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providing protection against Canine Distemper, Adenovirus Type 2, Parainfluenza and Parvovirus, plus Coronavirus. The dosage is as follows: administer 1 ml SQ (subcutaneous) or IM ( intramuscular) as early as 6 weeks of age. Administer a booster injection every 3 to 4 weeks until the pup reaches 12 weeks of age. Annual re-vaccination is recommended. Giving the vaccinations is not very difficult but does take some getting used to. Most vaccine suppliers have a recommended schedule for vaccinations as well as a brochure explaining how to administer the vaccinations.

There are two methods of giving a vaccination, subcutaneous (under the skin) and intramuscular, usually on the hip area. A subcutaneous injection is usually administered on the side of the neck. Simply pick up the skin and insert needle. If no blood appears while while pulling the plunger back, inject the vaccine. An intramuscular injection is administered into the muscle. This is usually the thigh muscle. The muscle can be grasped with one hand and the needle inserted with the other hand. The vaccine is then injected. For years, Veterinarians gave Rabies vaccination subcutaneous until within the last few years, it was found that in small and toy breeds, that method could cause permanent hair loss at the vaccination site. Now, most Veterinarians use the intramuscular method for Rabies vaccinations.

One Veterinarian that I read a lot about is Dr. Michael W. Fox, D.Sc., Ph.D.,
B. Vet. Med., MRCVS. His Web-Site is a goldmine of information and I recommend it highly. This is a statement taken from his web-site: " There is a growing concern amongst some Veterinarians that dogs and cats are being vaccinated far too often. Manufacturer's vaccination schedules are still satisfactory for most primary vaccinations. The number of actual vaccination injections required for primary immunization will vary depending upon the age of the pet when you first start the vaccinations. In general, two vaccinations given approximately 2 to 3 weeks apart after 12 weeks of age will be sufficient. A booster dose is recommended a year later".

"The question that still remains is how often should we booster vaccines after the pet has received their primary immunizations. The answer will vary somewhat due to different reasons such as age, risk of exposure, breed, gender, health status and previous vaccinations. We certainly do not want to under vaccinate our beloved pets, but we also do not want to cause undo stress or possible harm from over-vaccinating them either. Some Veterinarians are recommending a booster be administered every 3 years rather than annually in adult dogs and cats".

For a real horror story of what happened to a friend of mine, please read an article that I wrote, "Getting a second opinion on your veterinarian's diagnosis", at Helium.

Bibliography:

http://www .avma.org/communications/broch ures/vaccination/vaccination_b rochure.pdf

http://tedeboy.trip od.com/drmichaelwfox/

Learn more about this author, John S Willard Jr.
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