In the last post, To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate Your Pet: Which is Safest?, we talked about the risks of not vaccinating your pet and the possibility of adverse reactions to vaccines. Today, we’re going to continue our vaccination by discussing one of the most important vaccines available for dogs, the canine distemper virus (CDV) vaccine.
Canine Distemper Virus
Canine distemper virus is a contagious viral disease of dogs that is easily passed from one dog to another when one dog becomes infected and exposes an unprotected dog. There was a time when this was a common disease that was seen on a regular basis in almost all veterinary hospitals. However, now the disease is much less common, primarily because of the availability of effective vaccinations that provide protection against this deadly virus.
Though canine distemper is less common than previously, it is still seen on occasion and most often in unvaccinated and unprotected puppies and young dogs. The incidence of disease is higher in facilities which house large numbers of dogs and puppies, such as pet stores, humane shelters, rescue organizations and other kennel situations.
More information about canine distemper virus and its symptoms can be found in What is Canine Distemper and Does my Dog Need a Vaccine for it?
Core Versus Non-Core Vaccines
All vaccines are classified as either core or non-core.
- Core vaccinations are those that are considered essential for most dogs because the disease in question is either extremely dangerous, quite common or poses a threat to the human population. Core vaccines should be considered routine for all dogs and administered for most animals unless there is a medical contra-indication, such as a known allergy to the vaccine.
- Non-core vaccines are those that are not essential for all dogs but may be necessary for some. Whether or not a dog needs to receive a non-core vaccination will depend on the dog’s lifestyle and the level of risk of infection with the disease for each individual dog. For dogs that are at high risk of infection, vaccination may be recommended. However, dogs that are not likely to be exposed to the disease in question do not need to be vaccinated and should not receive the vaccination.
Canine distemper vaccination is considered a core vaccine and is recommended as part of the routine preventive health care for all dogs.
Vaccination Against Canine Distemper Virus
Vaccination against canine distemper can and should be started for puppies as young as 6-8 weeks of age. Initially, puppies need to receive a series of vaccines against CDV administered at 3-4 week intervals, with the last vaccine administered no earlier than 14-16 weeks of age. These protocols may vary slightly depending on which brand of vaccine is being used and you should discuss with your veterinarian what vaccination schedule is appropriate for your individual puppy.
The vaccine against canine distemper virus should be boostered in one year and then repeated at regular intervals. The dosing schedule for CDV in adult dogs is still a controversial subject. While there is evidence that currently available canine distemper virus vaccinations impart immunity to an adult dog for three years (or perhaps longer), some veterinarians still worry about breaks in protection with three year dosing intervals. As a responsible pet owner, you should discuss with your veterinarian the risks and benefits of vaccination against canine distemper virus and determine an appropriate dosing schedule tailored to meet your dog’s individual needs.
Distemper/Adenovirus/Parvovirus (DAP) Vaccinations
Canine distemper virus is often combined with other canine vaccines to form a multivalent vaccination (a vaccine that protects against more than one disease).
- Vaccinations against canine distemper virus are often combined with vaccinations against canine parvovirus and canine adenovirus (infectious hepatitis). These vaccines are often referred to as DAP vaccines.
- In addition, some vaccines also include leptospirosis and sometimes parainfluenza. These vaccines may be referred to as DAPL, DAPPL, DHLP or DHLPP vaccines.
Discuss with your veterinarian which vaccines are being administered to your dog. Vaccination protocols, especially those involving non-core vaccines, should be tailored to your individual dog based on his individual needs.
Titers for Canine Distemper Virus in Place of Vaccination
In some cases, it may be desirable to avoid vaccination unless it is certain that the dog’s immunity to disease is waning. This may be the case if your dog has suffered reactions to a vaccine previously. In other cases, pet owners (and veterinarians) may simply prefer to avoid vaccinating a dog that still has an adequate level of protection. One means of determining whether a dog still has protection against disease is to measure blood titers. A titer measures the concentration of antibodies circulating in the blood, assuming that higher antibody levels depart immunity to disease.
Measurement of titers is, in some cases, an adequate alternative to routinely administering vaccinations. However, it is not without downfalls also, as titer measurement is often more expensive than administering the vaccine and administration of the vaccine may be still necessary depending on the results returned with the titer measurement. Some veterinarians worry also that titer measurements may not directly translate to degree of immunity because of the fact that antibodies account for only a part of the body’s immune defense system and other factors that remain unmeasured play a role in immunity (or lack of immunity) as well.
Photo Credit: Tobyotter/Flickr.com
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