Tip 1 - HEALTH

Vaccinations

Conventional wisdom regarding vaccination schedules is evolving even as I write this. Most veterinarians no longer assume your dog needs annual vaccines or boosters beyond his or her puppy shots. Depending on your dog and your geography, your veterinarian might well recommend, as I do, performing a "titer" test prior to administering a booster vaccination. Titers test the presence of the desired antibodies in your pet's blood. If they're sufficient to support the immune system requirements, your dog will most likely not need a vaccine.

One of the many reasons for this shift is the understanding that while vaccinations are necessary to initiate immune response, they are not without hazard. If the risks of administering the vaccine exceed the risks (or symptoms) of the disease being protected against, it doesn't make good medical sense to subject the dog to the inoculation.

Another concern is that over time, excessive vaccination may have a deleterious effect on the immune system and may inhibit your pet's ability to marshal the resources necessary to fight invading organisms as he or she ages.

My suggestion is to read, research, and ask questions. Discuss your pet's vaccination schedule with your veterinarian to be sure suggested vaccines are truly necessary.