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Vaccines
Vaccines
Do No Harm
A healthy immune system is the key to avoiding many problems in all dogs including Collies. Some problems that are believed to be linked to a compromised immune system include DMS (dermatomyositis), allergies, and thyroid which are complicated by genetic inheritance. In recent years, many breeders are evaluating the role of vaccinations in the health of the dog. The current vaccination schedules may be too intense for many individual dogs, families of dogs, and/or breeds of dogs. I strongly believe that we are over vaccinating our pets and are being pushed to do so by profit, ignorance, or both. Testing over the past decade is proving that the immunity of our pets after vaccination is far exceeding what we are being told by some veterinarians and/or drug companies There is a significant push to evaluate formal protocols and to scale back the intensity and frequency of vaccinations. More information can be found online. Dr. Jean Dodds has been a proponent of a scaled back program to help preserve the immune system of our pets.
You can read more about the 2017 AAHA Vaccination Guidelines and Recommendations by Dr. Jean Dodds HERE
My Vaccine Protocol
All puppies receive a puppy combo series and a booster at one year however after the one year booster, no other booster vaccinations are given beyond Rabies as required by law.
I do not recommend Lepto due to the higher chance for reactions to the shot and the low incidence of risk for most dogs. Some areas or activities do increase the risk of exposure so if the decision is made to administer Lepto, do NOT give this shot at the same time as other shots. Allow 2-3 weeks to pass between shots and give Lepto as a stand alone injection. Be available to monitor your dog for 24 hours after administration.
I do not endorse the idea of requiring booster shots every year or every three years. If there is any question about the immunity levels in the dogs’ blood, consider having your vet run a titre test thru a company like VacciCheck.
I am not a veterinarian and the advice on these pages should not be taken as medical advice. I am however experienced with this breed and have chosen options I feel are the least impactful to the immune system of my dogs while offering sufficient coverage with reasonable risk.