EPI * Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency

Can anyone comment on vaccinations?

I’m very nervous about Raven needing a whole whack of vaccines (Rabies, Distemper, Parvovirus and Hepatitis) so she can take part in a dog therapy program.

Raven had all these vaccinations when she was a puppy but they are asking for them again!!!

My biggest worry is -it was almost immediately after Raven had her last rabies shot that she first showed signs of EPI.

What are your thoughts!!!

It has been said on this forum that stress or any event does not cause epi, but stress can bring out the symptoms.  Meaning those symptoms would be coming out eventually but stress brought them out sooner...or sometimes I wonder if we just become more aware at the time of stress.  Getting vaccinations may have stressed Raven which brought out the symptoms a little sooner than they would have (but she already had epi so the symptoms would have manifested themselves sooner or later).  For instance in terms of stress: a number of people have noticed in their females it is after the first heat cycle they really notice the epi symptoms. 

Some dogs react to vaccinations, whether or not they have epi.  Some owners do not want to give their dog any vaccinations or do not want to give certain ones.  When you look at the 4 vaccines they are requesting, I think those are diseases you do not want to see your pup get.  It is frustrating when the pup had had the vaccines and someone for some reason wants them again....however keep in mind, not all vaccines are designed to last a lifetime.  The best option is to discuss with your vet and weigh any issues around the vaccines vs. being able to participate in the dog therapy program.  And whether it is "too soon" to give Raven one of these vaccines if she had it as a pup.  Since a pup can react to a vaccine, whether or not epi is a factor, you have to make that decision...but as far as I know just because Raven has epi doesn't mean she shouldn't have any vaccines.  I don't know if this rambling helps, but are my thoughts on the matter.

I guess the question I would ask your vet is should they all be given at once or spread out.  I know with the rabies vaccination, our pups get them every 3 years so both dogs have had the rabies vaccine twice, including once post epi dx.

Ronee at January 31, 2012 at 10:41 PM

Can anyone comment on vaccinations?

I’m very nervous about Raven needing a whole whack of vaccines (Rabies, Distemper, Parvovirus and Hepatitis) so she can take part in a dog therapy program.

Raven had all these vaccinations when she was a puppy but they are asking for them again!!!

My biggest worry is -it was almost immediately after Raven had her last rabies shot that she first showed signs of EPI.

What are your thoughts!!!

I have read a lot about vaccinations and almost lost two dogs because of them. Not a pretty thing.

Anyway, read just recently about "When Not to Vaccinate Your Dog"  . younger than 16 weeks of age, is sick, is malnourished, has a weakened immune system, due to genetics, a previous disease, or drug therapy.

Are booster shots necessary?  "Vaccinations do not magically lose their effectiveness 366 days after the last shot, In fact studies have shown that the vaccines for parvovirus and caniner distemper provide extremely good long term protection from the diseases for 8 to 10 years or more. 

The goodnews is the American Animal Hospital Association(AAHA) Canine Vaccination Taskforce,in their 2011 revised guidelines,finally acknowledges that yearly re-vaccinations are not necessary.

Instead of automatically giving booster shots to your dog insist on getting titers firs. (A titer is a blood test that can show if your dog's antibody levels for parvovirus or canine distemper remain high enough to resist infection.) "   

You can read more about vaccination go to www.natueral-dog-health-remedies.com/canine-vaccines.html

Hope this helps.  If you are really concerned please, please read up first about this and then make an educated decision.  It is more important that your dog stays healthy than to be in a dog therapy program.

Best to you.

Great Information!

This Canadian (national) dog therapy program will not accept the 'titer test' - this is where I'm stuck!!! I would have to revaccinate for parvo and distemper.

The others??? Hepatitis and (Rabies) -any other concerns???

My dog's health will be more important than the therapy program!

Raven has been stable for 9 months now and things are good!! There is a special bond - through this journey!

Thank you all!

Hi hon.

The advice you have been given is good and its mostly your choice.

Here in UK we don't have the rabies (yet) but I live in a country area with rats occasionally coming through from local farms... its a fact of life... also wildlife like foxes are about. Beacause of that we always keep up with the boosters from puppyhood. My EPI girl, now gone sadly, always had her boosters and they didn't cause any trouble at all, so it depends on the dog.

This new non EPI Cassie had her puppy vacs and became quite poorly but we don't know if it was a bug she came with from the breeder so we will have the boosters at 12 months and see what happens. If it simply makes her unwell I wouldn't worry because there are worse things she could get without vaccine protection.

Oh... and welcome to the family.

Val

hello  

well here in uk as val says we dont vaccinate against rabies unless you are going abroad and then its part of the "passport"

i have been in two minds about vaccinations for years

however having nursed a cat through cat flu which is heartbreaking and seen a dog with distemper and parvo i am too scared

epi is up there with the worst illnesses in my humble opinion but i am not convinced that vaccines cause it i think as my vet says that these dogs immune system is so badly compromised that any introduction to the body of anything is going to be potentially upsetting to the system

i agree with terry these dogs are born with epi or at least the ressesive gene is apparent this is mainly with gsds

here in uk the puppy is vaccinated and the the boosters are every twelve months when kara was diagnosed ith epi i was worried about vaccinations but as i said i am too scared to not have them done

my cats vaccinations are up to date because we have so many feral cats around

difficult one this but it looks as if you want to participate in the program you will need to vacinate

let us know

Vaccines can be a hot topic and we all have our own opinions. Since the veterinary community does not agree you have to do what is best for your dog with your vet's input. Since you do have concerns and if you decide to vaccinate you might want to go over the different types of vaccines available with your vet, they are not all created equal. You can chose killed, modified live or recumbinant.

Lisa, not all states require an updated rabies vaccine, however frequently your state law requires. You can titer in some states and this is acceptable. I have titered ( the 1st time was with an older non EPI dog) and with a note from my vet did not had to revaccinate. I don't know what the law is in each state, I don't know if your local town/city hall has the authority to give you some leeway which is where we go to license our dogs in Massachusettts but I know of several people in my state who do not vaccinate for rabies and their town/city hall accepts the titer.

i am not suggestion one way or another whether you should revaccinate for rabies but if you do not want to check your state's laws and talk to your vet, you might not have to.

Hi Kathy,

That is interesting, I was always told that rabies was required 'by law' and never questioned it.  I had no clue that in some places titers were acceptable for rabies in place of the vaccine. I will have to check what the requirement is for our area.  My vet uses a 3 year vaccine for dogs and 1 year for cats, but honestly I don't know what the law may be.  Thanks for the info!

this might be of interest to the uk folk from NOAH

http/www.noah.co.uk/issues/briefingdoc/12-dogva.htm

AND ALSO ADDS CREDENCE AND EXPLANATION TO WHAT KATHY SAID

JEAN

I don't vaccinate my dogs for various reasons.

But what I don't understand is why do humans get vaccinated once against things like measles, mumps and reubella, yet dogs need annual vaccinations against K9 diseases?

MMMMmmmm! Saying no more.

Gillian x

Gillian

I think it is a bit different with things like measles and mumps because they are most dangerous to small kids (although mine had both with no ill effects) mostly once grown and vaccinated or had the illness adults can throw them off... . reubella is only dangerous if human is pregnant... otherwise its a fairly mild illness.

Dogs can have a bad time with distemper, parvo etc at any age and don't seem to alway keep the immunity.

Val