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| Printable Version |
| Click here for a printable version of the vaccine chart. |
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NEW PRINCIPLES OF IMMUNOLOGY
"Dogs and cats immune systems mature fully at 6 months. If a modified live virus vaccine is given after 6 months of age, it produces an immunity which is good for the life of the pet (ie: canine distemper, parvo, feline distemper). If another MLV vaccine is given a year later, the antibodies from the first vaccine neutralize the antigens of the second vaccine and there is little or no effect. The titer is not "boosted" nor are more memory cells induced."
Not only are annual boosters for parvo and distemper unnecessary, they subject the pet to potential risks of allergic reactions and immune-mediated hemolytic anemia. "There is no scientific documentation to back up label claims for annual administration of MLV vaccines." Puppies receive antibodies through their mothers milk. This natural protection can last 8-14 weeks. Puppies & kittens should NOT be vaccinated at LESS than 8 weeks. Maternal immunity will neutralize the vaccine and little protection (0-38%) will be produced. Vaccination at 6 weeks will, however, delay the timing of the first highly effective vaccine. Vaccinations given 2 weeks apart suppress rather than stimulate the immune system. A series of vaccinations is given starting at 8 weeks and given 3-4 weeks apart up to 16 weeks of age. Another vaccination given sometime after 6 months of age (usually at 1 year 4 mo)
WILL PROVIDE LIFETIME IMMUNITY. CURRENT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DOGS
Distemper & Parvo
"According to Dr. Schultz, AVMA, 8-15-95, when a vaccinations series given at 2, 3 & 4 months and again at 1 year with a MLV, puppies and kitten program memory cells that survive for life, providing lifelong immunity." Dr. Carmichael at Cornell and Dr. Schultz have studies showing immunity against challenge at 2-10 years for canine distemper & 4 years for parvovirus. Studies for longer duration are pending.
"There are no new strains of parvovirus as one mfg. would like to suggest. Parvovirus vaccination provides cross immunity for all types." Hepatitis (Adenovirus) is one of the agents known to be a cause of kennel cough. Only vaccines with CAV-2 should be used as CAV-1 vaccines carry the risk of "hepatitis blue-eye" reactions & kidney damage.
Bordetella Parainfluenza: Commonly called "Kennel cough" Recommended only for those dogs boarded, groomed, taken to dog shows, or for any reason housed where exposed to a lot of dogs. The intranasal vaccine provides more complete and more rapid onset of immunity with less chance of reaction. Immunity requires 72 hours and does not protect from every cause of kennel cough. Immunity is of short duration (4 to 6 months). VACCINATIONS NOT RECOMMENDED Multiple components in vaccines compete with each other for the immune system and result in lesser immunity for each individual disease as well as increasing the risk of a reaction. Canine Corona Virus is only a disease of puppies. It is rare, self limiting (dogs get well in 3 days without treatment). Cornell & Texas A&M have only diagnosed one case each in the last 7 years. Corona virus does not cause disease in adult dogs. Leptospirosis vaccine is a common cause of adverse reactions in dogs. Most of the clinical cases of lepto reported in dogs in the US are caused by serovaars (or types) grippotyphosa and bratsilvia. The vaccines contain different serovaars eanicola and ictohemorrhagica. Cross protection is not provided and protection is short lived. Lepto vaccine is immuno-supressive to puppies less than 16 weeks. |
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By Karen Dale Dustman
KDustman@aol.com
Vaccines -- Part I:
Move over, politics, religion, and gun control. The latest "hot" topic of debate: can routine vaccinations harm your pet. Even raising the issue may seem a bit like questioning the virtues of motherhood and apple pie. Vaccinations are, after all, among the most prominent weapons in veterinary arsenals today against devastating diseases including rabies, distemper, parvovirus, and leukemia. But then, critics point out, medical science also once considered leeches de rigeur. And more and more holistic practitioners are reporting cases in which they believe over-vaccination may be linked to a wide assortment of veterinary ills.
More conventionally-minded health professionals acknowledge that vaccines, like any form of medical intervention, can have side effects in rare instances. But, they say, the benefits of vaccination usually far outweigh the risks. Who's right? Conclusive data isn't in yet, but there seem to be valid points raised by both sides. Here's a look at this thorny but fascinating debate.
Trouble in Paradise?
For Don Hamilton, D.V.M., a holistic veterinarian in Ocate, New Mexico, the turning point was a Persian cat named Fluffy with a puzzling pattern of repeated urinary tract infections. "I read through her chart and found that for three years in a row, she would come in for her annual vaccination, and about a month later, would be back with a urinary tract infection," explained Dr. Hamilton. Suspecting that Fluffy's annual vaccinations may have played a part in her problem, Dr. Hamilton recommended that the cat not receive further vaccinations. Fluffy has remained infection-free ever since, he noted.
Some might call it a coincidence. But for Hamilton, the idea that routine vaccinations may be linked to seemingly unrelated illnesses was a significant insight. "Once you see something like that and say, is it possible, and then look through your cases with the idea that it is possible, then you see a lot of things you didn't see before," Hamilton said. "The trouble is, we're so heavily taught that vaccines are helpful, and if not helpful, that they're at least not harmful. So when you see what I now think are vaccine-related damage, you tend to say it's not possible, and dismiss it."
Reports of vaccine-related problems in animals come as no surprise to Dr. Richard Pitcairn, D.V.M., founder of the Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy in Eugene, Oregon, and one of the first to point to a possible correlation between vaccines and other illnesses. "We do see a number of health problems we associate with vaccines, [often] having to do with immune problems or allergies," confirmed Dr. Pitcairn. "It also seems that animals become more susceptible to other infections, so a cat that gets the feline leukemia vaccine might come down a month later with FIP (feline infectious
peritonitis). There is some evidence reported in the veterinary literature that after a vaccine, the immune system weakens or the animal is more susceptible to diseases of other sorts."
The link between vaccinations and the immune system is cited by other veterinarians as well, although some caution that immune problems may involve more factors than just vaccination. "We're seeing more immune problems in general," noted Jean Dodds, D.V.M. a veterinarian with a referral practice in hematology and immunology in Santa Monica, Cal-ifornia. "And it's likely that vacinations are just one of the triggers in individuals that are susceptible." Many holistic veterinarians also report that their observations in practice seem to support a link between vaccinations and a wide variety of ailments.
"You take healthy animals and often very quickly after you vaccinate, you can see simple things like itching of the skin or excessive licking of the paws, sometimes even with no eruptions," said Dee Blanco, D.V.M., a holistic practitioner in Santa Fe, New Mexico. "We see a lot of epilepsy, often after a rabies vaccination. Or dogs or cats can become ag-gressive for several days. Frequently, you'll see urinary tract infections in cats, often within three months after their [annual] vaccination. If you step back, open your mind and heart, you'll start to see patterns of illness post-vaccination."
Vaccinations may even contribute to premature death in animals whose immune systems were already compromised, some veterinarians believe. "I had two situations where we had spent a long time building up two older, severely immunocompromised dogs, and then their owners had them vaccinated for just about everything known to man," recalled Dr. Carvel Tiekert, executive director and founder of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association headquartered in Bel Air, Maryland. "Both of those dogs died within about a month of vaccination. Can we prove a cause and effect? No. Do I think there was a cause and effect? Yes."
