So after a lot of reading around on websites and this forum - and listening to the advice from my breeder I came to the conclusion that doing the distemper/parvo/adenovirus at 8/9 weeks and then again at 14-16 weeks then rabies after 4 months in time for puppy class was the best option for my pup. I also needed bordatella for puppy class and am contemplating lepto and lyme just trying to figure out when in the series of shots I want it done. So I thought I finally figured it out....

BUT

when I got to the vet they said that I had to start the series of vaccines all over again because you have to do the distemper/parvo/adenovirus vaccines every two weeks for three series and since my breeder had the pups vaccinated at 8 weeks and Oliver is now 15 they'd have to start all the way over? I explained to them what my plan had been and the recommendation from the breeder and they said that wouldn't work and that thats not protocol and they just couldn't do that. So then I got really confused because I'm far from knowledgeable in this area. I met and talked with the vet and he seemed to think everythign was fine and we can jsut do the third booster next time I come in. I don't mind doing that at all - at least then we don't ahve to start over because the last thing I want is poor Oliver to have extra vaccines - I was going for the least amount possible to limit chances of adverse reactions. Does anyone know if the third booster is necessary. I guess I dont understand how some places do two sets and other places do three. Are they different vaccines so they work differently? I know three series of shots is very typical, but I thought doing two sets was also another way to do it. Hopefully someone who knows about this stuff can help clear things up for me. I'm pretty confused

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"Nothing can bring more happiness than a Golden Retriever"

The vaccines should be the same. Molly only got two boosters, at 9.5 and 14 weeks. Her breeder did not get the pups vaccinated before they went home because she was following Dr. Dodd's protocol.

I wouldn't redo the whole series. One last booster for Oliver should be fine.


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Thank you for your reply. Would it be worth checking out different vets in the area? I was caught completely off guard when they told me I was wrong and we had to redo everything. It didn't seem like they were open to any different vaccine protocols. Just makes me worry

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"Nothing can bring more happiness than a Golden Retriever"

Rubbish. It isn't the number of shots-it's the timing. As long as the last shot is on or after 16 weeks, you should be fine. The problem is that we never know for sure when the mother's immunity is going to wear off. I think that statistics say that around 95% of puppies will be fully protected if their last shot is on or after 16 weeks.

There are some shots-Lyme?-that do have to be given on a strict schedule, so perhaps that is what they were saying.

Basically what you were planning on doing is pretty much what I do with my puppies

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Linda
Tahnee Golden Retrievers

I do the same with my puppies .... first at 9 weeks... second at 16 weeks and thats it.... what you were told is the schedule that I use...

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Shalva and the Milbrose Retrievers and Irish Wolfhound
Milbrose Retrievers and Irish Wolfhounds

Another question related to vaccines. When the vet techs told me that I'd have to start the vaccination series all over again I asked them if I could just get a set of shots today and then do a titer in a couple of weeks to see if the pup is immunized. The vet tech said they don't do titers on puppies as young as mine (he'd be a little over 4 months at the time of the titer). Is this true? I thought the whole point of a titer was to see if a vaccine worked?

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"Nothing can bring more happiness than a Golden Retriever"

@coaraujo

The vet tech doesn't know what she/he is talking about.

My breeder's protocol is to vaccinate the puppies at 8.5 weeks before they go home and then the owners have them vaccinated at 12 weeks with DAP. Then the puppies are titered at 14 weeks old for distemper and parvo by Cornell University. Out of a litter of 5, all but one had appropriate titer levels. There was one that had good distemper titers but low parvo titers so that puppy had to be vaccinated again at 20 weeks. In general this is my breeder's protocol, as well as, their cobreeder. There is at most 1 puppy from any litter (even larger ones with 11) that requires to be vaccinated after 12 weeks.

thank you so much, do you know if regular vet offices do titers or will i have to go to a university?

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"Nothing can bring more happiness than a Golden Retriever"

It is standard that the last vaccine be given no earlier than 16 weeks, as Tahnee said. Studies have shown that maternal antibodies can remain in the pup's system close to that age and that will interfere with whether or not the pup develops its own antibodies. If you are in endemic areas for Lyme disease and leptospirosis, then those vaccines are also recommended. I never do those vaccines younger than four months of age. In fact, my five month old Gabby has not been vaccinated for leptospirosis, yet. Judging by today's snowfall, I have time.... Leptospirosis and Lyme disease can both lead to severe kidney disease and kidney failure. Back in the day, we vaccinated for distemper/parvovirus/adenovirus/parainfluenza every year and rabies every two years. We now do the distemper vaccine every three years and rabies every three years. My beagle lived to be 17 years getting a distemper vaccine every year and a rabies vaccine every two years. And my beagle did not die from any cancer....

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Janice and The Celebration Gang -
"Samantha, George, Tiki, Emily, Mick and Basil" Gone but not forgotten, Sally(Windjammer's Ima Country Girl CDX CGC), Laney(Mandell Marlenes Celebration UD RA CGC), and Cookie(Starseeker's Kissmas Cookie CDX RE CGC).