Vaccinations and your pup....
Many people see current on shots and assume that this means a pup is fully immune to the diseases he is
vaccinated against. They assume that a vaccinated pup whether he is 8 weeks or 12 weeks old is fully
protected against some very bad diseases if he is current on his shots.
It is not that simple.
When a pup is born, if he is nursed by his dam (mother) he receives her antibodies via colostrum (first
milk) and her regular milk which she will start to produce about 2-5 days after she has whelped (given
birth, whether naturally or c-section).
Antibodies are what dogs produce because of the shots we give to them. When you give a vaccination, you
are injecting a small portion of the disease into the dog. It is a controlled, non virulent strain (meaning it
cannot give the dog the disease). The body finds this and attacks it. It sets up defense mechanisms to
deal with this particular disease. Once these antibodies are in place, this is what defends the dog against
exposure to disease. In other words a dog of a certain age, with vaccinations develops a fighting force that
will attack the disease when he is exposed to it in the real form.
Pups do not have this. They have maternal (mom) antibodies, if raised by mom. Bottle raised pups have
none unless they received some colostrum from mom prior to being hand raised.
This is the only thing that protects young, un-vaccinated pups from disease.
How many antibodies a pup has is dependent on several things. A dominant pup, one that hogs the
nipples and gets a lot of milk, will have more of them than the pup who is constantly pushed away from
the dinner plate. A litter born to a bitch (female) that was vaccinated just prior to breeding will get more.
Antibodies are great and needed to protect young babies. But here's the problem; they interfere with
vaccinations. Each pup will retain his antibodies a certain amount of time but we cannot be certain when
he will lose them. Vaccinate a pup with mom's antibodies still in him, useless. The maternal antibodies
will attack and kill the shot and the pup will not make his own as long as mom's are in him.
To put it in other words, let's say the Smith's have two pups, for our purpose we will call them Fred and
Fanny. Both were raised with mom. Fanny was a hog and got a lot of antibodies, Fred got fewer. Both
are weaned at 6 weeks of age, no more milk. The Smith's vaccinate both with Parvo shots. Because both
pups still have maternal antibodies, neither shot offers any protection. But because they are still
protected by maternal antibodies, it's OK.
At 8 weeks of age both Fred and Fanny are vaccinated again. Because Mom had high level of them, both
are still protected by her antibodies and again this shot is useless. We cannot know how many each has
without blood testing, so we vaccinate instead because if breeders tested the blood level of each pup, you
would pay A LOT more for that pup.
The Miller's come to visit Fred and Fanny. They are interested in getting pup. They chose Fred. They
are given instructions, do not take him to the park, stay away from places other dogs go, restrict his
access to other dogs for a couple of weeks. The Miller's are told they must take Fred to the vet, he is due
for another shot in 8 days. On the way home, they stop at a way side rest and let Fred out into the dog
area to go potty. He is current on shots right? Fred is exposed to a small amount of parvo when he sniffs
an area. But he still has some maternal antibodies, so he is not infected.
Fred's antibodies leave him and he is unprotected. He is not due for another shot for 7 days. The Miller's
take Fred to the park. They see there are no other dogs there. Doesn't matter because one dog that
came through 3 weeks ago was shedding parvo. Fred comes into contact and because his antibodies have
left and the shot he got 7 days ago was attacked and destroyed by maternal antibodies, he has no
immunity. Plus he is stressed. He loves his new home and the Miller's love him but he has left Fanny and
the Smiths and he is stressed out. He has a bit of loose stools because of the water change and his stress.
His immune system which is under developed anyway because of his youth, is really compromised
because of this stress. Parvo is setting up shop in his body by that evening. Parvo is a virus, it multiplies
rapidly in the body.
The next morning Fred is a little off. He does not really want to eat and his stools are looser. But he does
not seem sick, just off.
By the second morning, Fred is sick. He has severe diarrhea now and there is obviously something very
wrong. The Miller's take him to the vet. The vet runs several tests for other infections and so on that do
cause diarrhea. Fred rapidly goes down hill and the test for Parvo comes back positive.
There is no cure for Parvo. You can only support the dog and hope he recovers. One kind attacks the
heart, the other the GI system.
