Vaccination for Dogs - Yes or No?

Table of Contents

• Vaccinations for your dog – a quick summary
• Dog vaccinations – how do vaccinations work?
• Mandatory vaccinations for dogs – what do I need to know?
• Vaccinating your dog – how often is it necessary?
• Do I really need to vaccinate my dog annually?
• What is a titer test for dogs?
• Can dog vaccinations result in side effects and vaccine damage?
• Conclusion on dog vaccinations

The discussion about dog vaccinations in puppy class

We are constantly asked for advice on vaccinations. A customer recently told us about a lively debate on vaccinations in puppy class. One participant was of the opinion that it was sufficient if the puppies' parents were adequately vaccinated.

In some heated discussions about possible vaccine damage, factual and clear information about the benefits or risks of vaccination for your dog often unfortunately takes a back seat.

We want to change that! Because only through well-founded information about the advantages and disadvantages of vaccinations can you, as a dog owner, make a well-considered decision about necessary vaccinations and appropriate vaccination intervals together with your veterinary practice.

NOTE: Our position is largely pro-vaccination if it helps the dog's health. We work closely with naturopathic therapists, alternative practitioners, breeders, and veterinarians, which largely shapes our stance – but the decision is ultimately up to each dog owner. This is merely a recommendation.

Vaccinations for your dog – a quick summary

• Importance of vaccination: Vaccinations protect dogs from infectious diseases, promote herd immunity, and are important for human health.
• Vaccination recommendations: In Germany, there are no mandatory vaccinations for dogs, but veterinarians recommend core vaccinations, which protect dogs from life-threatening and human-transmissible diseases.
• Vaccination intervals: Primary immunization begins in puppyhood, with vaccination intervals varying depending on the disease, and regular booster vaccinations are required.
• Side effects and safety: Side effects of vaccinations in dogs are rare and usually harmless. Adjuvants in vaccines can cause side effects but are generally safe, and the benefits outweigh the risks.

Dog vaccinations – how do vaccinations work?

Dogs and vaccinations are often not good friends, yet vaccinations for your dog are extremely important. Through vaccinations, you primarily protect your own dog from infectious diseases and at the same time bear responsibility for other dogs in your environment.

For example, puppies may only be vaccinated from the 8th week onwards. Some dogs cannot receive certain vaccinations due to chronic illnesses. You are therefore dependent on the animals in your environment being vaccinated to prevent the spread of diseases. This is called herd immunity, which is increasingly underestimated by many dog owners.

By vaccinating your dog, you also contribute to the protection of the community, which could even lead to the "extinction" of certain diseases in the long run.

Your dog's vaccinations are also important for your own health, as some diseases are dangerous for humans too. But how does this "protection" work, which builds up in the bodies of two- and four-legged friends after the small prick? A vaccination is usually administered with a syringe by a doctor or veterinarian and works through two different mechanisms:

Mandatory vaccinations for dogs – what do I need to know?

In Germany, there are no mandatory vaccinations for dogs. However, veterinarians distinguish between so-called core components and non-core components for dog vaccinations.

Let's take a closer look at the most important core components so you are aware of what a vaccination protects your dog and you from.

Vaccinating your dog – how often is it necessary?

The foundation for a protected dog's life is laid by the so-called primary immunization, which serves to establish initial vaccination protection.

As a rule, primary immunization vaccinations for dogs begin in the 8th week of life, as puppies are still adequately protected by the antibodies from their mother's milk until then. Subsequent vaccinations are planned so that no "immunological gap" occurs. This means that puppies are vaccinated shortly after the maternal immune protection has worn off, to ensure that the young organism is optimally protected without interruption.

Vaccinate puppies: Yes or No?

In Germany, it is not mandatory to vaccinate puppies, but the Standing Committee on Vaccination in Veterinary Veterinary medicine (StIKo Vet) strongly recommends it. Puppies have an immune system that is not yet fully developed and needs to be strengthened. Initially, mother's milk with its antibodies protects the puppies, but this protection diminishes. The right vaccinations at the right age prevent the puppy from becoming susceptible to infectious diseases.

