Why Too Many Vaccinations Are Harmful For Your Dog

One of the most controversial topics in pet care in recent years is a debate raging about whether or not yearly vaccinations are safe and completely necessary for our pets.  

As a dog breeder I know all about maintaining the delicate balance between keeping puppies healthy and worrying about the dangers associated with each vaccination they receive. 

Did you know for example, that if puppies wait and receive their first distemper vaccination at 12 weeks of age, many receive a lifetime immunity to that disease within hours of that first vaccination?   Yet almost every puppy receives her first distemper booster at 8 weeks (which typically only provides 45% immunity) again at 11 weeks (boosting that immunity to 70%) and once more at 14 weeks of age where finally a lifetime immune response is achieved.  I start my puppies with the standard protocol of an 8 week combination vaccine but am very strict about limiting exposure after the puppy series is complete. Instead of routinely giving another series of yearly vaccines, I prefer to check the titer level and see what level of immunity is present.

To make matters worse, that potentially joint destroying distemper vaccine will be repeated every year for the life of your dog.  Even though study after study shows that lifetime immunity came after that properly administered 12 week booster.   additional distemper shot your puppy receives can cause her body to begin an autoimmune response that causes her to attack and destroy the collagen cushioning between her joints.