More Subtle Effects:
In addition to -- or perhaps underlying -- the more overt symptoms, some veterinarians believe that vaccination can produce a chronic illness known as "vaccinosis", which leaves the patient less able to fend off other medical problems. "Animals react adversely to vaccines in two main ways. The first is the more obvious immediate anaphylactic response, where the animal may develop swelling of the face or ears, as well as pain and inflammation at the site of inection," said Donna Starita Mehan, D.V.M., a veterinarian in Boring, Oregon. "But a larger number of animals develop an under-current, [a] subtle immune system shift that compounds every time they receive a vaccination. This may later manifest as any number of chronic degenerative illnesses such as arthritis, skin or ear problems, gum or throat inflammation, behav-ior problems, central nervous system disorders (i.e. epilepsy), or cancer." The link between vaccination and disease, however, is an indirect one, explain those who accept the vaccinosis theory. "It is not necessarily that the diseases are caused by the vaccine," emphasized Dr. Blanco. "There are weaknesses inherent in all of us, either from our environment or acquired or inherited tendencies. If you have a family line of diabetes or hip dysplasia or whatever your weak area is, the vaccine will essentially exacerbate the weakness and the animal becomes symptomatic. I think the immune system is finite, and overloading it [with too many vaccinations] is really hard on the system. The immune system says to itself, 'These rabies or other viruses in my body are a life-threatening illness -- I must deal with this,' but there isn't enough energy to also keep everything in balance. Therefore, the weaknesses are expressed."
Rabies vaccine, in particular, is frequently linked by holistic veterinarians to adverse changes in dogs' behavior. "What I've seen happen is, after vaccination, dogs develop what we call the 'rabies miasm', where they become more aggressive, more likely to bite, more nervous and suspicious," noted Dr. Pitcairn. "They may also have a tendency to run away, to wander, and also sometimes to have excessive saliva, and to tear things up. It's not that they have rabies, but they seem to express some symptoms of the disease from exposure to the vaccine." Some veterinarians even suggest that illness-es like parvo may be the direct result of well-intentioned vaccination efforts.
"Parvo wasn't around until about twenty years ago," Dr. Hamilton noted. "I think parvo resulted because of the distemper vaccination. I've seen cases where a dog tested positive [for parvo], and then within 24 hours it turned and became a full-blown [case of] distemper. Now, conventionally they will tell you the dog was simply harboring both viruses. I don't think so. I think it just shifted, from one to the other."
Looking for Links
What exactly in a vaccine might promote such adverse reactions? "Vaccine products may contain artificial colors, antibiotics, aluminum, formaldehyde, BHA, and BHT, in addition to the viral antigen," noted Dr. Mehan. "Syncytial viruses inadvertently grown on the same media may also be included as contaminants," she said. Other experts note that most vaccinations introduce a substance directly into body tissues, rather than through the nose or mouth, the normal routes of infection. And there may also be a cumulative impact on the immune system with repeated vaccinations, they say.
Even some experts outside the holistic community believe that Americans may be over-vaccinating their pets. "Almost without exception, there is no immunologic requirement for annual revaccination. Immunity to viruses persists for years or for the life of the animal," wrote Ronald D. Schultz, Ph.D., a professor and chair of the department of athobiological Sciences at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, who has studied vaccines for nearly 30 years. In a widely-quoted article co-authored with T. Phillips, D.V.M. published in Kirk's Current Veterinary Therapy in 1992, Drs. Schultz and Phillips called the practice of annual boosters one of "questionable efficacy."
Our own experience with human vaccinations tends to support that idea, notes Christina Chambreau, D.V.M., a veterin-arian with an entirely homeopathic practice in Sparks, Maryland. "How many of us get DPT, polio, tetanus, diptheria -- all the childhood vaccines -- every year?" she asked. "If you don't, why do your animals need them?" Not so fast, caution more conventially-minded veterinarians. There are significant differences between humans and animals -- and between human and animal diseases -- that need to be factored in.
"Remember that dogs age 7 times faster than we do," said Roger Schwartz, D.V.M., a clinical research veterinarian with manufacturer Hoechst Roussel Vet in Somerville, New Jersey. "One year for us is the equivalent of a month and a half for a dog. So a yearly booster for them is like a seven-year booster for us." And although annual revaccination may sound a bit like overkill, that's not necessarily the case, some experts emphasize.
Manufacturers' label recommendations for the frequency of revaccination are meant to provide guidance for the general population of animals," Beth Bielsker, D.V.M., manager of veterinary affairs for Solvay Animal Health in Mendota Heights, Minnesota. "Are there going to be some animals in which protection lasts longer than a year? Yes, just as here will be animals where protection may be less than a year. It is very difficult to make generalizations in an area where the response to vaccine is very individualized," she said. A number of factors can inhibit the development of a proper immune response, making repeated vaccinations important to ensure immunity, pointed out Joseph Curlee, D.V.M., a veterinarian with United Vaccines, Inc. in Madison, Wisconsin.
"Although animals are 'vaccinated,' it does not infer that they have produced a protective immune response," Dr. Curlee said. "Several factors to consider at the time of vaccination of the animal are stress, pre-existing or incubating disease, poor nutrition, parasitism, immune suppressive diseases or treatments, and age (maternal antibody interference). Anyone of these may result in an inadquate immune response to the vaccine which may require additional vaccinations in order to insure that the animal is protected."
And while some may speculate that vaccine companies prefer to market a product that must be readministered every year, it is actually in vaccine companies' own interest to produce longer-lasting vaccines, Dr. Schwartz said. "If a company can sell a product that lasts two years between doses and the others on the market last one year, guess who's going to win the race. There's always a push to lengthen the interval, because that means you have a more potent product."
However, even traditional veterinarians agree there may be a limit to the number of vaccinations an animal should receive. "The reality is, yes, a vaccine does cost the animal something -- it costs them a little bit of their metabolic energy to produce a response to that vaccine," observed Dr. Schwartz of Hoechst Roussel. "Animals and people are born with essentially a limitless potential to develop immunological responses to antigens, [but] that 'limitless' part refers to the variety of antigens that the animal can respond to. The animal's metabolic ability has limits. It's like your computer at home -- how many software programs can you put on it? Your hard drive has a certain capacity. If you have only 640 megabytes compared to several gigabytes, for example, you may have to be more selective about what you put on it. But remember, it is the software that makes a computer useful."
Tough Tie-Ins:
Establishing that an animal's health problems are vaccination-related can be difficult, holistic veterinarians concede. "Those of us in alternative therapy feel strongly that there are such problems, but that is based on in-the-field obser-vation," noted Carolyn Blakey, D.V.M., an alternatives [sic] practitioner in Richmond, Indiana. "The drug manufacturers and most non-alternative veterinarians deny that, because the reactions are delayed -- quite delayed, frequently. So they say, 'Where's the proof that the vaccine did it?' And they have a valid point, of course. But once in a while, often enough that you can put your finger on it, within a few days or a month [after vaccination], you can correlate a deterior-ation in the animal's health."
Vaccinations are also only one in a constellation of factors that may affect an animal's health, holistic practitioners emphasize. "I don't want to imply that [vaccination] is the whole cause," cautioned Dr. Pitcairn. "More, it aggravates or makes [an existing condition] worse. Maybe there is an inherited tendency toward allergies, and then along comes the vaccine, or several together. And it's too much."
