My dog was due for his booster back in January, he's unvacced right now.

[TheCunnyFunt]

I just rang the vets to book him in for it and the receptionist reckons he may have to start again, by that does she mean like with a puppy? So one jab at 8 weeks and then one at 12 weeks? Is it likely that he'll have to start again?

What age is your dog?

Over vaccination is so common in the UK - they do not need it done every year once they've had puppy vacs and one a year after that. Every 3 years is more than adequate. If you want to use a boarding kennel they will insist on vacs tho.

I've not had it with dogs before, but I've had cats whose boosters have lapsed and yes - you have to have the first booster, then another a month later, then you resume annual jabs.

He's a 6 year old Greyhound. He was last done early Feb 2012 and before that I don't know. I want to do PAT with him so he needs to be done yearly.

He's a 6 year old Greyhound. He was last done early Feb 2012 and before that I don't know. I want to do PAT with him so he needs to be done yearly.

Whoops!

They will ask you to have the course again yes which means the 2 sets of jabs then annually. I had one of my dogs vaccinated for the first 5 years of his life, then didn't bother after that. He lived to 13.

Others have been done annually. I am never quite sure which way to play it, but if you use kennels then you will have to have up to date jabs.

I've heard you can ask for a blood titration to check for serum levels, don't know too much about it really but the chances are your dog is still protected.

Agree ask for a Titer test

The test will probably cost as much as having the jabs done .

Well we went on Wednesday, the vet just gave him a booster, she said if I'd left it much longer he would've needed to start again.

He was such a good boy :)

Thanks everyone!

If you don't get the vacs every year it can cause problems with your pet insurance if they catch one of the illnesses they protect against.

It is so important that people understand what diseases are protected against by vaccination.

Most vets will only boost the distemper/parvo/hepatitis bits every three years anyway. However, leptospirosis vaccines are rubbish and in some dogs may not even last for a year. So annual boosters are important.

Also, it's important to interpret titres carefully. If an unvaccinated dog has a positive titre many people don't consider the possibility that this is because the dog is being exposed to the disease. I've diagnosed it in practice and we know it's out there. I wouldn't take the risk with my own dogs.

My new adult dog was just 3 months overdue and vets said it had to be done twice to be on the safe side - she was 2.6 years-old, but there was no record of her having it done the year before.