The Miller's are stunned and keep saying, he was supposed to be current on shots! Those breeders must
have lied. (Please note, some "breeders" do lie! But all good breeders will be certain that any pup is
vaccinated before it leaves them)
Meanwhile back at the ranch, Fanny is fine. She has not been exposed to Parvo and she still has some
antibodies left. When she is one day shy of 10 weeks old, her antibodies leave. She is given another
vaccination at 10 weeks of age and this one produces antibodies in a few days. Viola, immunity. Of course
since we don't know this for certain, she will receive several more shots in the weeks to come.
Reading this you may be thinking you will have to keep your pup in a bubble. Not so but you must keep
him clear of other dogs and places they visit for the first couple of weeks. Wooded areas where raccoon,
fox or coyotes visit can also harbor Parvo.
Parvo is every where. It lives a long time and common disinfectants don't kill it. Freezing does not kill it,
it preserves it. You can carry it on your shoes into your home. This is why sometimes when you visit a
kennel, you are restricted from certain areas. Granted there are some horrible people out there that
don't want you to see their mill but in most cases, it is this virus and the people's knowledge of it that
restricts you. I am always wary of places that allow free, unfettered access to whelping and young pup's
living quarters. For breeders, this is a darned if you do and darned if you don't case. Don't show people,
many assume you are hiding some horrible secret. Show people and you may have just infected the place
with Parvo compromising the pups for a long long time to come. Remember, it does not go away easily.
When you buy a pup from us, he is current on shots. He will get one every 2-3 weeks he is with us
without fail. The people I import from vaccinate as well. But until he is a certain age, when you take him
home, keep him safe. Limit his exposure to other dogs unless you know for certain they are fully
vaccinated. Limit his exposure to people, places dogs go. Keep him in your arms if you want to go to Pet
Co.
This is why you see pups with several shots. We are not certain when the maternal antibodies leave and
the shot can produce immunity. This is why you must keep him current on his shots. A bottle raised pup
should have more shots than a momma raised one. But be wary of people who start pups at 2 weeks of
age on shots. They either have a disease problem or are totally ignorant. Be wary of people who have
8-10 week old pups with one shot, they are either trying to save money or are also ignorant of the best
way to prevent disease unless they have had blood testing performed to determine titer levels (antibody
levels)
When your pup has been with you for a couple of weeks and your vet has put another shot or two into
him, then you can socialize him. I highly suggest you do especially with the Bull breeds. But until then,
keep him safe.
This story can be applied to distemper as well but the distemper virus is not as prevalent in our
environment as parvo is.
Also think this through. An 8 week old pup has a higher occurrence for infection than a 10 or 12 week
one, simply because of his age. That's not to say a 12 week old pup cannot become infected even if
current on shots. Some pups will hold their maternal antibodies until they are +20 weeks of age.
However immunity is usually achieved around 10 weeks of age.
It also bears mentioning again that a young pup has a faulty immune system. Just like a small child, he
has not been exposed to a lot of bacteria and viruses. He is also stressed out until he gets to know you and
feels safe. All of these factors can contribute to illness. Either cause it or make it worse. It is so very
important to allow your pup to settle in before you stress him further with more new environments etc.
Once he is settled you can take him everywhere with you, dogs are social and enjoy stimulation. But for
the first few weeks, please keep it quiet and boring.
We feel this is the best way to vaccinate.
6 weeks Parvo Vaccine
8 weeks DA2P+PV and bordetella
10 weeks DA2P+PV and bordetella
14 weeks DA2LP+PV and Rabies
Most vets agree this schedule is a good one. We are trying to bridge the gaps in young pups. Some vets
prefer the every 3 weeks schedule. Sometimes we space the shots to every 3 weeks. You will get a record
of every vaccination your pup has received in his life.
The one exception to this rule is this. If a pup is due for another shot let's say on Tuesday Dec 1 and he is
flying or coming home to you on the same day, we will delay this shot. The excitement (read stress) of his
moving and the vaccination on same day can cause overload on his little body. It is in his best interests to
settle into your life (keep him safe) first and then be vaccinated. No matter if your pup has had 1, 2, 3
shots, you should keep him safe, avoid areas where Parvo is a risk until he is a bit older (12-14 weeks). If
you are purchasing an older pup from us, then you are free to roam where you may.
Recently this information has been taken from me and used by "breeders" whose pups are often infected
with parvo. This is not my intention. Parvo in correctly vaccinated pups is RARE. But you still need to
be careful and continue on with vaccinations. This is doubly important if you have gotten your pup from a
breeder who is trying to cut corners!