Conventional veterinarians point out, however, that the very frequency of a typical vaccination program makes it easy to mistakenly blame a vaccine. "For pediatric disease, for instance, it's very common in veterinary practice to vaccine puppies on a three- to four- week interval, from the time they are six weeks of age until they are 16 weeks old," pointed out David Hustead, D.V.M., director of professional services for Ft. Dodge Animal Health in Overland Park, Kansas. "Now, if a puppy gets any illness from the time they are six weeks of age to 16 weeks, that illness is within three weeks of the date they got a vaccine. So it is very easy to say it had to be caused by a vaccine."
Vaccines may also be inappropriately blamed for adverse reactions simply because underlying conditions went undiagnosed, noted Dr. Bielsker of Solvay Animal Health. "There are many reasons why an animal may occasionally become ill after vaccination, most of which are not directly related to the vaccine that was used," Bielsker said. "Often, the animal may have had an underlying condition, such as kidney disease or heart disease, at the time of vaccination, which causes it to become ill. However, the public may only hear bits and pieces of what happened, and the true cause of the problem is oftentimes never communicated. Am I saying that vaccines themselves are never to blame for complications that may occur? No. What I am saying is that, in my experience, it is very rare."
As for the assertion that vaccination may lead to chronic illnesses, many outside the holistic community find the notion a tough concept to swallow without further proof. "These are very difficult questions. The problems these people report are so vague they almost defy typical scientific efforts to investigate," said Dr. David Hustead. "The data is not there at this time to back up the contention [that vaccines may cause low-grade, chronic illness]," agreed Philip Kass, D.V.M. Ph.D., a researcher with the Department of Population Health & Reproduction at the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California at Davis. "I'm not saying it's false, but I'm not saying it's true either. I just don't think the hard evidence is there yet."
"The immune system puts computers to shame [in complexity]," cautioned Dr. Schwartz. "The simple answers are always the easy ones, but they're almost always the wrong ones." Many holistic veterinarians, however, remain convinced that the connection between vaccination and other animal health problems is real. "It's happened often enough to make us feel, sure enough, [it's true]!" said Dr. Blakey. "But not often enough to make the 'scientific' community accept our interpretation as completely valid. Because it is observation. And that's not a scientific study."
Other Reaction Risks:
While there's no proof positive at present of a link between vaccination and chronic illness, it is accepted that vaccines do sometimes cause what are termed 'acute' reactions in a small number of cases. Within a few minutes or hours after the injection, an animal may develop swelling at the site, fever, vomiting, anaphylactic shock, or even seizures. Left untreated, the animal may die. The risk that an animal will have a severe reaction to a vaccine is extremely small, experts emphasize.
"For vaccines to be licensed, they must meet USDA standards to show they are safe and protective at or above a given threshold level," explained Dr. Schwartz of Hoechst Roussel. "Generally, only fractions of one percent of animals will respond adversely." Just as a small percentage of humans experience life-threatening response to a bee-sting, an animal's response to a particular vaccine depends on the individual's own unique chemistry.
"You and I can both receive the same vaccine, and you may not have a problem at all and I may start breaking out in hives," explained Dr. Beth Bielsker of Solvay Animal Health. "Does that mean the vaccine is bad? I don't think so. Your immune system processed it normally and mine sort of superprocessed it." There is also a small risk that vaccinated animals may not be adequately protected against the disease for which the vaccination was given, acknowledged Dr. Schwartz of Hoechst Roussel.
"Vaccines don't have to be 100% protective, or we wouldn't have any vaccines because there's nothing foolproof," he noted. "Generally, the efficacy rate is well above 90%, but in some cases it may be in the 80% range. The degree of protection is a function of the nature of the vaccine, the nature of the disease it protects against, the length of time since the last exposure to the vaccine or disease agent, and the individual animal's ability to develop a protective response, once immunized."
Recent research has also linked certain feline vaccines with injection-site fibrosarcomas, a type of cancer. "Our research confirmed that there was a relationship between giving vaccines and developing tumors in cats," said Dr. Philip Kass. Two vaccines seemed to be causing it the most: feline leukemia and rabies, [regardless of the brand being given]. We also found that cats that had received multiple injections in the same place had a higher risk than cats with only one vaccination there." But despite the link with vaccines established by his research, cat owners should not jump to con-clusions, Dr. Kass cautioned. "Not all vaccines cause fibrosarcomas, and not all fibrosarcomas are caused by vaccines," he emphasized.
Breed-Specific Reactions:
You may have heard that purebred animals are at greater risk for developing an acute vaccine reaction. Is that true? Absolutely," noted researcher Dr. Ronald Schultz. "But what's even more true is that certain families, certain lines of genetics within a breed are more susceptible than others. It's not a simple Mendelian thing, however --it's multi-genic and highly complex. So one parent could have [a vaccine sensitivity], and the progeny could still be without it." Among dogs, breeds at highest risk of having an adverse vaccine reaction include Akitas, Weimaraners, and harlequin Great Danes, noted Dr. Jean Dodds. "[These breeds] have highly genetically predisposed blood lines," she explained. That is, within the breed, there are very commonly bred lines that apparently have this susceptibility." In addition, some individual animals within a certain breed may produce a lesser immune response to a vaccine than others. "Clearly, all dogs within a particular breed --rottweilers are prominent examples -- simply don't respond equally to vaccines; some dogs may not seroconvert (i.e., develop antibodies in response to vaccination) until two years of age or older," said Richard Ford, D.V.M., a professor of medicine at the College of Veterinary Medicine at North Carolina State University. "And of greater concern, we know that immunization failure is more likely to be the result of the individual's inability to respond to the vaccine than it is a failure of the vaccine's ability to immunize."
Such breed-specific results are understandable, noted Dr. Schwartz of Hoechst-Roussel. "There is a thing called hybrid vigor; the hybrid mongrel animals in this world tend to have fewer quirks when it comes to [responses to vaccines] than purebreds," explained Dr. Schwartz. "That's because their family tree is a forest. When you breed in certain traits, here may a whole lot of other things thrown in, including insufficient immune responses. That's one of those trade-offs [in buying a purebred animal]."
Conclusion:
The wisdom of current vaccination protocols -- especially of annual revaccination for every animal -- is clearly being called into question. And in Part II of this story, we'll take a look at what some experts are recommending as alterna-tives. But even some of the most outspoken critics of the way we currently vaccinate our pets stress that their position should not be misconstrued. "There have been so many things said recently about vaccines in a negative context that I'm beginning to worry now that we have animal owners who are very confused, and some are very scared," emphasized Dr. Schultz. "Animals shouldn't necessarily be vaccinated every year -- it's something I've stated since 1978. But some folks who are into holistic veterinary medicine have taken the view that you don't need any vaccines, and [in my opinion]
that's absolutely not correct."
"Everything sort of has its day, things come and go, wax and wane," points out Dr. Carvel Tiekert. "Are people over-reacting? I don't know. In my own opinion, perhaps a little bit. But then, American society has never done real well staying in the middle." Clearly, the issues are difficult ones; there are no easy answers. But there are many good sources of information. Perhaps the best place to begin is by talking about the issue of vaccination with your own veterinarian.
