The Jason Debus Heigl Foundation

Article By Dr. Stan Kunin

The intent of this article is to help dog owners understand the ins and outs of common vaccines and basic veterinary care.

It is not the purpose of this article to discuss the nature of canine diseases. For more information about certain diseases, you should ask a veterinarian, or qualified staff member of a veterinary hospital (as they can be very helpful in explaining medical conditions), or you may choose to use Google.

Currently there are many vaccines which are classified as either core or non-core. Core vaccines are either required by law, or strongly recommended. The non-cores vaccines are available and given only under certain circumstances.

The core vaccines, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, are Rabies and DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, and Parvo). The non core vaccines include Leptospirosis, Lyme, Bordatella and Crotalus Toxoid.

Rabies vaccinations are required by law. The first dose is given to puppies at around 4 months of age, then 1 year later, and then every 3 years for the rest of the dog's life. DHPP is given usually in a set of 3 vaccines starting at 7-8 weeks of age (some as early as 6 weeks) and given every 3-4 weeks until the puppy is at least 14 - 16 weeks of age. If the pup's mother was vaccinated, it is not necessary to start the series earlier than that as there is the possibility of interfering with the maternal antibody which was ingested by the puppy through the colostrum ("first milk"). It would be counterproductive to give early vaccines, as it would render the pup unprotected from the diseases.

Before and during the initial series of vaccines, it is best not to expose the pup to any situation where an unvaccinated dog may be present. This could heavily increase the risk of the pup contracting the disease from an infected dog. However, it is usually fine for the pups to be exposed to other dogs who have not left their home or do not go to the park. More and more veterinarians are discontinuing the DHPP vaccine after a certain age. I, in most cases, make it a habit to discontinue the DHPP vaccine after the age of 10 in larger dogs and after the age of 6-7 in small dogs. More studies are supporting the fact that dogs are protected for life after their early series of shots. Someday, we may be able to discontinue the vaccine after 3 years of age. For now, we must depend on veterinarians for their opinion and protocol.

The non-core vaccines are given under certain circumstances, or as indicate by their actual risk of exposure. The Bordatella vaccine prevents "kennel cough" or infectious tracheobronchitis. This vaccine is given when dogs will be spending time at a boarding facility. Almost all boarding establishments require this vaccine. Bordatella is also recommended for those dogs who will be placed in an enclosed environment, such as a grooming parlor, dog show, doggie day care, etc. This vaccine is given as a series of 2 vaccines, one month apart, then annually. Some veterinary offices prefer to give an intra-nasal vaccine which is given every 6 months. There is no substantial proof that this is a viable option for those dogs who are uncooperative, or for fidgety dogs who prevent the entire dose of Bordatella vaccine to be given. The injectable vaccine is not only easier to administer, but there is never any doubt that the entire dose has been given.

The Leptospirosis vaccine is recommended for those dogs who are exposed to natural collections of water , such as ponds, lakes, or wherever water accumulates after a rainstorm. Certain wildlife, for example a deer who may be a carrier of the Leptospira organism, sheds this bug through their urine. If the organism finds it's ways into the water and the dog drinks this water, they may in turn contract this disease from the contaminated water. This vaccine is given starting at 12 weeks of age, then a month later, then annually.

Lyme disease is common in certain parts of United States, but uncommon in Southern California. There have been 2 cases in my 33 years of practice, and both were from Topanga, California. Lyme disease is transmitted by ticks. Tick control is very important in areas where ticks are found, and aids in the prevention of Lyme disease. This is due to the simple fact that if the tick is not on the animal, it cannot bite the dog, and in turn, will not have the chance to transmit the disease. The Lyme vaccine is not always recommended in Southern California as the vaccine is not guaranteed for complete protection. In addition, lab tests may show a false positive in an already vaccinated dog, thus making a Lyme disease diagnosis challenging. This vaccine is given in series of 2, a month apart, then annually. Most vaccines are given subcutaneously (just under the skin) but the Lyme vaccine is given in the muscle. It is advised to discuss flea and tick control with your veterinary office.

Crotalus Toxoid is a "rattlesnake vaccine" which helps to neutralize many of the toxic ingredients in the snake's venom. This vaccine is very controversial and may never pass muster through veterinary schools. The reason for this is due to the difficulty in setting up controlled studies to investigate it's effectiveness. Another issue stems from the fact that no two rattlesnake envenomations will be exactly the same. Many snake bites are "minor" with dry bites, meaning that the snake did not inject all of it's venom, or that it had a recent meal. The severity of the bite is a big variable, which also includes reasons such as, the age of the snake, the time of year the animal was bitten, how the dog reacts to the bite, etc. Since its introduction, this vaccine has helped my snake bite patients. The bitten dogs have done well if this vaccine was given prior to the bite. It's really the first step in treatment. Veterinary care after the bite, although necessary, is greatly reduced using only supportive care, and produces a successful outcome. This topic is greatly debated and controversial, and perhaps can be discussed further in a future article. The rattlesnake vaccine is administered as early as 4 months of age, then one month later, then annually. It is best to give this vaccine in the beginning of the snake season, during the months of February and March.

There are other vaccines that many veterinarians do not administer, for example the Corona vaccine. Talk to your veterinarian to find out what their protocol is, and what they recommend. It will be different from one clinic to another and from one geographic area to another. Side effects are possible with any vaccine, but they are not common, and the benefits far outweigh the risks.

The information expressed in this article is solely the opinion of the author, and in no way represents the feelings of all veterinarians. For further information, always contact your veterinarian. We want to do everything we can to protect your dogs, however, we want to prevent over vaccinating them.

About Dr. Stan Kunin

Stan Kunin DVM graduated from UC Davis in 1978 and has had his own practice in Woodland Hills, California since 1986. Dr. Kunin is a special veterinarian who was born 80% deaf, but the weakness in his hearing has helped to give him a 6th sense about animal care and the wellbeing of his patients.

In a regular series of articles for the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation, Dr. Kunin shares his thoughts, opinions and advice on animal matters.