To ensure that vaccine protection is not interrupted, the puppy must receive booster vaccinations at regular intervals. The intervals depend on the specific vaccination, the dog's age, and the vaccine used.

The right vaccination time for dogs

The Standing Committee on Vaccination in Veterinary Veterinary medicine (StIKo Vet) recommends the following vaccinations:

8th week: Parvovirosis, Hepatitis, Distemper, and Leptospirosis
12th and 15th week: Repeat of the above vaccinations and additionally Rabies

After one year, all vaccinations are boosted again, after which booster vaccinations usually occur every three years.

Do I really need to vaccinate my dog annually?

Annual vaccination is not recommended for all diseases for your dog. Studies and research have shown how long vaccinations against various pathogens are effective. Based on these findings, the Standing Committee on Vaccination in Veterinary Veterinary medicine (StIKo Vet) publishes annual guidelines and recommendations. In parallel, the Department of Veterinary Veterinary medicine at LMU Munich also issues recommendations based on its own institutional research.

What is a titer test for dogs?

To ensure that your dog has sufficient protection, especially with deviating vaccination intervals or a weakened state of health, a so-called titer test can be performed. This test measures antibodies in the blood and can be done for diseases such as distemper, parvovirosis, hepatitis, and rabies. Based on the results, it can be decided whether a new vaccination is necessary. Although titer determination in the laboratory incurs costs, it could be more cost-effective overall, as unnecessary vaccinations are avoided.

Experience shows that for dogs that were properly primarily immunized as puppies, some booster vaccinations can be omitted.

Why do some veterinarians still insist on annual vaccination?

• In some cases, annual vaccination is important to ensure stable vaccine protection.
• The vaccination visit can be combined with a general health check. For older dogs, a semi-annual visit is beneficial.
• Regular visits, such as for a vaccination appointment, help your dog get used to the practice and the procedure. Additional rewards can facilitate this process.

Can dog vaccinations result in side effects and vaccine damage?

Of course, side effects can also occur with dog vaccinations. Mostly, these are harmless symptoms such as pain, swelling, and redness at the injection site, lethargy, slight fever, or allergic reactions. However, these symptoms are by no means comparable to the severe consequences of an illness.

When researching on the internet, it often seems that severe side effects from dog vaccinations are the norm. However, a look at the relevant statistics proves the opposite: According to the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, 113 cases were reported in 2010, and 105 the year before. With a population of about 5 million dogs and an estimated 3.8 million vaccinations administered annually, the frequency of vaccine reactions is only 0.0065%. These figures confirm the high safety of canine vaccines.

Most side effects concern allergic reactions such as itching, diarrhea, local pain or abscesses, and sometimes vomiting. Our bland diet or our intestinal biscuits for dogs can provide relief here. These reactions are among the typical, yet rare, vaccine reactions.

These side effects are often caused by so-called adjuvants. These are excipients added to the vaccine to trigger a stronger immune response. Adjuvants achieve this by causing a local irritation or a small local inflammation, which attracts components of the immune system to achieve the most efficient immune response possible against the virus.

Almost all common vaccines today contain aluminum salts as adjuvants. The amount of these salts in the vaccines does not exceed the daily dose that we absorb, for example, through food. Therefore, these substances in your dog's vaccinations are generally harmless.

There are also other adjuvants, and nowadays, vaccines without adjuvants are available for many pathogens. However, it should always be considered that vaccinations for dogs without adjuvants offer less protection.

Preventing vaccination consequences

Why deworming can be so important

Conclusion on vaccinating dogs

Regular checks and booster shots for vaccination protection are important. Those who are well-informed before vaccination and take sufficient precautions need not fear vaccinations. In this spirit: Stay healthy!

NOTE: Our stance is largely pro-vaccination if it benefits the dog's health. We work closely with natural health therapists, naturopaths, breeders, and veterinarians, which largely shapes our opinion – but the final decision rests with each dog owner. This is only a recommendation.