Yes, there are some risks associated with dog vaccinations as it is a medical procedure. However, these risks are minimal compared to the risk of infectious diseases. Vaccines are very safe, but vaccine reactions or hypersensitivities can occur in some individuals.

The most common reaction to dog vaccinations is an acute hypersensitivity response, usually occurring within the first 30 minutes after a vaccination is given. Symptoms may include weakness, fatigue, shortness of breath, acute vomiting or diarrhea. Other reactions may include skin hives, swelling of the face or muzzle, and delayed GI side effects like tiredness or missing a meal. These reactions are rare. Most of the time, dogs act like they have no problems at all. If they do experience reactions, they are usually mild such as aches, low-grade fever, or skin hives.

Depending on how long they've missed their boosters, we may or may not have to restart them. The most important thing is that you bring them in to get their boosters, as we're trying to protect them from infectious diseases and illnesses. We'd love to partner with you to ensure your dog is protected against viruses and bacteria. Please talk to your veterinarian. We're here to help at Blue Oasis Pet Hospital.

Titer testing involves drawing blood and sending it to a lab to look for antibodies against specific diseases. However, titer results are not always reflective of protection, so it is not the standard practice to measure a dog's titers. But we're open to discussing it with pet owners who are interested.

Yes, it is safe to give multiple dog vaccines at the same time. While we can still give all vaccines at once, the recommendations have been changing over the last decade. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) has vaccine guidelines which we follow. The core vaccines are given once as a puppy, then as one-year boosters, and every three years thereafter. However, leptospirosis and kennel cough vaccines are given annually. If you have a sensitive or small pet, we might split up the vaccines to be more safe.

The variations include leptospirosis, which we consider a core vaccine here at Blue Oasis because we live in Middle Tennessee. Our pet population is exposed to leptospirosis, a bacteria that's shed in the urine of wildlife. We recommend reboostering this vaccine annually. We also deal with many pets that go to daycare and boarding. They have a higher risk of respiratory exposure, so they should have the Bordetella, or kennel cough, vaccine every six to 12 months. We also recommend an annual booster for canine influenza, which is becoming more common in North America.

We recommend seeing your dog at least once a year or every 12 months. At that time, we'll discuss which vaccines your dog has had or not had and what their lifestyle is. We'll then recommend what vaccines are due. Our usual protocol is to start vaccinations when puppies are six to eight weeks old. They then get booster shots every three to four weeks until they're 16 to 20 weeks old. After that, they get a one-year booster and then every three years after that, depending on the vaccine. However, there can be exceptions.

Your puppy needs to be vaccinated starting at six to eight weeks of age. Even if your puppy is a little older than that, it's important to get them started on their vaccinations.

Yes, senior dogs still do need to be immunized. As a dog ages, they are potentially going to become a little more immunocompromised and we still want to protect them from common diseases they have risk for. The conversation can change though as a dog transitions from a senior to a geriatric patient, and depending on its other health conditions. Then your veterinarian will discuss whether vaccines are still indicated, especially when we're dealing with a more sick patient, we might start talking about eliminating or changing our vaccine recommendations.

Core vaccinations are those that all dogs should have during puppyhood and adulthood. Core vaccines include our distemper parvo vaccination or a DHPP and rabies. Non-core vaccines are anything other than those two. They include leptospirosis, canine influenza, bordetella or kennel cough, and Lyme disease or Lyme vaccine.

Yes, as veterinarians we consider vaccinations a necessary part of lifestyle. We have the education to know how to prevent disease. We are also the healthcare providers that see the diseases that these infections can create in animals. We deal with the potential outcomes which can be incredibly life-impacting for individuals, whether it be hospitalizations, ICU, the financial burden that it places on the pet parent. Some dogs that get really ill can have life-threatening illnesses. One example is parvovirus, which is easy for us to protect against through vaccination. If a dog gets exposed and has not been protected, especially if they're a young dog, they're likely to become quite ill with parvovirus. We do see parvo puppy deaths and they are incredibly preventable.