Hello everyone.

When I got Sullivan, he had already had two sets of shots:
DOB July 15, 2004
first shots Aug 30th
canine distemper
Paraininfluenza
Second shots Sept 24th
Wormed August 27th
health cert on Aug 25

I took Sulli to the vets yesterday and they gave him another Canine Distemper/Parvo and also his Rabies. He is now 18 weeks old. The vet also said that the BREEDER had given his first shots TOO EARLY and that I will need to bring him back for more Distemper/Parvo in a month...

I'm wondering if this sounds right to you? Should I do titers instead and tell the vet to shove it? I really don't want to over-innoculate my pup and have him wind up looking like the dog from "Fly 2" when they sent him through that teleportation machine...

Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Just want to do good for my pup.

As a wise vet once told me, all the shots given before 16 weeks are done that way because you are fighting the mom's immunity.

Since you are out of that zone, there is no need to go back. The shots given after 16 weeks are not dependent on the ones given before 16 weeks. Or in other words, if you bring in a 18 week old dog, they should not be trying to make up all the missed puppy shots. In the same vain if your brought in a 5 year old dog that has never been vaccinated they should not require you to make up 5 years worth of shots.

Now that does not mean that your dog does not need a 2nd parvo and 2nd distemper shot (post 16 week) shot. If the vet gave your dog the live vaccine, he should be good with the one shot he just got. If the vet gave the killed virus, then it is typically recommended to get the 2nd shot.

For further reading check out (I usually like to follow program B as listed in table 3)
http://www.ivis.org/advances/Infect_Dis_Carmichael/schultz/chapter_frm.asp?LA=1

Another good (and more recent) source is

http://www.dogs4sale.com.au/AAHA_Special_Report.htm


in closing, don't be afraid to ask your vet questions in detail. If your vet is standoff' ish about answering question, then your best off to find another vet. And finally, if your vet is afraid to look or sound ignorant (he is afraid to say 'I Don't know') that is a sure sign of a vet who is proud enough to really hurt your dog.
The best vets I have ever had have always been willing to say "I don't know"; they were the ones smart enough to look up stuff and get in the know.

Hope that helps

Thomas