Many people see current on shots and assume that this means a pup is fully immune to the diseases he is
vaccinated against. They assume that a vaccinated pup whether he is 8 weeks or 12 weeks old is fully
protected against some very bad diseases if he is current on his shots.
It is not that simple.
When a pup is born, if he is nursed by his dam (mother) he receives her antibodies via colostrum (first
milk) and her regular milk which she will start to produce about 2-5 days after she has whelped (given
birth, whether naturally or c-section).
Antibodies are what dogs produce because of the shots we give to them. When you give a vaccination, you
are injecting a small portion of the disease into the dog. It is a controlled, non virulent strain (meaning it
cannot give the dog the disease). The body finds this and attacks it. It sets up defense mechanisms to
deal with this particular disease. Once these antibodies are in place, this is what defends the dog against
exposure to disease. In other words a dog of a certain age, with vaccinations develops a fighting force that
will attack the disease when he is exposed to it in the real form.
Pups do not have this. They have maternal (mom) antibodies, if raised by mom. Bottle raised pups have
none unless they received some colostrum from mom prior to being hand raised.
This is the only thing that protects young, un-vaccinated pups from disease.
How many antibodies a pup has is dependent on several things. A dominant pup, one that hogs the
nipples and gets a lot of milk, will have more of them than the pup who is constantly pushed away from
the dinner plate. A litter born to a bitch (female) that was vaccinated just prior to breeding will get more.
Antibodies are great and needed to protect young babies. But here's the problem; they interfere with
vaccinations. Each pup will retain his antibodies a certain amount of time but we cannot be certain when
he will lose them. Vaccinate a pup with mom's antibodies still in him, useless. The maternal antibodies
will attack and kill the shot and the pup will not make his own as long as mom's are in him.
To put it in other words, let's say the Smith's have two pups, for our purpose we will call them Fred and
Fanny. Both were raised with mom. Fanny was a hog and got a lot of antibodies, Fred got fewer. Both
are weaned at 6 weeks of age, no more milk. The Smith's vaccinate both with Parvo shots. Because both
pups still have maternal antibodies, neither shot offers any protection. But because they are still
protected by maternal antibodies, it's OK.
At 8 weeks of age both Fred and Fanny are vaccinated again. Because Mom had high level of them, both
are still protected by her antibodies and again this shot is useless. We cannot know how many each has
without blood testing, so we vaccinate instead because if breeders tested the blood level of each pup, you
would pay A LOT more for that pup.
The Miller's come to visit Fred and Fanny. They are interested in getting pup. They chose Fred. They
are given instructions, do not take him to the park, stay away from places other dogs go, restrict his
access to other dogs for a couple of weeks. The Miller's are told they must take Fred to the vet, he is due
for another shot in 8 days. On the way home, they stop at a way side rest and let Fred out into the dog
area to go potty. He is current on shots right? Fred is exposed to a small amount of parvo when he sniffs
an area. But he still has some maternal antibodies, so he is not infected.
Fred's antibodies leave him and he is unprotected. He is not due for another shot for 7 days. The Miller's
take Fred to the park. They see there are no other dogs there. Doesn't matter because one dog that
came through 3 weeks ago was shedding parvo. Fred comes into contact and because his antibodies have
left and the shot he got 7 days ago was attacked and destroyed by maternal antibodies, he has no
immunity. Plus he is stressed. He loves his new home and the Miller's love him but he has left Fanny and
the Smiths and he is stressed out. He has a bit of loose stools because of the water change and his stress.
His immune system which is under developed anyway because of his youth, is really compromised
because of this stress. Parvo is setting up shop in his body by that evening. Parvo is a virus, it multiplies
rapidly in the body.
The next morning Fred is a little off. He does not really want to eat and his stools are looser. But he does
not seem sick, just off.
By the second morning, Fred is sick. He has severe diarrhea now and there is obviously something very
wrong. The Miller's take him to the vet. The vet runs several tests for other infections and so on that do
cause diarrhea. Fred rapidly goes down hill and the test for Parvo comes back positive.
There is no cure for Parvo. You can only support the dog and hope he recovers. One kind attacks the
heart, the other the GI system.
