Vaccinations - Do's and Dont's-
 

- Please be informed about the new protocol taught at vet schools regarding schedules and frequency of vaccinations for puppies and dogs. Read on how over-vaccination can affect your dog. If you agree with it, follow the new vaccinations protocol stated on this page: http://www.wellpet.org/vaccines/dodds-schedule.htm  more info on the Links page.  Vaccinating with  Intervet Progard (against Parvo and Distemper) about a week prior to the puppy leaving the breeder's home is recommended, to avoid adding to the trip/new home stress. The ideal is to give the first vaccines at 9 -10 weeks of age, when the mother's protection has worn out (making the vaccine more effective).

-Don't take your puppy under 16 weeks to dog shows, highway rest areas, parks or other places frequented by other dogs. Same goes for you, if possible, stay away from the previously mentioned places and kennels/dog shelters where you can pick up infections and bring them home in your shoes, etc. The first vaccines a puppy receives do not cover him 100%, he can catch parvovirus or other diseases that can be fatal for a young pup. Avoiding exposure is the first and best prevention. If you do go to dog shows, cleaning your shoes soles with a bleach solution helps. Detailed info on Parvovirus and first aid homeopathic treatment here.

- Don't allow your puppy to receive more than two vaccines at the same time, the combination vaccines: 5 in one, 7 in one, "Puppy Shots", etc are to be avoided.  Traditionally, it has been thought that vaccinating against all possible diseases is best, but this is done at VERY high risk to the puppy, compromising its immune system unnecessarily. Vaccines challenge the immune system in a complex way and injecting several vaccines at the same time is a major attack to the immune system from which many puppies can't ever recover, leaving them with life-long allergies and chronic problems. Read our Vaccine Quotables page for conscientious vets' opinions.

- Don't vaccinate your puppy when stressed or sick.

- It's been proven that yearly boosters produce chronic diseases. After the first year boosters do more harm than benefit.

-If you must take a young puppy to the vet's make sure the clinic has not had any cases of parvo recently. Even though vet offices are disinfected routinely they are the the most likely places to expose your puppy to disease.