Vaccinations: older dogs and new puppy

[Josephine1564]

Hi there, I wondered if I could ask your advice? I have read lots of articles about vaccinations and booster - now I need straight up advice.

I have two Maltese terriers both 6 yo. I am about to get a Golden Retriever who will have been vaccinated at 8 wks. Last year I forgot the Malteses boosters-just totally forgot them- but up until this mistake they have had a booster every year. This year I changed Vet and they picked this up and said I was putting the new puppy at huge risk as my Maltese are not protected. I immediately started the process of vaccinations and on the vets advice we ‘started again’ whatever that means! The vet then went on to say that the vaccinations won’t be effective for another three weeks !! Now I have been told that the Maltese are unprotected and I will be putting puppy at risk. The Maltese are healthy and show no signs of illness or disease (vet checked). Obviously I’m worried I’m going to harm the new puppy. Will my Maltese have any protection/immunity From previous vaccinations and am I risking the puppies life by bringing him into my home. We live in the U.K. in the countryside/village And mainly agricultural farming around us. Please can someone give me some advice as I don’t want to cause harm.

[hannahfaith]

I have 3 dogs of different breeds, ages, and sizes, and all were brought home at different times.

When we brought home the last one (at the time 10yr old chihuahua) he had gone to the vet that day but prior hadn't been in 2 years.
We could only do so many shots and vaccines that appt but we still mixed him with the other two dogs (one was an 8yr old spaniel and one was a 3yr old dachshund)

Never had an issue about the vaccines with ours and we aren't the best and making sure they go the same date every year for well visits and boosters.

I would say your fine but if you're worried about your Malteses I would call another vet and just get a second on the phone opinion before you panic.

Enjoy all your little fur babies!

[BiteyShark]

The issue here is whether you are happy with the 'my dogs haven't been vaccinated and are ok' or the advice of your vet.

FYI: I am in the camp of pro vaccinations, we have had the puppy ones. The L4 and KC each year and this year will be getting the 3 yearly booster for the puppy ones again as per the recommended timeframe.

For puppies the advice from my vet was that it was fine to socialise my puppy with adult dogs that were up to date with their vaccinations. As you had let yours lapse I wouldn't have visited you if you were known to me but other people may not be that bothered and risk it.

As PP said if you aren't happy with your vets advice then ask another vet for a second opinion.

[Bobstergirl]

Poor advice from the vet but to the letter advice.

If you are concerned get a titre test to see if your dogs have cover - I bet money they will have. Then no threat to your puppy at all.

[tabulahrasa]

I’ve had to restart vaccinations with adult dogs, either because I’ve aqquired them as adults with a gap in their history or because I’m fostering and again there’s a gap or they’ve missed some.

I don’t treat them like unvaccinated puppies - as in neither my vet, the charity I foster for or me think it’s a huge risk to have them out and about in the same as if they’d never been vaccinated.

So in that basis I’d assume it’s not a massive risk to have a puppy round them either.

[Loveablers]

Regardless of whether you a pro or anti vaccine -

You cannot boost immunity. There is no such thing, it’s impossible. Which is why boosters are a waste of time. You’re either immune to something or you’re not. You can’t be half immune to something, you can’t be semi immune, you either are or aren’t. So yearly boosters are a sack of shit - even the manufactures of the boosters recommend waiting at least 3 years between “boosters” because of the risks

If your two dogs were originally vaccinated they will be fine. Your puppy will be fine.. it’ll still have it’s mother’s anti bodies anyway. Your vaccinated dogs will not have the disease it was vaccinated against so they serve no danger to your puppy. Missing one “booster” means nothing.