"Maybe it's worth discussing it with two veterinarians to try to get a point-counterpoint," suggested Dr. Schultz. "And I can assure you, if you discuss this issue with both an allopathic and a homeopathic veterinarian, they will have a view and counterview for you." "I would encourage everyone to be really persistent consumers," advised Dr. Blakey. "I want them to keep their brain cells plugged in, ask hard questions, and ask them from more than one source. There are some wonderful books out there -- pick them up and read them. It's a whole education thing."
SIDEBAR I
VACCINES: A Short Primer:
Edward Jenner probably had no idea he was spawning a medical revolution when he inoculated an eight year old boy with the relatively benign cowpox virus in 1796 and then confirmed the boy's immunity to smallpox. But the principle used by this observant British country doctor has led to the development of today's human vaccines for diptheria, polio, whooping cough, and measles, as well as animal vaccines against rabies, distemper, parvovirus, and other diseases. Vaccines are produced by taking a virus or other disease-causing agent (known as a pathogen), and either killing it or rendering it less dangerous by culturing it under prescribed conditions in a lab. These killed or "modified-live" organisms (known as antigens) are then incorporated into a vaccine solution. "Killed" vaccines may also include chemicals known as "adjuvants" which help to enhance the immune-producing action of the vaccine.
"When injected with a vaccine, the animal's immune system is forced to create a response-- just as if they had been exposed to the disease," explained Dr. Hustead of Ft. Dodge Animal Health. "Through the process of creating this response, they learn how to deal with the more pathogenic versions of the same organism." There is significant con-troversy in the medical community about which type of vaccine is preferable -- a "killed" or a "modified-live". Typically, modified-live vaccines require a lower concentration of antigens and produce a longer-lasting immunity than a killed vaccine. However, because a modified-live vaccine contains live (if attenuated) organisms, there is a remote but real pos-sibility that these organisms can mutate into a disease-causing form. Killed vaccines avoid this potential risk, but often must be administered several times to produce an adequate immune response. In addition, the adjuvants incorporated into some killed vaccines may themselves be responsible for adverse reactions in some animals.
Scientists are also showing increasing interest in "recombinant" vaccines, which use only a genetic fraction of the disease-causing organism -- enough to stimulate an immune response, without the remainder which is responsible for causing the disease. Researchers hope that these new technologies will prove even safer than today's vaccines, while offering equal or better protective results.
SIDEBAR 2:
Reporting An Adverse Reaction:
What should you do if your pet suffers a vaccine-induced reaction? If theemergency happens at home, your first call, of course, should be to your veterinarian. Aferwards, however, reporting the problem may help other pet owners avoid a similar ordeal.
According to Brian J. Erdahl, D.V.M., senior biologics specialist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Biologics Hotline, owners of pets who experience a negative reaction to any vaccine should promptly notify both the Biologics Hotline and the manufacturer of the vaccine. "We get reports from consumers, from universities, from veterinarians through the AVMA's Practitioners' Reporting Network, and occasionally by referral from the FDA," Dr. Erdahl explained. "We are the ones that compile that data, and we keep a database of reports on products." Not every adverse reaction is considered indicative of a problem with the vaccine itself, Erdahl noted.
"We expect a certain amount of reactions; it's just inevitable," he said. "When we get nervous is when one person gives us information on a reaction to a particular product, and the next day we get a report with the same information, from the same batch. Then we say, is this something going on with the product, or is this the baseline reaction we expect? If we think a product may have a problem, we can and will require [additional] testing of the product." Consumers may contact the USDA Biologics Hotline toll-free at (800) 752-6255. A specialist will ask you the name of the vaccine, the manufacturer, and the lot number of the product.
Pet advocates also recommend making sure that your pet's adverse reaction and vaccine information (including manufacturer and lot number) are clearly noted on your veterinarian's chart.
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Karin Schumacher
Vaccine Information & Awareness (VIA)
792 Pineview Drive
San Jose, CA 95117
408-966-9388 (phone)
408-554-9053 (fax)
via@eden.com (email)
http://www.eden.com/~via (website)
*************************************
We Must Have The Freedom To Choose &
Respect Everyone's Choice
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All About Puppies
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GOOD NEWS! 3/11/07
XY Technology Inc. announced the birth of the world's
first dogs to have their sex selected prior to conception via
cutting-edge cell-sorting technology. The black Labrador pups,
three female and two male, join a long line of animal species XY
Inc. has demonstrated can be successfully artificially
inseminated with sex-sorted sperm to achieve the desired
outcome: female or male offspring. Cattle, horses and sheep have
benefited from this technology, which also has been successful
in elk, domestic cats, the bottle-nosed dolphin and the
Mediterranean water buffalo. (PRNewswire)
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Puppy vaccinations, diseases and health care are important topics for any new puppy owner. There's lots to learn so let's get started! We'll begin with the topic of ...
GETTING A NEW PUPPY
Well, you've really gone and done it now, haven't you? You just had to have a new puppy. If you are a veteran of the puppy rearing scene you surely can recall the excitement and enthusiasm you felt when you brought that furry little bundle home for the first time. And if this is your very first pup... there may be just a bit of "What have I done?" anxiety about this major moment in your life.
And well you should be just a bit anxious... owning and caring for a puppy is a huge responsibility. And with a bit of luck and good health care you should see that little rascal live well in to it's late teens. ThePetCenter is here to help you all along the way!
In this section about Puppy Care we will provide you with links to articles in ThePetCenter that you will want to read, give you guidelines about vaccinations, worming, and training and link you to our Pet Products Department where you can order all your puppy equipment and food online! The electronic age allows us to make immediate decisions about buying pet products, ordering and paying for them, and having them delivered right to your door overnight!
PUPPY HEALTH CARE
Note! Need info on how to raise an orphan pup? Dr. Smith-Reed tells you what to do.
One of the first things puppy owners want to know is
"What shots does the puppy get and when does the puppy get them?"
DISEASES TO PROTECT AGAINST
Take a look at the table below and you'll see an explanation of the different diseases that veterinarians can help protect your puppy against. A few of these are quite common, some are very deadly and an understanding of these diseases is important in puppy health care. You and your veterinarian can talk about which vaccinations should be given, how many times the vaccine should be administered to insure good protection, and when "Booster" shots should be done. (A "Booster" shot refers to giving a vaccine more than one time. The follow-up vaccinations will BOOST the immune level up higher and the patient will be even better protected from the disease. The word "SHOT" is rather slang. Injection is the better term.) Most puppies will get a combination vaccine, called a MULTIVALENT vaccine, which protects against more than one disease. This combination vaccine allows the puppy to be vaccinated via a single injection rather than having to receive four or five separate inoculations.
Multivalent vaccines are those that have more than one
disease antigen combined into one injection.
A typical multivalent vaccine is the DHLPPCv vaccine for dogs. Instead of giving six different injections, all these "vaccines" or antigens can be given in a single small volume injection. Certainly this is easier on the dog than getting six separate injections.
DHLPPCv stands for:
D... Canine Distemper Virus... a dangerous viral infection. "Distemper" is an odd name for a viral infection and this disease has no relationship to nor connection with a dog's temperament.
H... Hepatitis...a viral infection caused by two related viruses that mainly affects the liver.
L... Leptospirosis... a bacterial infection affecting the kidneys. This class of bacteria can infect humans, cows, dogs, pigs and other mammals.
