog gets sick or passes away. I am so sorry for the issues u experienced with your hound. I once bought shots from a feed store. Gave it to my pups-figured they were good-and lost the entire litter to parvo-although they had been vaccinated. Vet did some tests and the pups he tested showed no immune antibodies. Likely culprit? The vaccine was allowed to get warm, then feed store owner refrigerated them. The shot was no good (store owner admitted all this to me and pd my vet bill).

My kennel is vaccinated every May, in Jube, the entire kennel is taken to vet for rabies vaccine and in July, the entire kennel is vaccinated for kennel cough (intranasal). We compete professionally so I would rather be safe than sorry. I don't believe it is overkill if u expose ur dog to a lot-like competition (field trials).

We use 5way for all pups. At 15 weeks, we give a 9 way vaccine (same stuff as a 5way but it adds 4 strains of lepto). Then I proceed as indicated abv. We sell vaccines at OKIE DOG SUPPLY, but even if u buy locally (if u just need a few shots), u want to make sure u buy vaccines cold and if it's very warm outside, u will want to bring ice with u so the shot stays cold. The 5way vaccine, which contains no lepto, may be a wise choice if u think the reaction was to lepto. Once u give the injection watch her for 30-45 minutes. If she reacts it will be within that time frame.

Let us know what u decide and the outcome. We want u to have healthy and happy hounds!

Mike Franklin
OKIE DOG SUPPLY
www.OKIEDOGSUPPLY.com
918.633.3519

Thanks for all of the replies. Just got back from the vet and the vet had no problem with not giving my dog an annual vaccine this year. The vet said her experience and research says the vaccine is good for about 3 years. I realize some people will agree with my vet while other people will still prefer every year. With my dog's past experience with vaccines, I think I made the correct decision to not get her vaccinated. Thanks again for everyone's input.

Thanks for all of the replies. Just got back from the vet and the vet had no problem with not giving my dog an annual vaccine this year. The vet said her experience and research says the vaccine is good for about 3 years. I realize some people will agree with my vet while other people will still prefer every year. With my dog's past experience with vaccines, I think I made the correct decision to not get her vaccinated. Thanks again for everyone's input.

Thanks for all of the replies. Just got back from the vet and the vet had no problem with not giving my dog an annual vaccine this year. The vet said her experience and research says the vaccine is good for about 3 years. I realize some people will agree with my vet while other people will still prefer every year. With my dog's past experience with vaccines, I think I made the correct decision to not get her vaccinated. Thanks again for everyone's input.

There is an actual way to see if animals need revaccinated. Vets can do a titter count to see how many antibodies the dog has left in his/her system. The tests are about as expensive as a vet shot though but studies have shown that the on the low range of you should be good for 3 years and up to ten-12 years for most things....

The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) came out with new guidelines in 2006 that suggests that adult dog vaccines boosters may be adequate if given every 3 years. Read more at: http://tr.im/kcNly yearly vaccines may not cause harm to your animals but they are also not benefiting them either.



Kennel cough is the only one that you arguably need more than every three years...

Thanks for the additional information.

Annual vaccinations do not hurt a dog.

How do you know that? The antibodies for these vaccines have a 7-10 year life. The ONLY justification for annual vaccines is the possibility that the previous vaccines did not create the necessary antibodies.

As stated, we don't even take that much precaution with our children.

Dogs are not children. Are we talking human or animal?
Thanks,
Bob

I vaccinate up to 16 weeks, then again at a year. Every three years after that. Even at that, I'm probably over doing it.

I could see a kennel cough booster or annual if you run the trial circuit or ran a lot with several other kennels that do the same . But I don't , and for myself , been doing this for a long time over 50 yrs , I've never gave annual booster . I do 3- 5 way starting at 6 to 8 weeks and in 3 weeks apart and another at 1 yr. Never lost a pup to parvo or dog to anything , knock on wood . I agree dogs R not kids , never heard of a kid with parvo . Bottom line everyone will do what they see fit and best for their animal.
Personally don't think many vets will tell you ur dogs don't need a booster , those things brother me more that what my kennel needs or will get. It's plain ole BS when $$ come before the dogs actual well being . Oh the ways of the world.