The Miller's are stunned and keep saying, he was supposed to be current on shots! Those breeders must
have lied. (Please note, some "breeders" do lie! But all good breeders will be certain that any pup is
vaccinated before it leaves them)
Meanwhile back at the ranch, Fanny is fine. She has not been exposed to Parvo and she still has some
antibodies left. When she is one day shy of 10 weeks old, her antibodies leave. She is given another
vaccination at 10 weeks of age and this one produces antibodies in a few days. Viola, immunity. Of course
since we don't know this for certain, she will receive several more shots in the weeks to come.
Reading this you may be thinking you will have to keep your pup in a bubble. Not so but you must keep
him clear of other dogs and places they visit for the first couple of weeks. Wooded areas where raccoon,
fox or coyotes visit can also harbor Parvo.
Parvo is every where. It lives a long time and common disinfectants don't kill it. Freezing does not kill it,
it preserves it. You can carry it on your shoes into your home. This is why sometimes when you visit a
kennel, you are restricted from certain areas. Granted there are some horrible people out there that
don't want you to see their mill but in most cases, it is this virus and the people's knowledge of it that
restricts you. I am always wary of places that allow free, unfettered access to whelping and young pup's
living quarters. For breeders, this is a darned if you do and darned if you don't case. Don't show people,
many assume you are hiding some horrible secret. Show people and you may have just infected the place
with Parvo compromising the pups for a long long time to come. Remember, it does not go away easily.
When you buy a pup from us, he is current on shots. He will get one every 2-3 weeks he is with us
without fail. The people I import from vaccinate as well. But until he is a certain age, when you take him
home, keep him safe. Limit his exposure to other dogs unless you know for certain they are fully
vaccinated. Limit his exposure to people, places dogs go. Keep him in your arms if you want to go to Pet
Co.
This is why you see pups with several shots. We are not certain when the maternal antibodies leave and
the shot can produce immunity. This is why you must keep him current on his shots. A bottle raised pup
should have more shots than a momma raised one. But be wary of people who start pups at 2 weeks of
age on shots. They either have a disease problem or are totally ignorant. Be wary of people who have
8-10 week old pups with one shot, they are either trying to save money or are also ignorant of the best
way to prevent disease unless they have had blood testing performed to determine titer levels (antibody
levels)
When your pup has been with you for a couple of weeks and your vet has put another shot or two into
him, then you can socialize him. I highly suggest you do especially with the Bull breeds. But until then,
keep him safe.
This story can be applied to distemper as well but the distemper virus is not as prevalent in our
environment as parvo is.
Also think this through. An 8 week old pup has a higher occurrence for infection than a 10 or 12 week
one, simply because of his age. That's not to say a 12 week old pup cannot become infected even if
current on shots. Some pups will hold their maternal antibodies until they are +20 weeks of age.
However immunity is usually achieved around 10 weeks of age.
It also bears mentioning again that a young pup has a faulty immune system. Just like a small child, he
has not been exposed to a lot of bacteria and viruses. He is also stressed out until he gets to know you and
feels safe. All of these factors can contribute to illness. Either cause it or make it worse. It is so very
important to allow your pup to settle in before you stress him further with more new environments etc.
Once he is settled you can take him everywhere with you, dogs are social and enjoy stimulation. But for
the first few weeks, please keep it quiet and boring.
We feel this is the best way to vaccinate.
6 weeks Parvo Vaccine
8 weeks DA2P+PV and bordetella
10 weeks DA2P+PV and bordetella
14 weeks DA2LP+PV and Rabies
Most vets agree this schedule is a good one. We are trying to bridge the gaps in young pups. Some vets
prefer the every 3 weeks schedule. Sometimes we space the shots to every 3 weeks. You will get a record
of every vaccination your pup has received in his life.
The one exception to this rule is this. If a pup is due for another shot let's say on Tuesday Dec 1 and he is
flying or coming home to you on the same day, we will delay this shot. The excitement (read stress) of his
moving and the vaccination on same day can cause overload on his little body. It is in his best interests to
settle into your life (keep him safe) first and then be vaccinated. No matter if your pup has had 1, 2, 3
shots, you should keep him safe, avoid areas where Parvo is a risk until he is a bit older (12-14 weeks). If
you are purchasing an older pup from us, then you are free to roam where you may.
Recently this information has been taken from me and used by "breeders" whose pups are often infected
with parvo. This is not my intention. Parvo in correctly vaccinated pups is RARE. But you still need to
be careful and continue on with vaccinations. This is doubly important if you have gotten your pup from a
breeder who is trying to cut corners!
How vaccinations work...
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