P... Parainfluenza... a virus that along with the Hepatitis virus can cause upper respiratory infections.
P... Parvovirus... a severe and often fatal virus affecting the lining of the intestinal tract.
Cv... Coronavirus... is very similar to the Parvovirus, can be very severe, but has a somewhat different effect on the intestinal tract and generally is not fatal.
Vaccination Protocols and Schedule
Vaccination protocols for dogs are changing almost yearly as new research is done on duration of immunity.
Take an in-depth look at an article about vaccinations.
6 to 7 weeks of age: Give first combination vaccine. (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza, Coronavirus)
9 weeks of age: Give second combination vaccine.
12 weeks of age: Give the third combination injection and possibly a LYME Vaccine inoculation. Generally a LYME vaccine is then repeated two weeks later, then once a year.
16 weeks of age: Give the last combination vaccine.
12 to 16 weeks of age: Rabies vaccine is given. (Local and State laws apply regarding Rabies vaccine since this can be a human disease, too. Your veterinarian will tell you the proper time intervals for booster vaccines for Rabies.)
Special considerations: Many veterinarians believe some breeds such as Rottweilers and Dobermans should have at least two Parvo vaccines with the last one being given at 20 weeks of age.
If you are thinking about giving your pup the vaccinations yourself, there are few things you should know first. Be sure to read ThePetCenter.com's advice about vaccinating your own dogs. Take a look at photos and two movies showing a real vaccination reaction!
Why so many vaccinations? Good question! The reason is that no one can be sure that the pup will actually mount a good antibody response to the disease just from one vaccination. The age of the pup and just how much immunity it has received from its mother will complicate the "probability of protection". So... if the pup has lots of immunity (called PASSIVE IMMUNITY) that was borrowed from the mother during early nursing, this immunity will actually interfere with the pup's ability to make its own immunity from the vaccine challenge. The idea is to get the vaccine into the pup just as soon as the mother's passive immunity wears off (NOW the pup is very susceptible to sickness if it is exposed to the disease!) so that the pup can make more lasting immunity of its own. The precise time when a pup can respond well to a vaccine is variable... it might occur at 6 weeks of age or might be 12 weeks. So to be as safe as possible, why not start vaccinating at 6 weeks and end at 16 weeks? Almost 99 per cent of puppies will develop a good immune level to the various disease from a vaccine schedule similar to the one above.
Other topics for new puppy owners...
PUPPY SKIN DISORDERS
The best assurance against puppy skin disorders is to be certain that the mother is in a good state of health and is parasite free. Born with a good immune status, ingesting colostrums rich in passive antibodies from the mother and a clean, stress free environment all help to insure that newborn pups are ready for the real world. And their best barrier against pathogenic invaders is a healthy skin. Unfortunately, not all pups, even ones born into a good environment, may find themselves in trouble from a skin disorder. Let’s take a look at a few of the more common skin disorders of puppies:
JUVENILE CELLULITIS also called PUPPY STRANGLES
These sad looking pups begin to have noticeable skin trouble at about five weeks of age. One or more pups in a litter may be affected. What the veterinarian sees at examination is usually a well fed, otherwise healthy pup that has massively enlarged lymph nodes, swelling of the skin and often wet oozing sores. Marked swelling is usually most pronounced around the head and neck and the ears (pinnas) are thickened, scabs form and a thin fluid seeps from the pathologic tissues. In some cases the skin will crack open the swelling is so severe. The lymph nodes under the jaw (submandibular lymph nodes) become extremely swollen and painful and may actually drain to the skin surface.
Cultures of these open sores rarely indicate a bacterial component and newer research seems to point to an immune dysfunction as the root cause of the puppy’s uncomfortable medical condition. Since bacterial origins seldom play a role, administering antibiotics rarely has any effect on the condition. Instead, treatment with Prednisone, an cortisone-like drug, works very well if given in higher than usual doses for two weeks, then the dose is tapered off as the dog matures and the condition resolves. Sometimes dramatic improvement is noted after just a few doses of the Prednisone.
Therapy also entails routine cleaning of the skin and hydrotherapy where the pup is soaked in warm water with just a small amount of antiseptic added. If a particular case seems to have a secondary bacterial infection, which might be expected with such skin stress and exudative material present on the skin, antibiotics may be needed to assist resolution of the overall problem.
Fluid therapy and Vitamin administration may be helpful for pups that are dehydrated and not eating well. And a high quality, meat-based diet is indispensable in helping the pup to recover form Juvenile Cellulitis. Almost all pups will recover but permanent scarring, lack of hair production and pigment changes can be a reminder of this nasty puppy skin disease.
SCABIES MITES For a full discussion, visit this page.
Scabies mites, also called Sarcoptic mites, can survive off of a dog at room temperatures for two to six days. Their life cycle takes about twenty-one days from egg to skin-burrowing adult. Most scabies mite infestations are specific for their host and do not do well on a different species host. That’s why most canine scabies cases can be transmitted easily to other dogs but these mites do not thrive very well on cats or humans. Often mistaken for a skin allergy case, dogs with Scabies do not fare well if given Prednisone or other cortisone-like medications and in fact administration of these drugs can have a worsening effect in these cases. The real hallmark of Scabies mites is intense and constant itching as a result of their burrowing activities deep into the skin. Puppies and adult dogs with scabies mites… also called Sarcoptic Mites and Red Mange… will display patches of thin hair coat, dry scabs, sores from self-inflicted scratching, and crusts. This patchy and scabby dermatitis is usually noted along the belly, at elbows and hocks and around the face. Scabies mites are especially prevalent along the ear margins; one simple but rather accurate way to know if Sarcoptic mites are present on a dog is to gently scratch along the outer edges of the ear. If vigorous scratching of the pup’s ear margins produces an involuntary rear leg scratching motion, called the Pinna-Pedal Reflex, there most certainly are mites present.
Treatment is begun even if no mites are identified on repeated skin scrapings. Most veterinarians will treat for these mites based upon circumstantial evidence. For example, itchy skin allergies are exceedingly rare in young dogs, but Sarcoptic mites are common. It makes sense to treat for them is they are suspected. All other dogs in contact with the affected dog should be treated, as well. Cats in contact with an affected pup may need to be treated but veterinarians treat each case individually since the canine scabies mite does not thrive on healthy felines. So it may not be necessary to treat a housemate cat… but surely all canines in contact with the affected dog should be treated for scabies mites even if no signs are obvious in the other dogs.
Treatment for scabies is usually Ivermectin; the dose must be calculated precisely to avoid a dangerous overdose, too. Ivermectin can be injected or given orally weekly for six weeks. Revolution, a topical antiparasite medication, is indicated for scabies treatment. It needs to be applied more often than monthly and each veterinarian has a favorite dosage schedule. Milbemycin Oxime, an oral worm medication, has been used as a scabies treatment when given weekly for six weeks. Lime Sulfur shampoos and dips can work but are less often used than those already mentioned.
Often overlooked as an adjunct to scabies therapy is the importance of a high quality, meat-based diet. These skin mites are very stressful to the pup and adult dog so these patients really require optimum nutrition, rich in Omega Fatty Acids and digestible meat protein. Environmental cleanup is important, too, since the mites can survive for a few days off of the host. Simple cleaning of surfaces, washing of bedding, removal of hay or chip bedding from doghouses is important factors in ridding the environment of Sarcoptic mites. And make sure the adult dog(s) in the household are not roaming in the woods and exploring fox or coyote dens, a common source of scabies for dogs. Contact with a carrier dog in the neighborhood as a primary source needs to be evaluated, too.
