Vaccinations

By Penny • January 5th, 2010

These days many people are questioning if they should vaccinate their children and or pets. Until science discovers a safer (100% effective) method of protecting humans and animals from sickness and even possible death, it is my opinion, that vaccinations are the best defense we have.

I have been breeding and vaccinating dogs for over 16 years and I have not had one bad experience, however there are some vaccinations I do not give – and these vaccinations are the ones that I understand have the greater chances of causing an allergic reaction. I will talk more about that a little later.

Some causes of allergic reactions can be due to vaccinating too early and or to close together. Most vaccine manufactures suggest that you can vaccinate puppies as young as 4 – 6 weeks. This is simply not necessary and could be potentially harmful to the puppy.

Newborn puppies (ones that are born to healthy female dogs) are protected from most diseases naturally by the mothers immune system, and continue to receive protection as long as they are nursing.

Puppies normally are weaned at approx. 6 weeks of age. Once weaning takes place the puppy’s natural immunity begins to drop. By the time the puppy is 8 weeks of age (two weeks after weaning) his immunity is very low, making the puppy very susceptible to diseases such as Hepatitis, Distemper, Parvo and Parinflunza. For this reason I vaccinate all my puppies at 8 weeks of age.

Vaccines contain small doses of the very disease we are trying to prevent our pets from getting. Once the vaccine enters the puppy’s system, antibodies immediately attack and kill them. This causes the puppy’s natural immune system to rise thus protecting the puppy. Unfortunately, because the vaccination contains such small amounts of disease, and the antibodies kill them so easily, the immune system is only boosted for a short time. Between 2 – 3 weeks the natural immunity will have decreased and a second set of vaccinations will be necessary.

When the puppy receives the second set of vaccination (normally at 10 – 11 weeks of age) the antibodies recognizes the diseases and kills them in the same manor as before. However, like before, the immunity only last for approx. 2 – 3 weeks.

At the age of 12 – 13 weeks of age the puppy should receive his 3 set of vaccinations. It is at this stage that the antibodies recognize that the diseases – they are attacking – keep returning. In order to eliminate the disease from returning again, this time the antibodies attach them with full force. Once this happens the puppy is protected for 12 months.

Some people get a new puppy and think that only one set of vaccinations are necessary, or they get the second set, but do not follow-up with the third set. This leaves their puppy unprotected and in danger of becoming sick.

Comments(0) More Info.

« Microchips | Home | Sit Down »

Vaccinations