Puppy Vaccination versus Non-vaccination

Vaccination Protocol

For many years it has been standard, recognised practise for your puppy to receive his/her puppy vax (DHP) before it is considered safe for them to be introduced to the outside environment. Generally speaking their first shots would be given shortly after going to their new home, with the second shots a couple of weeks later ie., at eight weeks and ten. You are then encouraged to keep your pup on home ground only, for a further two weeks, when they are then considered to have the immunity needed to be able to safely explore the outside world.

My advise to my new puppy custodians is different for the following reasons. Firstly, it is not in your puppy’s best interests to be whisked into yet another alien and unfamiliar environment immediately after they have left their mother and siblings and all that they have come to recognise as a safe and loving environment.  They need to be able to bond with their new families and transfer that love, trust and affection and feel secure in their new homes, before taking them to the vet and possibly exposing them to sick animals.

My own personal thoughts on natural immunity

At this point, I must preface that the the following personal opinions come with the caveat that I am not a vet and do not have a background in biology or virology, BUT I’ve witnessed adverse reactions to certain vaccines in three of my girls. This seriously compromised their health and well being, resulting in autoimmune conditions affecting them for the rest of their lives. Personally I do not vaccinate at all. The puppy we keep, is taken out to the countryside and beach from nine weeks of age and natural immunity is gained from that exposure, as confirmed from the titre test we then take at five or six months of age. Additionally my pups are allowed interaction with my other girls from about three weeks of age. They say it “takes a village” and all my girls are happy to act as surrogate sitters, aunties, grans etc. They are walked daily and their paws are not cleaned before coming back into the house (unless muddy) and the pups will be naturally exposed to all manner of bugs and germs they have encountered on their walks.

Kelsey never had her own puppies but adored being an aunty whenever we had a litter

Great granny Sadie, Aunty and half sister Roxy, Great Aunty Purdie and “yummy mummy” Tamar!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

It is well established that your golden retriever puppy will have, and continue to have, their mother’s immunity until they are about fourteen weeks old when this will naturally begin to wane. Therefore it is pointless to vaccinate at eight and ten weeks as your puppy will naturally reject (shed) them as un-needed.  This is why you are encouraged to give a booster vaccination at six or twelve months - in case the puppy “shed” the original shots due to their still maintaining maternal immunity. My advice therefore is to vaccinate just the once, at fourteen weeks and thereafter no more.  You do not need a booster the following year.  You cannot boost immunity, you either have it or not. All I would recommend is that some time between six and twelve months, you have a titre test done (Vacci Check) where a small amount of blood is taken and antibody levels checked.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR TITRE TEST READING

A numbered result of between 1-6 is given.  Do not mistake that a reading of 1 means low levels....... it actually means your dog is healthy, has immunity and is not currently fighting any infection. If the reading is high this is more likely to mean your dog was actually in the process of dealing with an infection at the time of the titre test.  So a low reading is good.  As a friend tried to explain very simply, “A fire engine does not rush around town looking for fires to put out.  It waits quietly at the station until such time as it is needed.”  The same analogy can be applied to antibody levels.

LEPTOSPIROSIS - L2 & L4

There is much controversy currently regarding a vaccination being given for Leptospirosis, a disease carried by the urine of infected rats. This is often referred to as L2 or L4 and is given with your puppy’s initial shots.  Regrettably, L2 (which is considered the less harmful of the two shots) is being phased out, leaving only harsh choices for those considering whether the benefit outweighs the risk. It is not a “one shot vaccine” giving life immunity. It has to be given annually and in my humble opinion is unnecessary and dangerous as many dogs have had severe reactions ranging from acute sickness, paralysis and even death.  Do not be bullied or coerced into giving this vaccine as the handful of confirmed annual cases, here in the UK do not justify the thousands of puppies and dogs that have suffered a bad reaction. 

THREE CORE VACCINES - dhp, dISTEMPER, hEPATITIS & PARVOVIRUS

My recommendation is that you go with just the three core vaccines at fourteen weeks, Parvovirus, Canine Hepatitis and Distemper.  If this is the protocol you choose then you need to forewarn your vet as these three are normally mixed with the liquid L4, so they will have to add a little sterile water in order to administer the injection.  Don’t be fooled by your vet saying all four come together – THEY DON’T – and you do not have to give it, even if you have to pay for the four, simply tell him to throw it away.

KENNEL COUGH VACCINE

This is another vaccine I would refuse, it is given as a spray up your dog’s nose and anecdotally most dogs that develop Kennel Cough, do so a few weeks after the shot. It is highly infectious and sounds and looks far worse then a normal cough. You dog appears to be gagging and trying to remove something from their throats. Like humans we all come into contact with cough and cold bugs and those with a strong immune system will quickly shake off the symptoms. In twenty five years, I think we have had a dose of Kennel Cough less than a handful of times. A couple of dogs suffered for twenty four hours or less. A teaspoon of child’s Benylin once daily can be beneficial, as is a diluted spoonful of Manuka Honey. Kelsey suffered for a few days and needed veterinary assistance, but she was one of my girls whose health was already seriously compromised from an adverse reaction to her “booster”.