DEMODEX
Demodex mites are very commonly seen in puppies. These mites live in the hair follicles of their hosts and are most often transmitted from the pup's mother at birth and while nursing. Even perfectly healthy and normal appearing dogs can be continuous carriers of small numbers of Demodex mites and not show any signs at all of the parasite. In fact, many, many healthy dogs harbor these mites in skin follicles and suffer no consequences at all. In genetically predisposed animals, especially some lines of Poodles and Dobermans, specific immune proteins may be present in abnormally low levels, which can allow these mites to proliferate and cause serious, difficult-to-treat Demodecosis. Every case of Demodex in a puppy needs to be watched closely in case it becomes generalized. Most veterinarians will treat the small, dry, circular patches of hair loss once Demodex mites are seen under the microscope. These mites can readily be identified in skin scrapings taken from the lesion; Sarcoptic mites rarely can be seen via skin scrapings.
Treatment for Demodex varies and ranges from Ivermectin to topical antiparasite medications. Fortunately, as the pup grows up, most cases of Demodex mites resolve on their own with no treatment. Generalized and severe cases are rarely seen and occur mostly in severely stressed, malnourished or genetically immune depressed animals. Most responsible breeders will not breed any dog that displays chronic Demodex problems. Since Demodex can be associated with inherited immune deficiencies, there really should be careful consideration given to keeping these dogs out of any breeding program.
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AKC Breeder Referral Contacts
The best way to ensure a long and happy relationship with a purebred dog is to purchase from a responsible breeder. While the AKC does not endorse or recommend specific breeders, we do offer several resources to locate breeders. The AKC recommends puppy buyers begin the search process by contacting the AKC Parent Club. Breeder Referral Links
National Club Breeder Referral
Please Note: the breeder referral contacts are appointed by their clubs to provide referral services only and may not be breeders themselves. You are calling the names of volunteers from a breed club who are eager to take the time to put you in contact with breeders who may have puppies available. You are not calling an office. Please respect time zones when calling these contacts. They may be away at dog shows or on vacation and may take a few days to get back to you. Refer to the parent club Web site for additional information.
We are providing links to the breeder referral contact for the parent club, to the parent club Web site, and to breeders listed on that site if available. If you have not had any luck contacting those on the list, please search for a local club. This will put you in touch with volunteers from all-breed clubs. However, they may not have a member of their club with the breed you are interested in.
Clubs: please send changes to awards@akc.org.
Affenpinscher
Parent Club: Affenpinscher Club of America
Breeder Referral: Darlene Dover; CST (281) 356-7212
Afghan Hound
Parent Club: Afghan Hound Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Barbara Bornstein; MST (602) 994-0150
Regional Clubs: See Parent Club website - Regional Clubs
Mentors: See Parent Club website - New Comers
Airedale Terrier
Parent Club: Airedale Terrier Club of America
Breeder Referral: Linda Baake-Jarvis; EST (252) 637-3575
Breeder Directory: See Parent Club website - Choosing A Breeder
Regional Clubs: See Parent Club website - Local Clubs
Akita
Parent Club: Akita Club of America
Breeder Referral: Barbara Cook; EST 703-583-7725
Breeder Directory: website
Alaskan Malamute
Parent Club: Alaskan Malamute Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Lesli Valiunas; CST (630) 980-4041
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
American Eskimo Dog
Parent Club: American Eskimo Dog Club of America
American Foxhound
Parent Club: American Foxhound Club
American Stafforshire Terrier
Parent Club: Staffordshire Terrier Club of America
Breeder Directory: website
American Water Spaniel
Parent Club: American Water Spaniel Club
Breeder Referral: Shirley A. Wilkens, 123 Wagon Trail Dr., Ogallala, NE 69153
Breeder Directory: See Parent Club website - American Water Spaniel - You Want One - Breeders
Anatolian Shepherd Dog
Parent Club: Anatolian Shepherd Dog Club of America
Breeder Referral: Gary Jakobi; CST (715) 443-3509
Breeder Directory: website
Australian Cattle Dog
Parent Club: Australian Cattle Dog Club of America
Breeder Referral: Jolyn Owen; MST (602) 276-5110
Regional Clubs: website
Australian Shepherd
Parent Club: United States Australian Shepherd Association
Breeders Directory: website
Australian Terrier
Parent Club: Australian Terrier Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Sandra Weigle; EST (423) 344-1952
Breeder Directory: website
Basenji
Parent Club: Basenji Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Sandy Beaudoin; CST (918) 762-3205; website
Regional Clubs: website
Basset Hound
Parent Club: Basset Hound Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Sue Smyth; EST (609) 387-3027
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Beagle
Parent Club: National Beagle Club
Breeder Referral: Patti Staub; (804) 752-7570; Dursderbgl@aol.com
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Bearded Collie
Parent Club: Bearded Collie Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Carol Sirrine, CST (612) 866-9014
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Mentors: website
Beauceron
No Listings
Bedlington Terrier
Parent Club: Bedlington Terrier Club of America
Breeder Referral: website
Breeder Directory: website
Belgian Malinois
Parent Club: American Belgian Malinois Club
Breeder Referral: Le Brun Frye; EST (828) 658-3821; website
Breeder Directory: website
Belgian Sheepdog
Parent Club: Belgian Sheepdog Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Claire Trethewey; PST (503) 648-3339, fax: 503-648-1483
Breeder Directory: website
Belgian Tervuren
Parent Club: American Belgian Tervuren Club, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Judy Bradley; EST (410) 658-6268
Breeder Directory: website
Bernese Mountain Dog
Parent Club: Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: website
Breed Stewards: website
Regional Clubs: website
Bichon Frise
Parent Club: Bichon Frise Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Sandra J Madia
Breeder Directory: website
Black and Tan Coonhound
Parent Club: American Black and Tan Coonhound Club, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Kelly Willard; EST (336) 643-7534
Breeder Directory: website
Black Russian Terrier
No Listings
Bloodhound
Parent Club: American Bloodhound Club
Breeder Referral: Eve Dunkel; CST (630) 985-8061; website
Border Collie
Parent Club: Border Collie Society of America
Breeder Referral: Karen Herceg
Breeder Directory: website
Border Terrier
Parent Club: Border Terrier Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Jennifer Chambers
Regional Clubs and Contacts: website
Borzoi
Parent Club: Borzoi Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Karen Mays
Regional Clubs: website
Boston Terrier
Parent Club: Boston Terrier Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Billie Bunch; CST (574) 674-8675
Regional Clubs: website
Bouvier Des Flanders
Parent Club: American Bouvier Des Flandres Club, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Pat Holmes; (802) 439-6117
Boxer
Parent Club: American Boxer Club, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Lucille Jackson; EST (703) 385-9385
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Briard
Parent Club: Briard Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Ann Mastroianni; EST (508) 888-6770; website
Email: amastroi@cape.com
Regional Clubs: website
Brittany
Parent Club: American Brittany Club, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Pennie Peterson; PST (760) 247-2465
Regional Clubs:website
Brussels Griffon
Parent Club: American Brussels Griffon Association
Breeder Referral: Denise Brusseau-Ortman; CST (618) 943-8892
Breeder Directory: See Parent Club website - Breeder Referral
Bull Terrier
Parent Club: Bull Terrier Club of America
Breeder Referral: Marilyn Sibley
Regional Clubs:website
Bulldog
Parent Club: Bulldog Club of America
Breeder Referral: Kevin Riley; EST (405) 329-7638; 2711 Osage Way, Norman, OK 73071
Bullmastiff
Parent Club: American Bullmastiff Association, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Jeannie Stacey
Breeder Directory: See Parent Club website - Breeders
Regional Clubs: See Parent Club website - Regional Clubs
Cairn Terrier
Parent Club: Cairn Terrier Club of America
Breeder Referral: Ann Brodie, MST, 303-646-9657
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Canaan Dog
Parent Club: Canaan Dog Club of America
Breeder Referral: Kelly Riggs
Breeder Referral: Sally Armstrong-Barnhardt; PST (702) 475-2615
Regional Clubs and Breeders: website
Cardigan Welsh Corgi
Parent Club: Cardigan Welsh Corgi Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Lynn Stoltzmann, (763) 536-7710
Regional Clubs: website
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Parent Club: American Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club, Inc.
