Your Veterinarian Will Decide If The Lyme Vaccine Is Right For Your Dog
Your veterinarian is your best resource for deciding if your dog is a good candidate for the Lyme vaccination for dogs. So, before you sign your pup up for this yearly shot, talk with your vet about your pets lifestyle and risk level for Lyme disease.
Pets whove been treated for Lyme disease in dogs should probably get the vaccine, but not if the disease caused kidney damage, says Dr. Brevitz. The vet will check the dogs urine to see if there are excessive amounts of protein before giving the vaccine.
If there are abnormal amounts that are thought to be caused by Lyme disease, your pup should skip the vaccine to theoretically prevent more kidney damage from occurring.
Most dogs wont have side effects with this shot, and if they do, they are mild ones, like feeling tired or sore at the site of the injection, says Dr. Mengel. But, if your dog has a history of severe reactions, bring it up with your vet.
Are Puppy Vaccines Expensive
Vaccinations will be a regular expense, particularly in the early stages of a dog’s life. How much vaccinations cost will depend on where you live. Generally, vets in urban areas and large cities charge more than a small town or rural country veterinarian.
It’s best to call around to check on price differences in your area. When choosing a vet, also consider that you want them to be located close enough to where you live so that they are available in case of an emergency. This means that you may need to pick a slightly more expensive vet clinic because it’s only ten minutes away.
Puppy vaccinations cost more during the dog’s first year before they reach adulthood. Puppy shot costs will then start going down as the dog ages.
Here are some things to consider when you’re pondering on puppy vaccine costs:
The core vaccines often include the DHLPP . The average costs is around $75 to $100. Note that as a puppy, this multivalent vaccine is given 3 times at ages 6, 12, and 16 weeks old.
Your puppy will need a rabies vaccine yearly. This vaccine costs between $15 and $20.
If you acquired your puppy from a shelter, vaccines may have been included in the costs of the adoption and shots are up-to-date to the age when you received him.
You can lower the costs of a puppy shot schedule by going to clinics or even local shelters who may offer community programs. Some may offer low-cost or even free vaccinations to those who request it in the area.
What Vaccinations Do You Provide New Puppies
There are two different categories of vaccines Core and Non-Core.
Core administered to all healthy dogs. Non-Core administered selectively based on geography, lifestyle and exposure risk.
Core Vaccines include:
- Distemper Complex Protects against distemper, adenovirus , leptospirosis, parainfluenza, parvo and coronavirus. These diseases attack the respiratory system, liver, kidneys, intestines, cause joint pain, lethargy, and some can be spread to humans.
- Rabies Fatal and incurable. Rabies affects the nervous system and can be spread to humans. This vaccine is required by law.
Non-Core Vaccines include:
- Bordetella More commonly known as kennel cough. Required when boarding dogs in a kennel or daycare.
- Lyme Disease spread by the deer tick. Recommended for dogs who live in or travel to Lyme endemic areas.
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Lyme Disease Vaccine For Dogs
Lyme disease is one of a number of frustratingly common tick-borne diseases that are regarded by both veterinarians and human physicians as stubborn, insidious, and just plain problematic. In dogs, the disease causes tiredness, fever, joint pain, and loss of appetite. And though antibiotics often relieve the symptoms, once a dog has been infected, relapses can occur. Fortunately, a vaccine is available and recommended for dogs who live and play in high-risk areas.
Lyme Disease From Adult Ticks
Adult ticks will seek new hosts throughout the fall. Their peak activity between late October and early November.
Adults prefer taller vegetation. Theyre usually seen 3 off the ground on high grasses or leaves. Adults often use deer as hosts but theyre also happy with humans, dogs or horses.
Its believed that 50% of adult ticks carry Lyme disease in endemic areas of the Northeast.
While adult ticks can carry Lyme disease, theyre less likely to pass it on to their host.
This is because theyre larger and easier to detect within the first 24 to 36 hours.
Note: the timing of peak activity for each life stage of the tick may differ depending on the area you live. Check with local health departments for peak tick activity where you live.
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What Are The Clinical Signs Of Lyme Disease
Some people with Lyme disease develop a characteristic bull’s-eye rash at the site of the bite within three to thirty days. If this occurs, the disease can be easily diagnosed at an early stage.
However, signs of Lyme disease are more difficult to detect in animals than in people. The characteristic rash does not develop in dogs or cats. In fact, Lyme disease is practically unheard of in cats.
“Affected dogs have been described as if they were walking on eggshells.”
Many dogs affected with Lyme disease are taken to a veterinarian because they seem to be experiencing generalized pain and have stopped eating. Affected dogs have been described as if they were walking on eggshells. Often these pets have high fevers. Dogs may also begin limping. This painful lameness often appears suddenly and may shift from one leg to another. If untreated, it may eventually disappear, only to recur weeks or months later.
Some pets are infected with the Lyme disease organism for over a year before they finally show symptoms. By this time, the disease may be widespread throughout the body. Non-specific signs which may indicate that Lyme disease is affecting the kidneys include vomiting, lethargy, anorexia , and weight loss. The kidney form of the disease is less common, but often fatal.
