The Zim Family Cocker Spaniel Forum

Only vaccinate every 7 years thats all your dog needs but maybe nearer 10.But I don't think u should vaccinate an american cocker ever after puppy shots.Think there is more chance of serious problems than the diseases them selves.

Please make sure these links remain on the site. This information is invaluable. I have a vet that sides on titers. After Bubba had an anaphalactic shock issue after her 1st year rabies booster, I studied
the issue and I am now on board.

While vaccines are qualified tools, we need to be able to now recognize
studies reflecting a change in protocol. Science is always an adapting
medium and old technological procedures SHOULD be up to analaysis.

What is the difference between vaccination and immunization?

My Riley aquired AIA shortly after his first boosters, and suffered all sorts of 'failures' as a result. Our 'newest' Cocker Brody had his puppy shots, and has only had his rabies vaccine after he was a year old. Our state requires a yearly rabies vaccine, but our holistic vet recommends one every 3-5 years, so that is what I'm going to do, regardless. We and our holistic vet are convinced that Riley's illness coincided with his boosters, which we ignorantly allowed before we knew such things might not be the wise thing. It's too bad that so many negative health issues happen to dogs whose owners are just trying to do what is 'right', when there is so much that is not known.

RE: Bordatella vaccinations (or nasal immunizations). One year we had 10 cockers under our roof (my 3 and 7 fosters). EVERYONE had been vaccinated for kennel cough. Seven of the 10 still got kennel cough. That was a big waste of the rescue's financial resources. And, big deal -- they got kennel cough. Within a week, everyone had recovered and were back to normal.

Personally, I never get a flu shot, either. Knock on wood, I've never gotten the flu -- I would like for my own immune system to remember how to fight things off by itself. The flu shots don't cover all the strains of flu, anyways. Now watch.....I'll get the flu this year and become deathly ill <wink>, but I doubt it!

When I was looking for kennels a couple of years ago, I did actually find that most I contacted were happy to accept titre tests, some with a letter from the vet and some with the owner signing a disclaimer. So it appears that it is possible to kennel dogs these days with titre tests and not vaccinations as such.

I'm titering for as much as I can get away with. Kirby (mini schnauzer) has come down with an automune disease, a huge fatty tumor on the inside of his thigh, and was just diagnosed with a heart murmer. He was due for a rabies and I had that titered. Katie with her allergies and thyroid problems I don't want her to have anymore either. Bobby is healthy so far so he'll continue to get a rabies..but for the rest..titers.

I didn't know anything about the vaccination study until after Gertie passed, but realized that alot of her skin and eye problems faded away and her ears became manageable when I stopped getting vaccinations every year. With Catie (and my other 2) I'll get rabies every year and the others every 5-7.

Does your vet titer? Mine insisted on shots even though both my dogs are now 10yo. Kennel cough is required by my groomer and I gladly oblige. They do check when the computer tells them it has been nearly a year.

I am so glad to know i'm not a bad cocker mommy. Bob got all his puppy shots when he was little but I have not given him anymore since. He had a horrible reaction to his shots when he was little.so I was terrified everytime I took him in so after his puppy series I stopped getting them for him. Here is a picture of him after his first set of puppy shots (this happened within 15min. Of us leaving the vets)....

Just as many vaccinated dogs still get all these diseases as unvaccinated. So what's the point with all the other problems they cause.

One point is that they are required. My dogs go to the groomer and all shots are required. My groomer checks annually. I do get all shots because my vet does not titer. I am not planning on changing because I have been with him for seventeen plus years and trust his judgment.

No Deborah, they are NOT required by everyone. I for one do not require proof of anything but rabies at my grooming shop. I don't vaccinate my dogs unnecessarily, so I'm not going to require anyone else to. I am not the only groomer who feels this way. I don't warehouse dogs in my shop, I don't allow dogs straight from the pound or boarding in the shop unless it's at the end of the day after ALL other dogs have gone home. Then it gets aired out and sprayed with bleach water.

Just because you choose not to change your ways doesn't mean you should imply that shots are required and anyone who doesn't get them is somehow a bad pet owner. Frankly, I'm appalled at your vet of 17 years vaccinating a dog yearly for rabies that has vaccine reactions when your state doesn't require that. Maybe you should look at that vet and wonder if he's about his or her bottom line vs what is best for your pets.

Why is there such a misconception here? My vet only gives annual rabies. My groomer requires kennel cough and rabies. I choose not to groom myself and I choose to continue to use the same groomer. He is wonderful when it comes to my fosters and also requires proof of shots for them before he will take them. I am not saying anyone is a bad pet owner. I only know what is required in my state and in my area. I have shots given to my pets because I love them and care for them in the best capacity I know how. While this forum is a wonderful resource, I do form my own opinons from the information gathered.