Breeder Directory: See Parent Club website - Breeder Referral List
Regional Clubs: See Parent Club website - Links
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Parent Club: American Chesapeake Club, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Dana Gary, The American Chesapeake Club, P.O. Box 58082, Salt Lake City, UT 84158
Breeder Directory: website
Breed Mentors:website
Chihuahua
Parent Club: Chihuahua Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Josephine De Menna
Chinese Crested
Parent Club: American Chinese Crested Club, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Janet Kiczek; EST (770) 836-0884
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Chinese Shar-Pei
Parent Club: Chinese Shar-Pei Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Gail Garrison, EST (727) 360-0953
Breeder Referral: Karen Kleinhans
Breeders Directory: website
Chow Chow
Parent Club: Chow Chow Club, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Myrna Milligan, MST (505) 867-5220
Breeder Directory: See Parent Club website - Member Contacts
Regional Clubs: See Parent Club website - Club Contacts
Mentors: See Parent Club website - Information
Clumber Spaniel
Parent Club: Clumber Spaniel Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Susan King
Regional Clubs: website
Cocker Spaniel
Parent Club: American Spaniel Club, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Teresa Frye; EST (810) 798-2577
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Collie
Parent Club: Collie Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Bill Garland
Regional Contacts: website
Curly-Coated Retriever
Parent Club: Curly-Coated Retriever Club of America
Breeder Referral: Sheila Callahan-Young; EST (978) 281-3860
Dachshund
Parent Club: Dachshund Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Vicki Spencer; CST (270) 926-9389
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Dalmatian
Parent Club: Dalmatian Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Karen Wissinger; PST (253) 639-0941
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Dandie Dinmont Terrier
Parent Club: Dandie Dinmont Terrier Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Louis Dillard; MST (970) 255-7431
Doberman Pinscher
Parent Club: Doberman Pinscher Club of America
Breeder Referral: Irina Sasu; CST (512) 452-1076
Breeder Directory:website
Regional Clubs:website
Dogue de Bordeaux
Breeder Referral: DDBS National Breeder Listing
English Cocker Spaniel
Parent Club: English Cocker Spaniel Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Kate Romanski; CST (414) 529-9714; website
Regional Clubs: website
English Foxhound
Parent Club: English Foxhound Club of America
Breeder Referral: John Wickline; EST (410) 286-3956
English Setter
Parent Club: English Setter Association of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Dawn Ronyak; MST (623) 556-4712
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
English Springer Spaniel
Parent Club: English Springer Spaniel Field Trial Association, Inc.
Breeder Referral: website
English Toy Spaniel
Parent Club: English Toy Spaniel Club of America
Breeder Referral: Thomas O'Neal; CST (262) 279-6012
Field Spaniel
Parent Club: Field Spaniel Society of America
Breeder Referral: Sharon Douthit; CST (815) 625-0467; website
Finnish Spitz
Parent Club: Finnish Spitz Club of America
Breeder Referral: Sheila Goodwin; MST (307) 587-0034
Flat-Coated Retriever
Parent Club: Flat-Coated Retriever Society of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Joan Dever; EST (904) 268-0325
French Bulldog
Parent Club: French Bulldog Club of America
Breeder Referral: Karen Fore; CST (405) 250-3171; (405) 613-6515
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
German Pinscher
Parent Club: German Pinscher Club of America
Breeder Referral: Renee Phillips; EST (718) 229-7489
Breeder Directory: website
German Shepherd Dog
Parent Club: German Shepherd Dog Club of America
Breeder Referral: Sharon Albright; PST (530) 878-2826
Regional Clubs: website
German Shorthaired Pointer
Parent Club: German Shorthaired Pointer Club of America
Breeder Referral: Ann King-Wallace; EST (302) 697-2437
Regional Clubs: website
German Wirehaired Pointer
Parent Club: German Wirehaired Pointer Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Bernee Brawn
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Giant Schnauzer
Parent Club: Giant Schnauzer Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Janett Willis; EST (757) 523-0906
Breeder Directory: website
Glen of Imaal Terrier
Breeder Referral: website
Golden Retriever
Parent Club: Golden Retriever Club of America
Breeder Referral: website
Breeder Directory:website
Regional Clubs: website
Gordon Setter
Parent Club: Gordon Setter Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Rosanne Schwiegerath; MST (505) 838-0796
Regional Clubs: website
Great Dane
Parent Club: Great Dane Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Nancy Lerch; CST (515) 259-9607
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Great Pyrenees
Parent Club: Great Pyrenees Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Kerry Woods; PST (509) 925-3339
Regional Clubs: website
Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
Parent Club: Greater Swiss Mountain DogClub of America
Breeder Referral: info@gsmdca.org
Greyhound
Parent Club: Greyhound Club of America
Breeder Referral: Margaret Bryson; EST (804) 883-7800
Harrier
Parent Club: Harrier Club of America
Breeder Referral: Ellen Par; PST (503) 981-9676
Havanese
Parent Club: Havanese Club of America
Breeder Referral: Kay Rodgers; EST (910) 270-9203
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Ibizan Hound
Parent Club: Ibizan Hound Club of the United States
Breeder Referral: Elizabeth Binney
Breeder Directory: website
Mentors: website
Irish Setter
Parent Club: Irish Setter Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Marilee Larson; PST (209) 295-1666
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Irish Terrier
Parent Club: Irish Terrier Club of America
Breeder Referral: Debbie Rybacki; CST (630) 420-2271
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Irish Water Spaniel
Parent Club: Irish Water Spaniel Club of America
Breeder Referral: Dede Selph; EST (703) 272-8339
Breeder Directory: website
Irish Wolfhound
Parent Club: Irish Wolfhound Club of America
Breeder Referral: Judy Simon; CST (763) 479-1638
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Italian Greyhound
Parent Club: Italian Greyhound Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Lilian Barber; PST (951) 679-5084
Breeder Directory: website
Japanese Chin
Parent Club: Japanese Chin Club of America
Breeder Referral: website
Breeder Directory: website
Keeshond
Parent Club: Keeshond Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Mary Benell; EST 321-635-8556
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Kerry Blue Terrier
Parent Club: United States Kerry Blue Terrier Club, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Barbara Beuter; EST (513) 863-6230
Breeder Directory: website
Komondor
Parent Club: Komondor Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Sherry Harman; EST (434) 277-5016
Breeder Directory: website
Kuvasz
Parent Club: Kuvasz Club of America
Breeder Referral: Marvelyn Gadowski; EST (248) 489-1233
Breeder Directory: website
Labrador Retriever
Parent Club: Labrador Retriever Club, Inc.
