Vaccinating Dogs

We used to think vaccinating was like praying—the more the better, but now we know this is not true. Veterinarians suspect the following health problems can be caused by over vaccination:

• allergies,
• autoimmune hemolytic anemia,
• immune-mediated thrombocytopenia,
• immune suppression,
• epilepsy,
• hypertrophic osteodystrophy,
• loss of the ability to smell (anosmia), and
• hypothyroidism.

Dogs already suffering from allergies have increased allergic response to allergens after being vaccinated, which may make their allergies worse. For these reasons, it is in your dog’s best interest to receive a limited number of vaccines.

Diseases for which dogs must be vaccinated:
Rabies

Diseases for which most dogs should be vaccinated:
Adenovirus
Distemper
Parvo

Diseases for which some dogs should be vaccinated:
Bordetella
Corona
Leptospirosis
Lyme disease
Parainfluenza

Core and Noncore Vaccines for Dogs
Another way to consider vaccines is to divide them into core and noncore groups. Core vaccines are for diseases that cause serious illness and may be fatal: rabies, distemper, parvo, and adenovirus. These vaccines should be used in most dogs. Noncore vaccines protect against diseases that are not normally serious or that infect only a limited number of dogs. Noncore vaccines should not be used routinely but can be given to dogs who may be exposed the disease and significantly affected by it. Noncore Vaccines are for bordetella, parainfluenza, corona, leptospirosis and lyme disease.

We'll look at which vaccines are recommended for cats in an upcoming Caring for Pets blog entry.