Booster vs vaccination in dogs?

● "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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Boosters are small vaccinations.

There is no difference in the vaccine as far as vaccination and booster is concerned. They use the same substance. The only potential difference is that in order to establish long term immunity a second vaccination might be needed in a shorter interval than one year to the first vaccination.

Vaccination is usually referred to as the first time somebody is getting the vaccine, booster is re-exposure to the immunizing antigen.

So it does really not matter. The vet will use the same vial, no matter whether he is exposing your dog to the first time or to a second or third time to the vaccine.

As long as you get your dog exposed to parvo vaccine every three years you dog should be safe. Actually the vaccination is probably good for seven years. But vaccinating in shorter time intervals is probably not a bad idea.

If the dog didn't receive his puppy vaccination, most vets wouldn't do a booster, they'd give the full vaccination as if the dog was a puppy.

I recently took mine in to have their Lepto boostered - we have RATS around at the moment and as I'd dropped off their boosters from last February (this year) as I usually do when my hounds are around 7 years, I decided to get their Lepto boosters done, at least. I was told as they were vaccination-lapsed (!) their Lepto would have to be restarted with the effect they had one shot and have to go back in 3 weeks time (after Christmas now) for a second. I was a bit teed-off, but have to respect a vet (I suppose). The aim was to make sure they didn't pick up Lepto from these wretched rats.

Yes you could do titres, but I discussed this with the vet at the time of the Lepto shot, and he said it might show they were fine and then in a few weeks, not so. And again the price of titres was quoted at morel than a full set of vaccination!!

A booster 'boosts' the immunity the original vaccination should have given. Up to February this year, mine were on 3 yearly boosters apart from Lepto which I'm given to understand, and can only believe as I'm not a trained vet, dips over a 12 month period so needs to be boostered annually

As your dog's shot history is unknown, I think you'd be best starting over. So you know he should be covered for all the core diseases.

This whole subject has been the cause of some heated arguments on another forum I frequent here in the UK. I tend to feel if it's there to protect, why not take advantage of it.

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....

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.

Ask your vet.