You love your dog, and you want what’s best for him. But it isn’t always easy to figure out exactly what shots for dogs to get. A quick search of the Internet can sometimes make you feel more confused than when you first started, especially around topics like vet care, vaccinations, your experience in the office, and more.
When conflicting dog care information makes you confused, the best way to proceed forward is to seek advice from the experts you trust. This includes your breeder, your vet, and official veterinary organizations. Our goal is to be a valued resource to you, whether you’re adopting from us or just considering adoption with us in the future.
In this post, you’ll find helpful guidance on everything from why we don’t give tetanus shots for dogs to why your your vet might not let you bring a sick dog into the clinic with other animals. Hopefully, this FAQ answers some of your most important questions so you can better understand about shots for dogs.
Vaccinations
Should you vaccinate your dog? How often should you vaccinate your dog? Does your dog really need every vaccination your veterinarian recommends? Is it okay to skip certain vaccinations if your dog isn’t exposed to diseases?
You might think that these questions have simple answers, especially if you search the topic online. Truthfully, the topic of canine vaccinations just isn’t that simple.
Should You Vaccinate?
First, let’s talk about whether or not you should vaccinate your dog. There are certain vaccinations that all dogs should get; we call them “core vaccines.” This group includes the canine parvovirus, distemper, canine hepatitis and rabies injection. All four protect your pup from potentially deadly, often incurable illnesses while preventing epidemic outbreaks.
Non-Core Vaccines
Some vaccinations aren’t considered essential, but may be recommended depending on a dog’s individual risk factors. These include vaccinations for:
- Leptospirosis
- Lyme Disease
- Kennel Cough
- Canine Influenza
- Bordetella Bronchiseptica
Whether or not these vaccines are right for your dog really depends on her health, how old she is, how exposed to illness she is, and how likely these diseases are to threaten her life. Like humans, dogs who are old, sick, living in shelters, or immunocompromised may be better off getting extra vaccines because their risk for illness is much higher. Healthy indoor dogs that don’t spend time at daycare or the dog park may not need these extra vaccines at all.
Vaccines Not Currently Recommended
There are three newer non-core vaccines currently in development. Availability varies across the United States; some vets have them on hand, while others don’t recommend them at all. These vaccines include:
- Canine Coronavirus
- Canine Giardia
- Canine Porphyromonas
Most vets aren’t yet recommending these vaccines for the average dog. More research is needed to determine whether the risks of giving these injections is less than the benefits gained. Vets that do prescribe them usually only suggest giving them in rare, high-risk circumstances. Shots for dogs are not always crucial but it can be useful to look into these ones.
How Often?
As for how often you should vaccinate your dog, it really depends on the dog. There are two main schools of thought here – the first suggests shots for dogs once yearly with boosters, while the second (relying on new evidence) shows that dogs may only need vaccines once every three years. Either (or another schedule entirely) may be right depending on your situation.
Your vet will suggest a dosing schedule based on whatever they believe reduces the most risk for your dog. If you’re concerned about exposure to vaccines, ask for an antibody titre test. This test measures the amount of antibodies in your dog’s blood to ensure he still has an effective immune response. If he does, vaccination isn’t needed. If he doesn’t, he may need a booster shot.
Again, exposure and risk level matter in making decisions about vaccinations. A hunting dog who regularly tangles with raccoons that may be rabid naturally has a higher risk level for rabies than a senior’s lap dog who spends most of her day in a city apartment or independent living home.
What About Tetanus Shots for Dogs?
Hey – wait a second. What about tetanus shots for dogs?
In humans, when someone cuts themselves on rusty metal, and they haven’t had a tetanus shot in the previous decade, being inoculated is an absolute must. It isn’t the rust or the metal that causes the problem – it’s dirt containing Clostridium tetani fungus. C. tetani fungus releases spores into the bloodstream that release tetanospasmin toxin, which causes motor neuron problems, spasms, classic “lockjaw” symptoms, and sometimes, even death.
In dogs, tetanospasmin toxin produces many of the same symptoms, but research shows that canines are much more resistant to the toxin than humans. For dogs who do become sick, most experience only mild illness; the rest recover with intense veterinary care over a period of several days, including IV antibiotics.
Some experts have suggested using tetanus shots for dogs, too; after all, clostridium tetani is found in soil, and dogs certainly love rolling around in the dirt (and sometimes, eating it, too). But the current consensus is that the risks outweigh the benefits. Given how effective tetanus treatment is, and how resistant our canine friends are, it makes more sense to treat it than to prevent it.
It is possible that this viewpoint may change with further research. Right now, tetanus shots for dogs just aren’t recommended.
Contagions in Veterinary Offices
This is another contentious topic for both vets and owners. Some vets vehemently refuse to allow dogs showing symptoms of kennel cough, parvovirus, or even fleas into the office waiting room before appointments. They may ask you to stay in the car right until your appointment, or they may tell you to come in the back.
What gives? Is this really as strange as it seems?
While it may seem like your vet is trying to hide your dog’s illness or refuse him the same level of care, most often these requests are aimed at limiting the spread of illnesses. If your vet suspects your dog may have a communicable disease, it makes more sense to limit the exposure than to bring them in.
Sadly, there have been instances where a single sick dog in a waiting room managed to infect others, creating ground zero for a localized outbreak. Limiting your sick dog’s access to other animals reduces that risk somewhat, keeping other clients (and your sick dog) safe from harm.
Stress at the Vet
In the same vein, some vets also refuse to allow you to come into the back with your pet for certain procedures. For example, if your pet requires catheterization to test urine or needs a blood draw, your vet may ask you to let them take your dog into the back room. You are essentially trusting your vet to be kind and careful with your dog’s life; whether that’s the right choice isn’t always clear.
Some pet owners have reported hearing their pets scream, cry, or whine after being handed over. You can’t see what veterinary staff is doing, and your dog is left with people he doesn’t know well and probably doesn’t necessarily trust. It’s stressful all around for everyone in the situation.
We can’t tell you for sure whether you should agree to let your pet go into the back room without you or not. Ultimately, it comes down to how much you trust your vet. Some of us have excellent vets we’d trust with our own lives, while others live ins small towns and basically need to take what they can get.
Truthfully, there are some situations where insurance demands or risk to your person may make it impossible or unwise (such as when pets are being given isoflurane gas). But generally, you should at least try to stay with your pet at all times – and a trustworthy vet will help you find ways to do that.
Fear Free Certification
A new initiative called Fear Free aims to reduce stress and improve trust between pet parents and their care teams. According to the Fear Free website, found here, this program teaches practitioners to:
- Reduce the number of anxiety triggers pets experience
- Teach pet parents how to reduce triggers at home/in transport
- Make visiting the vet a less stressful experience (for pets and parents)
- Improve the quality of veterinary medicine provided in the clinic
- Improve pet owner and patient compliance (without jeopardizing insurance)
- Improve safety for pets, pet parents, vet techs, and veterinarians
Fear Free addresses issues, like being unable to stay with your pet in the back room, and allows vets to find alternatives or solutions that please everyone. A vet who is Fear Free certified may allow you to come into specific areas of the hospital, or may complete procedures without going into the back. They may even suggest treatment or diagnostics that are less invasive or provided within your home.
Ask your vet whether they’re Fear Free certified – it’s a fantastic way to determine how much you can trust them with your dog, especially when he or she is out of your sight. While there will always be scenarios where separation is required, Fear Free allows you to play a more active role in your dog’s care, letting you be the responsible and attentive pet parent you truly are.