While many say that SC does not require rabies, my vet and groomer does so I follow their guidelines. I also will not take a foster dog who has not had a rabies shot, my rules. I live in an area where there are actually cases of rabies in squirrels, rabbits, and raccoons. I am going to be safe rather than sorry.

Rabies in S.C.
Vaccinate Dogs, Cats and Ferrets
If you own a dog, cat or ferret, you're required by South Carolina's rabies law to keep your animal's rabies shot up to date. This usually means a once-a-year vaccine, but veterinarians also offer multi-year vaccines for cats and dogs that offer good protection and satisfy the legal requirement.

Your veterinarian or veterinary technician can administer the vaccine, or you can take advantage of the yearly rabies vaccination clinics DHEC sponsors with local veterinarians, usually in the spring.

STRAIGHT FROM DHEC

Actually I found this from DHEC

A pet owner must have his pet inoculated against rabies at a frequency to provide continuous protection of the pet from rabies using a vaccine approved by the department and licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture, http://www.scdhec.gov/administration/re ... pter-5.htm
So clearly an annual rabies shot is not required.

I'm not saying not to vaccinate against rabies, it's the law. Just why is your vet doing it every year? Especially in your granddog who has vaccine reactions every time?! When will they say oops shouldn't have done it. When she dies from the reaction? It DOES happen Deborah.

A couple of years ago I had Kirby (mini schnauzer) titered for distemper and rabies which came back negative for any immunity left in his body for distemper. So after the expense of the titer I had to go ahead and have him vacinated anyway for distemper. I just had Katie (chocolate cocker) titered for rabies. Both these dogs have autoimune problems. I got the call that Katie is on the very low side of being protected..still legal that they would fax a paper so I can get her license but tell me when she comes due for her next rabie's titer it will no doubt be negative for any immunity and she will need to be vaccinated. I'm now wondering if these titers are over rated and should I just go ahead and have them vaccinated each time. This is getting very expensive.

rabies can't be titered here. It is law they get them every 3 yrs.

If my dog was coming back negative for distemper or parvo, I would vaccinate. I would not take the chance. Call me pessimist, but I find it odd this is happening. It makes me wonder about the meds used, the clinic, or even the VET. I have heard of titers coming back low or negative on dogs that have been taken to low cost clinics for previous vaccines. Makes one wonder about the meds they used

This isn't a low cost clinic believe me! I travel out of town to use this place and have for over 35 years because it's so well known and high end.
They send Katie's blood work for thyroid to Dr. Dodds. I did vaccinate Kirby for distemper and will revaccinate Katie next time for rabies if needed. I must look into poor quality vaccinations if there is such a thing. Dr. Dodds should know.

Stop the Shots - Are Vaccinations Killing Our Pets? - 1

http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/pu ... n-studies/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9VGnEJ2njA

Be informed, do your home work.

GOOGLE vaccination-studies Purdue

The very fact that both dogs have autoimmune issues is probably why their titers aren't lasting. Although Snow White was recently titered and showed excellent immunity the fact she's been on prednisone for four months could have made those go to zero and she will in fact be titered again in a few days when I have her regular bloodwork run too. Just informational, because I'm not going to vaccinate her while on pred.

According to Dr Schultz the numbers don't matter, they can go up or down depending on any recent challenge to the disease. As long as there is SOME immunity the dog should be fine. Rabies is probably a different story of course because dogs aren't ever really exposed to that virus (thank goodness),.

When was the last time Kirby was vaccinated for distemper before this? If it was more than three years ago, then yes, I'd say it's worth it.

They told me the range for Rabies is .1 - 15.0. Katie titered at 1.0 which they said was fine but low and that next time would probably need a vaccine. How does that work if you don't want them vaccinated anymore, because the titer was just for my protection in case someone was bitten.

Kirby's last distemper had to be a couple of years ago when his titer came back no immunity.

It looks like New York is a state that give exemptions. http://vaccines.dogsadversereactions.co ... esLaws.pdf You could check out the links they give to find out exactly what they are

After seeing this thread and knowing how fragile some cocker spaniels immune systems are, I will be titering all vaccines in my two dogs, with the exception of rabies, which they will get every 3 years. I ran into the 1 year rabies vaccine scenario at my up til recently, life long vet clinic who had changed owners. The vet started insisting on 1 year rabies...and did not offer 3 year rabies. That discussion, plus a few more, took me from a life long veterinarian, to one with much more insight. In my opinion, the yearly rabies vaccine is a purely money making effort. At the new vet, when I inquired about the cost of titering versus automatically vaccinating, the cost for titering alone was the same almost as the vaccines themselves...so no extra cash outlay. Unless of course their immunity was not adequate for a particular illness/vaccine. Education is the key to keeping our pets safe. Cocker Spaniels come with a need for a degree of care and knowledge, and I as an owner of two of these precious beings, will continue to inform myself to keep their care as good as I can. I believe knowledgeable people like Kris L Christine and Julie Hydro keep our forum well informed...and I am extremely grateful for their input.