Lhasa Apso innoculations, annual boosters and immunization

This is a vast, complex, and increasingly controversial subject! Made even more complicated by the fact that different states, islands, countries and governing bodies have different requirements, laws and policies.

In this blog post I will endeavour to talk about the subject in general with regard to both puppies and grown dogs and about booster injections and also give general help on where to find more information.

One first thought on requirements is that if your pet travels with you, either for holidays or to enter dog shows, to different states, countries, etc. then you will need to comply with the prevailing innoculation/immunization requirements of that area. You will need certificates before your pet is allowed to enter the country.

[For example... dogs from the UK, whilst not needing a rabies certificate when at home, will need an innoculation and pet passport if they are to be allowed to enter the EU countries.]

Also in the UK puppies should not be allowed on the ground in public places until they have completed their initial course of injections... yet there are still many puppies who slip through this net and they could, potentially, both catch, and pass on, the life threatening diseases which the innoculations seek to prevent.

Another consideration is... is your pet older likely to ever go into kennels? If so, you need to know if it is a requirement to be able to produce a current certificate of immunization. If that is the case, you will have to keep up the booster programme for your pet.

The controversy over booster injections rages, with even the suppliers of the drugs in some cases saying that a three-yearly booster would be an option. I'm afraid there is no definitive answer as yet - you will have to make up your own mind, bearing in mind both the points above, and also any further research you undertake.

Some say that elderly dogs are more susceptible to the diseases which the boosters cover, and some, worryingly, say that elderly dogs are more likely to suffer side effects from the booster injections. Another thought is that size of dog alters the equation - in that small dogs are more likely to suffer side effects just because of their smaller bodies. Set against this is the fact that small dogs are normally longer lived... your Lhasa Apso will outlive many larger dogs.

You'll have to comply with all laws and requirements which prevail in your country and/or state, take into consideration whether you will use kennelling at any time, and also any international travelling you intend to do with your pet, and then decide what you think is best.

Talk over the current thinking with other pet owners you trust, your veterinarian, and also use online resources to get more information.

If you want to save money on vets bills, and who doesn't, yet have all the knowledge and confidence to look after your pet and his/her health in a first class manner do check out the link I am about to give you. They do cover failsafe innoculation information within the book, and at the moment there are some really good freebies which come with the book, including one on healthy dog food recipes.

The following link will take you to a Doggy Health Problems book [& First Aid freebie]... from the 'Secrets to Dog Training' team whose books, information and emails can be an invaluable aid to training.

I will gather together a collection of website links where useful information on innoculations, immunization and annual boosters can be found and post it as a separate blog post shortly.

{If your dog suffers from seizures [fits] please use the following link to read about the difference in frequency for innoculations which the website claims should apply Canine Guardian Angels. Please check with your vet! See post dated April 16th for seizure information.)