Question:
Our 8-year-old, 10-pound mini-dachshund receives several vaccines each year:
- Bordetella booster
- DA2PP booster
- Heartworm/Borrelia/E. canis
- Lyme-disease booster
- Rabies canine booster (every three years)
Are all of these vaccines necessary on a yearly basis? Are the doses adjusted according to the weight of the dog?
I ask because our dog gets very ill for up to three days after receiving these vaccines. He won't move, he won't eat (or must be coaxed to eat) and is very sore. He has the same reaction every year, and I wonder if the pain is worth it. One last question: Do we really need to apply Frontline on a monthly basis for flea/tick prevention?
J.K., Laurel, Md Aug 29, 2010
Answer:
Dogs who have received the "core" vaccinations to protect them against canine distemper, canine hepatitis and parvovirus are good for at least three years, and are probably protected for the rest of their lives. The vet can run blood tests to confirm this -- a much safer protocol than simply revaccinating. Your old dog is being overvaccinated. The bordetella-disease booster is only needed if your dog is going to soon stay at a boarding kennel. The Lyme-disease vaccine, which may not give any protection, is only justified if your dog gets exposed to ticks and you can't check your dog daily and remove any you find during the season. Vaccine doses are regrettably and inexplicably not adjusted to a dog's size or body weight. Check my book "Dog Body, Dog Mind
" or go to my website for flea-control measures. Frontline and similar products should only be used as a last resort when fleas are out of control.
Subscribe