Booster vs vaccination in dogs?

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● "Booster vs vaccination in dogs"

That doesn't actually ASK us anything definite. Your
"Is he ... gets boosters?"
is what should have been in that first field.

● "Is he at risk for Parvo if he hasn't had puppy vac but gets boosters?"

Unless he has an EXTREMELY deficient auto-immune system he hasn't needed any vaccinations since he was 16 weeks old, unless the law in your area requires rabies vaccinations. Legislators having many gaps in their knowledge, they used to require that a rabies booster be given. Most of them have been now partially educated that immunity lasts for at least three years, although the Rabies Challenge Fund https://www.rabieschallengefund.org/education is trying to prove that it lasts for at LEAST 7 years, and probably for life in a pooch that "gets around" and so encounters a variety of viruses and other biological agents.

The reason that baby puppies are given a course of "shots" (usually at 8, 12, and 16 weeks old) is that, without taking frequent blood titres (which pups DON'T "like"!), we cannot be sure how much "passive immunity" (from the antibodies they drank in the dam's colostrum = "beastings" or "first milk") remains. We are pretty sure that before the pup is 8 weeks old the "passive immunity" will simply destroy the attenuated viruses in the vaccine before the juvenile active immune system can start identifying and working out how to deal with those viruses. We are almost CERTAIN that there will be no "passive immunity" left at 16 weeks old. The 12 weeks booster is a happy medium.

Your pet is now 4 YEARS old, so (unless you carry it everywhere instead of letting it race around in your fenced yard and explore on-leash in other places) he has encountered examples of every virus in your area, and his immune system is easily coping with them and being frequently reminded what each virus "smells like" and how to destroy it. So no panic stations - just obey the law if rabies boosters are required. And make sure you delay each booster as long as the local law allows.

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King Les The Lofty - first pup in 1950; GSD breeder & trainer as of 1968...Show more

Boosters are small vaccinations....Show more

Ask the vet, who's care it's under who should have all the pertinent records. If there was any question the vet would have repeated the series.......Show more

The booster is only a repeat of the first vaccine, and I certainly wouldn't be giving anything more than you are doing.

If you really want to know you can get a titer test done which shows antibodies....Show more

Ask your vet....Show more