Side Effects And Risks Associated With Dog Vaccinations
The benefits of vaccinations far outweigh any risks. Adverse reactions to dog vaccines are rare. However, as with any medication or immunization protocol, puppy vaccinations and dog vaccinations can cause some side effects. We do recommend that you have your puppy or dog vaccinated at time when when you can monitor them after the vaccination.
If your dog does experience any reaction to vaccinations, symptoms may include:
- Fever
- Facial or paw swelling and/or hives
- Vomiting
- Pain or swelling around the injection site
- Collapse, difficulty breathing, and seizures
Just as with human vaccines, mild symptoms can be ignored. The majority of reactions are mild and short lived. If you suspect a more severe reaction to puppy vaccines or dog vaccines, such as facial swelling, vomiting or lethargy, you should contact your veterinarian immediately.
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Most Dogs Dont Get Lyme Disease Symptoms Even When They Have Lyme Disease
In 2006, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania infected beagles with Lyme disease.
None of the adult dogs showed any signs of Lyme disease even though they had Lyme disease.
The only dogs in the group that showed any signs of Lyme disease were the puppies and after four days of on and off symptoms, every puppy showed no signs of Lyme disease.
This is likely because puppies have immature immune systems. So while Lyme is common, the disease isnt.
But what about dogs who already test positive for Lyme?
Meryl Littman was the lead researcher and explains 95% of exposed dogs dont get sick, but they become Lyme antibody-positive on tests, which may scare people into thinking they need to be treated.
In fact, 70% 90% of dogs in some areas of New England test positive for Lyme. About 40% of dogs in Pennsylvania test positive.
What Are Dog Vaccines And Why Are They Important
Vaccines help prepare a dog’s immune system to defend itself from any invasion of disease-causing organisms. Vaccines contain antigens, which mimic disease-causing organisms in a dog’s immune system, but don’t actually cause disease. The purpose of puppy vaccines and dog vaccines is to mildly stimulate the immune system by having it recognize the antigens present. This way, if a dog becomes exposed to the real disease, it’s immune system will recognize it, and therefore be prepared to fight it off, or at the least reduce its effects.
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How Does The Parvo Vaccine Work For Dogs
The parvovirus vaccine will train your dog’s immune system to recognize the virus and attack the virus before the virus can make your dog sick, Dr. Bustamante said.
That way, if your dog is fully vaccinated, but ends up exposed to a dog who has parvovirus, his body will know to target the disease and prevent a serious and fatal infection.
Lyme Disease Isnt As Simple As A Bite From A Tick
I said earlier that Lyme disease is not caused by the tick itself.
While ticks can infect your dog with the Lyme disease researchers have found that infection alone isnt the cause of Lyme disease.
In most cases, Lyme disease only occurs when theres a coinfection.
Coinfection is when a host has one or more bacteria, viruses, or other infections at the same time.
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Scheduling An Appointment For Dog Vaccinations
A puppy vaccination schedule should be established during your first veterinarian visit, which should take place within a week of receiving your new puppy. An adult dog vaccination schedule, which includes periodic booster immunizations, can be scheduled after the puppy vaccination schedule has been completed, or immediately upon welcoming an adolescent or adult dog into your family.
As with any other immunization protocol, a dog vaccination schedule should be adhered to without deviation, in order to ensure your canine companion remains healthy, happy and well for the duration of his or her life. Schedule an appointment for your canine companion to receive their vaccinations today.
Efficacy Of The Vaccine
These vaccines are extremely safe and, in conjunction with tick removal and control, prevent B burgdorferi infection and clinical Lyme disease, including Lyme nephritis.
The anecdotal evidence for this fact is overwhelming, but it has also been shown prospectively in multiple controlled studies in experimental infection and in the field. Following are just a few of many examples of such evidence in the field.
- Levy showed excellent field efficacy of canine Lyme disease vaccination in 2003.10
- In 2010, Hebert and Eschner proved the efficacy of the Lyme disease prevention protocol, including vaccination in a large Rhode Island practice.11
- In a population of guide dogs in New York, implementation of strict tick control and mandatory Lyme disease vaccination regimen reduced the number of Lyme nephritis cases from approximately 10/year to less than 1/year over 7 years.12
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Complete Care Animal Hospital Recommends The Following Vaccinations:
Rabies: This is a vaccine that is required by law for pets in most states. The rabies virus is 100% fatal to all mammals, including humans. It is important that we protect dogs and cats, as well as our ferrets and horses. Indoor only cats are not an exception as bats are frequent indoor visitors and may carry the virus. Dogs and cats alike are given a rabies vaccination at the end of their initial immunization series that provides them protection for a year. Rabies is then administered every 3 years throughout the rest of the pets life according to local laws.
