My pups, Siberian Huskies, are coming due for their yearly shots (they had all the puppy shots) and I was wondering what your opinions were on re vaccinating each year whether it is necessary or not? I just spoke to a more holistic vet that said they do blood testing to see if your dog has antibodies or not to see whether they need the vaccine again or not, sounds expensive though...?? I need some opinions on what other people's practices are (And I know about dog diseases such as parvo and distemper and rabies.. just so everyone is aware, I am a very responsible pet owner!!, that's why I am asking.... I had a cat pass away from a faulty vet shot, that's why I want to know what's absolutely necessary..... Thanks! So far the titer tests are sounding the best, is it expensive to get this done?? Also, there's no heartworm where I live due to the weather (British Columbia). I understand that it is only in warner climates and that if I go travelling with my pets I should get it..... The female is spayed the male is not neutered. We can't have puppies but we can make 'em. I do not want him neutered, he's not aggressive, he's the submissive dog and he's not out running around impregnating other dogs so he is going to stay natural :) I did phone a different vet as I did not want to feel like I had to choose something right away, want to know all my options and then I will call and have a better idea of what to ask about Aww Dorothy S your GSD is a sweetheart!! Good job on the training. Our dog trainer has 3 GSD's as well, I have seen amazing things from them! Yes I agree with the nasty stuff that is added to medications....yuck. Yes, that makes sense about the cancer for not neutering... good to keep in mind!
Answer
If you want to see if your dog is in need of getting a vaccination the best thing to do is to get its titers checked. It stands to reason that over-vaccinating can be just as harmful to your pet as under-vaccinating. That is what your doctor would do to ensure that you are properly inoculated, so that is why I argue for having the titers checked for your pet...they are part of the family too :) In addition, companies that manufacture the vaccines only run studies to verify that their product works until a certain date. They do not conduct extensive studies to verify how long (on average/individual results vary) it takes for the vaccination to no longer be effective; these types of studies are lengthy and expensive. For example the rabies vaccination is 'good' for 3 years because it has been verified by studies to certify it stable for 3 years, but is it good for 5 years? or 10 years? And the way the companies verify their claims is by what? You guessed it...checking the titers. On a side note, even though your dog is not aggressive you really should consider having him neutered for his health; you prevent the risk of testicular cancer. Also even though he is not 'running around' there is the always the possibility of an unplanned litter. It is definitely something you really should consider for the health of your dog as well as the peace of mind knowing that you are doing your part to help control the pet population. Hope this helps :)
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