Puppy Vaccines
If you have been doing much reading on our website, and specifically in our health area, you may be starting to pick up a pattern! We are a family that doesn’t do ANYTHING “just because”. We like to research decisions carefully, and make them deliberately. This is why we do so many things differently than you may run into with other breeders! One of those things is our suggestions for vaccines in your puppy. This page will most certainly expand in the coming months, but I will go ahead with this to get started :) There is no one set of recommendations that works for every dog in every family and situation, but we strongly encourage our families to research thoroughly before making a decision that can’t be undone! Remember, you can go get your dog “caught up” on shots at any time…..but you cannot remove from his or her body once it has been injected. Again, I will add more later, but to get you started, here is what we do, and what we offer while your puppy is here:
our puppy vaccine protocol & suggestions
We give a Parvo and Distemper shot before puppy goes home.
Explanation: If you have checked out info on our hogs and cattle, you may have noticed that we lean towards natural ways to build health and the immune system versus multiple vaccines on a schedule just because somebody, somewhere said so. Every vet will tell you something different on what is needed and when, and every breeder’s schedule is a little different in what is given and when. What really made us start thinking on the vaccines for our Cockapoo puppies is that they were supposed to have the exact same shot at the exact same time as our Great Pyrenees puppies that are 4 to 5 times their weight and size. We began researching what we could do to do our best to offer you the peace of mind that your puppy is as protected as possible, but not overwhelm these tiny puppies 8 week old systems. For this reason, and because we are not running huge kennels with lots and lots of puppies and people in and out, we are able to follow a more delayed protocol, and give you some choices in the process!
We see a lot of sense in approaches like that of Dr Jean Dodds and Dr Ronald Schultz. We take a lot of our info and timing from their suggestions. What we have on hand to give puppies is Dr Dodds recommended shot for Distemper and Parvo in a modified live virus (MLV) vaccine. Dr Dodds recommends this shot at 9 to 10 weeks of age, however, since we do want to do our best to protect puppies before they leave, we do give the shot while they are still here. Timing depends somewhat on the litter, but we don’t ever give the shot earlier than 7 weeks, and wait until as close to 8 weeks as possible without giving it too close to when puppies are going home. Here are your options in our giving your puppy his or her first shots, and I will split your options by the three groups of people we generally talk to:
1. I am not concerned about vaccines at all: For these families, we give your puppy the DPv shot as listed above. Your puppy will come home with his or her health record so that you and your vet can discuss how to proceed at your first visit :)
2. I am somewhat concerned about vaccines in such a small puppy, but I am also nervous not to have my puppy start on core vaccines before heading home with me: For these families, we give your puppy the DPv shot as normal, but there are a few things we are doing in addition to try and help minimize chances of vaccinosis.
a) We source and use only a 2-way vaccine that is a modified live virus, as recommended by Dr. Jean Dodds.
b) We use aged vials to give our vaccines. This means that the preservatives that often are what those being vaccinated react to have already begun to break down, leaving a little less chance of a reaction.
c) We dose our vaccines based on weight instead of giving every puppy of every size the exact same dose.
d) Our puppies are on NuVet Plus vitamins from the time they are conceived through their mother, and as soon as they start on solid food for themselves. This supplement helps their young immune system to be the best it can be, and its high antioxidant properties help increase the body’s immune response to the vaccine given.
e) We allow our mama dogs to naturally work through weaning with their puppies, following their cues of when they are done nursing puppies instead of pulling them off because of an arbitrary date. This allows puppies to continue to receive the benefits of mom’s milk for much longer than puppies raised with many other breeders.
In addition, for those families who are concerned and want the option, we have done much research ourselves, and through previous puppy families on a protocol using Homeopathic Thuja Occidentalis in order to minimize any negative effects of vaccines on the body. This involves extra supplies and extra processes, so we do charge $150 to administer this daily protocol, but it is a great option for the families who have concern, but do still desire for us to give the Distemper and Parvo vaccination.
3. I would like to forego my puppy’s shots in your home, and follow a delayed schedule starting at a later date: Unlike any other breeder we have ever encountered (remember, we are very acquainted with the process as we bring home our mama and daddy dogs!) we have no problem with you skipping your puppy’s shots while they are here. Also, we work out the details of which puppy is headed home when in order to split the litter and protect your non-vaccinated puppy from any possibility of littermates who have received the vaccine shedding the virus.