Discussion: A One Health Perspective
Aside from the protection of the health of an individual animal, there are other good reasons for recommending a vaccine, including for the protection of public health, and/or to generate herd immunity, with the intent to limit or entirely curb the spread of disease. Canine kennel cough vaccines, for example, do not only protect the health of an individual dog but also prevent the transmission of bacteria and viruses to other susceptible dogs within a high-density environment. This stands in contrast to B. burgdorferi, where infected dogs cannot directly transmit the infectious agent to other dogs: Lyme borreliosis is a vector-borne disease that requires a tick to carry and transmit the infectious agent. Thus, vaccination of an individual dog with a B. burgdorferi vaccine neither protects against direct transmission to other dogs, nor to humans. It is occasionally suggested that B. burgdorferi vaccines have utility in neutralizing infected ticks , which could, theoretically, help curb the spread of Lyme borreliosis in both humans and animals alike. In our view, the vaccination of ticks through their feeding on vaccinated dogs is unlikely to put any serious dent into the prevalence of B. burgdorferi in tick populations, since this spirochetal bacterium is geographically widespread, endemic to many regions and self-sustaining in a sylvatic transmission cycle, independent of dogs .
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What Are The Risks Of Puppy Vaccination
As with any medication and vaccines, whether for animals or humans, there’s always some risk of potential side effects. However, studies show that all core puppy vaccines on the essential puppy shot schedule, like the DA2PP or rabies vaccine, are completely safe.
Most today’s core vaccines for dogs were developed over 50 years ago. After decades of scientific discovery and testing, enough effort has been put into making these vaccines safe and reliable for animals.
In very rare instances, some vaccines may cause adverse effects in puppies that are typically unpredictable. Fortunately, most of those negative reactions dogs have to vaccinations are minor and easily managed.
Your vet will ask about the health of your puppy prior to vaccinations and, if necessary, may perform some tests. If your dog is sick, the vaccine may have to be put on hold due to a dog’s compromised immune system. If given during that time, the vaccine could be ineffective or cause side effects.
Should You Get The Lyme Vaccine For Your Dog
I cant tell you what to do although there are a lot of folks who try to
If you visit the Pets & Parasites website, youll see some pretty scary things like this
The folks at Pets & Parasites arent the most creative bunch, because here was their 2017 forecast
And their 2016 forecast
Pets & Parasites deliver the same message every year and just change the date. How can Lyme disease be that scary when most dogs will never get sick? Even when they test positive for Lyme.
Why all the fuss about Lyme if it doesnt really affect dogs? Companion Animal Parasite Council publishes The Pets & Parasites website. And this council is sponsored by companies who make tick products they want you to buy.
You might think Im biased when it comes to vaccines and that would be true but Im nowhere near as biased as the huge corporations that make billions of dollars off dogs and cats each year! And dont think theyll share my little secret that 95% of dogs with Lyme disease will NEVER develop any symptoms theres no money in that message.
But they will try to scare you and your vet every year, so youll run out and get their spot ons and vaccines.
But now I hope you know better than to get caught up in the propaganda.
So, will you vaccinate your dog for Lyme this year?
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I Found A Tick On My Dog What Do I Do
If the tick is still attached, and your veterinarian is open and able to squeeze you in, prioritize this appointment. If you cannot get in to your vet right away, removing the tick yourself is your next best option. Use fine-tipped tweezers to remove it as close to the dog’s skin as possible. It’s most important to remove the tick at the head, as this is where they can transmit the disease from. It takes at least 24 hours for an infected tick to transmit the bacterium responsible for Lyme disease, which makes removing the tick promptly so important.
If possible, take a clearly focused picture of the tick before removal to show your vet and then save the tick in a zip-lock bag. If the species of tick can be identified, then your vet will know what diseases the tick can potentially transmit.
Can An Animal Get Infected Despite Being Vaccinated
Yes. This has been observed that some animals can still get infected after Lyme vaccination. This can be due to a low immune response of the respective animal and/or a very high exposure rate or Lyme prevalence in the area where the animal lives. A yearly check of the OspA titer is recommended for a vaccinated animal to ensure that the animal responded with high OspA antibodies to vaccination. Please indicate the name of the vaccine and when it has been last applied on the accession form.
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What Are The Core Dog Vaccinations
Core puppy vaccinations and dog vaccinations are considered vital to all canines based on a universal risk of exposure, the severity of disease, and the risk of transmission to other dogs, as well as other animal species including human beings.
The American Animal Hospital Association’s Canine Task Force considers the following dog vaccinations to be core:
- Canine Parvovirus
- Leptospirosis
- Lyme vaccine
Although these vaccines are not considered Core, they are very important for most dogs who may be exposed to these infectious diseases. At your dog’s next appointment, we will be happy to review which of the above make the most sense for your dog and make the appropriate recommendations.
Rabies vaccinations are required by law in most states, including NJ. Owners must periodically have their dogs and puppies vaccinated against rabies, but the specific time frames for puppy vaccinations and dog vaccinations vary by state. In NJ, puppy rabies vaccine is generally given at 12 weeks and the rabies vaccination is good for one year. For adult dogs, the rabies vaccination is good for three years and should be addressed at the time of the first visit for new patients. For example, a puppy would receive the rabies vaccine at 12 weeks, 1 year and then again at age 4.