A question on the Parvo shot

Thanks to everyone for taking the time to write a response and provide me with excellent information and food for thought. We will be getting all of the shots, including Parvo, for all of "our children" in January. Have a GREAT holiday season!

CA POPPY wrote:
(possibly) dumb question: Is Parvo a separate shot or included in the multi?

All of the above. It comes as part of a polyvalent (multiple agent)vaccine or it can be purchased as a single agent vaccine. I am going to just add one more point to this discussion. Vaccines can be purchased in some pet stores and feed stores which you would administer to your pet yourself. In my opinion, the quality of the parvo component of these over the counter vaccines is marginal at best. Have your veterinarian provide and administer the vaccines, the vaccines available to veterinarians are significantly superior.

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to reply. The responses have been most enlightening! As with all of you, our pets are our shadows and give so much love each day. Armed with information from you, I know the right decision will be made! THANKS!!!!!!

We just moved to South America from Canada..yesterday we met with our new vet Dr Franklin...he looked over the girls vaccination record and agreed with everything except the parvo...he said here they need it yearly as it is quite a problem...so that's what we will do...in Canada it was 3 yr rotation after the puppy schedule..

Excellent information, thank you!

dturm wrote:
Just a note on vaccinations, as it seems that many are reporting experiences with vaccination failure.

It does happen and for a variety of reasons. The animal vaccinated may be immune compromised and not respond to the vaccination because of disease, nutritional state, stress and individual biology. The vaccine could be "bad" meaning it was improperly manufactured, stored, shipped or handled. The vaccine could be administered improperly.

Then there is the timing factor. This is particularly common in shelters/rescues where the individual is exposed to the virus about the same time they are vaccinated. The incubation period of the disease is almost always shorter that the time it takes to develop an immune response to the vaccine (at least 2 weeks). And to get full immune response in an unvaccinated individual boosters are required in most, therefore another time delay in full protection.

Even though you hear about vaccine failures, they really don't happen very often when considering the number of animals that are vaccinated, and we can almost always figure out what the reason for the failure was.

Doug, DVM

Just a note on vaccinations, as it seems that many are reporting experiences with vaccination failure.

It does happen and for a variety of reasons. The animal vaccinated may be immune compromised and not respond to the vaccination because of disease, nutritional state, stress and individual biology. The vaccine could be "bad" meaning it was improperly manufactured, stored, shipped or handled. The vaccine could be administered improperly.

Then there is the timing factor. This is particularly common in shelters/rescues where the individual is exposed to the virus about the same time they are vaccinated. The incubation period of the disease is almost always shorter that the time it takes to develop an immune response to the vaccine (at least 2 weeks). And to get full immune response in an unvaccinated individual boosters are required in most, therefore another time delay in full protection.

Even though you hear about vaccine failures, they really don't happen very often when considering the number of animals that are vaccinated, and we can almost always figure out what the reason for the failure was.

Doug, DVM

We used to have a lab that got parvo somehow. We have absolutely no idea how. She also had a parvo shot so we were even more unsure how it happened. Our vet was able to save her though.

Some other animals can carry or spread parvo like coyotes for example.

I would definitely get it. Don't take the risk.

My dog survived Parvo much to the vets surprise. We got him from the pound only to get sick the next day. Our neighbors were contemplating a dog, but held off for over a year before getting one as their kids constantly came over to our house.

He was actually vaccinated, but our pound had a rash of Parvo cases. They reimbursed us for his care.

(possibly) dumb question: Is Parvo a separate shot or included in the multi?

Please don't mess with Parvo. I've seen what it can do to an unvaccinated dog from rescue experience. And yes, as Dr. Doug has stated, the virus is eliminated in feces and can stay viral for up to a year in the affected dog's yard. Since I've never had a parvo dog at my house, I sometimes have to short-term foster puppies until they can get vaccinated, because the long term foster has had a parvo dog within the past year. Imagine taking your dog in public places: campgrounds, rest stops, pet stores, etc. I shudder when I see people bringing their young puppies in somewhere like a Petsmart or Petco, knowing they're not old enough to have been vaccinated yet. They should not be walked in any public place before being fully vaccinated, especially parvo and distemper.

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