I've recently read varios scientific articles about this. They all warn against doing this so often and name multiple dangers for the dog's wellbeing like: autoimmune haemolytic anaemia, leukaemia, thyroid disease, addison's disease, diabetes, cancers, lymphoma, arthritis, allergies and anaphylactic shock.

They also write that the core-vaccine-cocktail promises to protect dogs from different illnesses, but should be given only if the immunity of the dog against them is over. Before vaccinating a titer should be made which shows if the dog still has antibodies.

If he still has then a vaccination would not only be unnecessary but also harmful.

If he has none against one desease he most likely has still enough against the other ones which are covered by this cocktail. So only against this one a vac. would be necessary.

They also write that in most cases vaccinating every 3 years is enough,. Dependant on the specific vac. and the individual dog we should wait even longer and some vacs will protect the dogs even for a lifetime.

My dogs should be vaccinated soon. That's why I googled for such articles. I have also read an article by Ed Frawley who warns against it.

My Vet and all the others around here will be of the contrary opinion. Last year he reproached me because I came 4 months too late. This year I'm prepared for a pretty discussion. I don't bother. But what if he refuses to make the titers?

How do you guys hold this with the vacs? Does any know if there are some which we should repeat regularly every 1,2,3 ,,. years?

How about rabies? Couldn't find yet anything reasonable about this.

Rabies are the only one that is required by law here.

I haven't had anything but the basic puppy shots and the, required by law rabies shots in more then 15 yrs.

I've personally known two dogs, not mine, that had issues with the yearly shots and one died.

Yes on the Titer shot.

I had that done a couple of yrs ago when I entered a scent work class with Trooper.

They required all the "normal" shot to enter the class but they accepted the titer test results.

Trooper was still covered at 6-7 yrs old and he hadn't had anything but the require by law rabies shot since he was a young pup.

When I hunted a lot with my terriers in the earth I got myself a rabies vaccination also.

Thanks, Bob, for sharing your experiences. They match absolutely with what I've read in those articles.

I will re-vaccinate only when the titers show it is necessary.

There is no law here which requires any vaccinations, but they offer every year the opportunity for people to have their dogs vaccinated against rabies for free, but of course without previously testing the titer. There are too many strays here (dogs and cats), who have never been vaccinated. The majority of people don't have the money for this. But it is in the interest of the country to avoid a plague.

We have also many bats here who can transmit rabies. Most species don't attack people or animals, But it already happened varios times, that tourists caught the disease because of entering a cave where bats were sleeping and felt disturbed.

Because of the many strays and the bats we also took an anti-rabies-vac. when we were travelling here the first time. It is now soon ten years ago and we should repeat it they say.

I'm glad now to know a bit about all this. We will first insist on a titer for us two and the four dogs. (If the vet will do it for us too in order to have it all done in one go?)

Rabies are no uncommon in Missouri with a couple of cases a year.

Bats and raccoons are the most common carriers here.

Where you are located I don't know if I would hold back on getting them but I would ask for individual shots with time in between each instead of the all in one shots often given here.

Thanks Bob. Yes, this I will do. I want to vaccinate a dog only when I know he has no more antibodies orthey have decreased too much.