Question About Dog Shots

kashmir64

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I was speaking to a dog rescuer today and she mentioned that a dog over the age of 5 should not get a parvo/distemper shot. She said it messes with their immune system. I give my dogs their shots every 3 years. I've never heard this.
I'm not about to ask a vet because they always say that you should give the shots every year. That's a little much, I believe. Especially since mine are never off leash.
I'm not talking about Rabies, but the other shots.
Do any of you know if this is true?
 

Willowy

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I've never heard that either. I'd get it done. You don't know if she ever had her puppy shots.

Some dog people are. . .unusual. . .:D
 
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kashmir64

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I was talking about my dogs. I know for a fact that they are inoculated (and fixed), but they are all over 5 years.
 

Willowy

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I usually stop vaccinating dogs at age 10. Most large dogs don't make it to 13 so it's kind of moot after that. But I have a 15-year-old Husky mix who hasn't been vaccinated since she was 10, except that I folded and got her rabies shot earlier this year for legal reasons. I think 5 is a bit early to stop vaccinating, unless they were vaccinated every year before that. Maybe puppy shots, 1 year booster, age 4, age 7, then quit? I go for the age 10 shot too but that's probably not strictly necessary.
 
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kashmir64

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Well, they got their boosters, then once a year for 3 years and now every three years. Old man Beagle is 12 and although still young, he had a rough start and is not doing well right now. (he never got his puppy shots) He may not make it to 13. My mini schnauzer is 9. The morkie is around 5. Maybe I'll do one more set for the two and just leave the old man alone.
 

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I (and my breeder) am following Dr. Jean Dodds vaccine protocol. Which calls for titers to be done every time three years after the 1 year booster. And rabies as required by law.

Typically, most dogs are immune for many years from just their puppy shots and the one year booster and most dogs over five have been vaccinated enough that they'll be immune for life (unless they live to be twenty). Most dog owners that I know agree that old dogs (over 9 or 10) shouldn't have any vaccines unless they board often or are commonly exposed to a lot of these illnesses for any other reason.
 
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kashmir64

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I (and my breeder) am following Dr. Jean Dodds vaccine protocol. Which calls for titers to be done every time three years after the 1 year booster. And rabies as required by law.

Typically, most dogs are immune for many years from just their puppy shots and the one year booster and most dogs over five have been vaccinated enough that they'll be immune for life (unless they live to be twenty). Most dog owners that I know agree that old dogs (over 9 or 10) shouldn't have any vaccines unless they board often or are commonly exposed to a lot of these illnesses for any other reason.
Question: Would wild dogs, coyotes or wolves be considered commonly exposed? I'm trying to figure out if the shots that are due next year help or hurt them.
I've already decided old man beagle is done with shots. The way he's been going, he may not be alive for them anyway.
 

NewYork1303

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My understanding is that all those animals do carry Parvo and distemper (so do raccoons). The amount of exposure would be what would really matter. But you can still do titers to see if the dogs have immunity to those things still. They don't need shots if the immunity is still there.
 
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