Query about Booster Vaccinations

[Rua]

I just had a question about Vaccinations. I would ask my vet this, but sometimes I feel that they arrange things to get money out of you rather than what is always what's best for the animal. So I just want to see what you folks here think.

Juno is currently 11 weeks. Her breeder's vet gave her the Parvo Vac at 7 weeks. After we brought her home, I took her for her 7 in 1 vaccination at 9 weeks. My vet told me to come back when Juno was 12 weeks for her booster.

Still with me? Ok...so....like many GSD owners, I've been straddling the fine line of trying to socialize her as much as I can without endangering her before she's fully vaccinated.

I want to take her to a 5 week Puppy Socialisation course that begins next Tuesday. Juno isn't due her booster till next Friday. So I rang the vet and asked if I could move her booster up to today instead. (Today marks exactly 2 weeks since her first 7 in 1.) This course will only take fully vaccinated pups and the next one won't be available until a month from now.

My question is: Is it possible that getting her booster a week earlier than scheduled will mean she won't be as immune?

[JakodaCD OA]

no vet here, but she's probably immune already even without the 3rd booster.

I just wanted to add, when you do that booster, don't let your vet give rabies at the same time..I actually don't like multi boosters, but if you have to ya have to my vet never gives a rabies in conjunction with other boosters, just to much in their systems all at once in my opinion.

[Rua]

Fortunately we don't have to worry about rabies here. Ireland is considered a rabies free country with no reported cases since the early 1900s. So unless you plan to travel abroad with your pet, the vets here don't generally give the rabies vaccine.

I was just worried if I did her booster early that it wouldn't have any effect because I didn't wait long enough in between shots.

[stealthq]

Not a vet, either, but I do work in immunology so I have an understanding of how the vaccines work.

The answer to your question is, yes, your puppy might not be as immune (for his 1st year) getting the vaccine at 11wks. vs. 12wks. unless you get an additional puppy vaccine after the 12wk. mark. Here's why:

The reason you get the series of puppy vaccines is that you are trying to get the puppy immunized as early as possible, but after the antibodies from the mother dog are gone (somewhere between 6wks - 12wks.). If you vaccinate and mom's antibodies are still present, the vaccine is severely weakened or useless. If you vaccinate and mom's antibodies are already gone, then the vaccine is effective. It's a guessing game as to when that point is, which is why the series of puppy boosters - to try to catch the ideal time point without spending tons of money assaying for mom's antibodies.

So, depending on when your puppy's vaccinations become effective, your pup could already be protected, might be protected by the 11wk. vaccination, or might not be protected until he gets a vax at or after 12 wks.

ETA: This is a simplified explanation

[Rua]

That's really interesting. Thanks for all your input. It's so hard to know what's the best way to go about all this when you want to give your pup the best start in life...both in health and socially. The only reason I wanted to bump it up is because the Socialisation class starts next week and I'd like to get her started with it.

So I went to the vets today and expressed my concern about having it done a bit early and whether she will need an extra jab after this. The vet reckoned she would be fine since it had been two weeks since the last shot.

Juno was the smallest in a litter of 10 (it was her Mum's first litter), and the fact that the breeder had the puppies on normal dog food from a young age might indicate that she may not have had as many of her Mum's antibodies passed on through the milk, as there were a lot of babies all fighting for food at once. Technically she is 11 weeks and 4 days. I hope this is enough to keep her safe!