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Lakeland Terrier
Parent Club: United States Lakeland Terrier Club
Breeder Referral: See Parent Club website - Breeders List
Breeder Directory: See Parent Club website - Breeders List
Lhasa Apso
Parent Club: American Lhasa Apso Club, Inc.
Breeder Referral: See Parent Club website - Breeder Referral
Breeder Directory: See Parent Club website - Breeder Referral
Löwchen
Parent Club: Löwchen Club of America
Breeder Referral: Jo Allyn Beckett; MST (503) 728-3064
Maltese
Parent Club: American Maltese Association, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Julie Phillips; EST (239) 549-4446
Breeder Directory: See Parent Club website - Breeders� List
Regional Clubs: See Parent Club website - Member Clubs
Manchester Terrier
Parent Club: American Manchester Terrier Club
Breeder Referral: Diana Haywood; EST (908) 996-7309
Mastiff
Parent Club: Mastiff Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Kelly Meyer, 2229 Tennessse Avenue, Savannah, GA 31404; phone: 912-238-3170; website
Regional Clubs: website
Miniature Bull Terrier
Parent Club: Miniature Bull Terrier Club of America
Breeder Referral: Kathy Brosnan, EST 603-679-9507
Miniature Pinscher
Parent Club: Miniature Pinscher Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Sandee White; CST (812) 897-1284
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Miniature Schnauzer
Parent Club: American Miniature Schnauzer Club
Breeder Referral: June Shanklin; CST (815) 464-1174
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Mentors: website
Neapolitan Mastiff
Parent Club: United States Neapolitan Mastiff Club
Breeder Referral: Sue Luedemann; CST (979) 836-6867
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Newfoundland
Parent Club: Newfoundland Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Naomi Young Meyer; EST (toll free) 1-866-NCA-NEWF (1-866-622-6393)
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Norfolk Terrier
Parent Club: Norwich and Norfolk Terrier Club
Breeder Referral: Helen Biles; EST (717) 528-8342
Norwegian Buhund
No information at this time.
Norwegian Elkhound
Parent Club: Norwegian Elkhound Association of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Karen Elvin; CST (651) 433-4666
Regional Clubs: website
Norwich Terrier
See Norfolk Terrier
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
Parent Club: Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Club (USA)
Breeder Referral: Cindy Richardson, 2570 Noah St., Eugene, OR 97402; (541) 689-0678
Breeder Directory: website
Old English Sheepdog
Parent Club: Old English Sheepdog Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Tarja Koistila
Otterhound
Parent Club: Otterhound Club of America
Breeder Referral: Margaret and Randy Neubauer; EST (330) 484-4845; website
Papillon
Parent Club: Papillon Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Carol Morris; EST (513) 481-3343
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: See Parent Club website - Independent Papillon Clubs
Parson Russell Terrier
Parent Club: Parson Russell Terrier Association of America
Breeder Referral: Jeanette Pinker; EST (610) 593-6185
Breeder Directory: website
Pekingese
Parent Club: Pekingese Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Lorna Flanagan EST (973) 335-4439
Regional Clubs: website
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Parent Club: Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Anne Bowes; EST (781) 934-0110
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen
Parent Club: Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen Club of America
Breeder Referral: Susan Smyth; EST (609) 387-3027
Breeder Directory:website
Pharaoh Hound
Parent Club: Pharaoh Hound Club of America
Breeder Referral: Rita Sacks; EST (352) 357-8723
Plott
Parent Club: American Plott Association
Breeder Referral: Chester Johnson, 2875 Hallie Burnette Rd, Oxford NC, 27565
Pointer
Parent Club: American Pointer Club, Inc.
Breeder Referral: website
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Polish Lowland Sheepdog
Parent Club: American Polish Lowland Sheepdog Club
Breeder Referral: Richard Deckert, (850) 862-2675
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Pomeranian
Parent Club: American Pomeranian Club, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Jane Lehtinen; CST (218) 741-2117
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Poodle
Parent Club: Poodle Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: http://www.poodleclubofamerica.org
Breeder Directory: http://www.poodleclubofamerica.org
Portuguese Water Dog
Parent Club: Portuguese Water Dog Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Sandra Overton; PST (360) 675-9539
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Pug
Parent Club: Pug Dog Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Sieglinde Scholle; EST (304) 274-0522
Breeder Directory: website
Puli
Parent Club: Puli Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Michael Rohe; EST (513) 541-6819
Breeder Directory:website
Pyrenean Shepherd
No information at this time.
Redbone Coonhound
No Listings
Rhodesian Ridgeback
Parent Club: Rhodesian Ridgeback Club of the United States, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Laurie DiRome; EST
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Mentors: website
Rottweiler
Parent Club: American Rottweiler Club
Breeder Referral: Doris Baldwin; MST (925) 945-1509
Regional Clubs:website
Saint Bernard
Parent Club: Saint Bernard Club of America
Breeder Referral: Joan Zielinski; PST (253) 631-1352
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Saluki
Parent Club: Saluki Club of America
Breeder Referral: Teresa Hodge-Smith
Breeder Directory: website
Samoyed
Parent Club: Samoyed Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Lori Elvera
Breeder Directory: website
Schipperke
Parent Club: Schipperke Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Lee Hammer; CST (972) 964-9608
Breeder Directory: See Parent Club website - Breeders by State
Regional Clubs: See Parent Club website - Regional Clubs
Scottish Deerhound
Parent Club: Scottish Deerhound Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Bette Stencil; EST Before 10 PM (810) 329-3841
Scottish Terrier
Parent Club: Scottish Terrier Club of America
Breeder Referral: Linda Tubbs Bell; CST (731) 286-4297
Regional Clubs: website
Sealyham Terrier
Parent Club: American Sealyham Terrier Club
Breeder Referral: On Parent Club Website
Shetland Sheepdog
Parent Club: American Shetland Sheepdog Association
Breeder Referral: Barbara L Aulbach; 503-543-7556
Breeder Directory: See Parent Club website - Breeder Network
Shiba Inu
Parent Club: National Shiba Inu Club of America
Breeders Directory: website
Shih Tzu
Parent Club: American Shih Tzu Club, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Bonnie Prato; PST (510) 595-1106; website
Regional Clubs: website
Siberian Husky
Parent Club: Siberian Husky Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Ruth Henningsen; EST (201) 697-9456
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Silky Terrier
Parent Club: Silky Terrier Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Louise Rosewell; MST (303) 988-4361
Breeder Directory: See Parent Club website - Breeders List
Skye Terrier
Parent Club: Skye Terrier Club of America
Breeder Referral: Joan Fingar; EST (585) 247-3086
Smooth Fox Terrier
Parent Club: American Fox Terrier Club
Breeder Referral: Winifred Stout; EST (800) FOX-TERR
*See Wire Fox Terrier
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
Parent Club: Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of America
Breeders Directory: website
Spinone Italiano
Parent Club: Spinone Club of America
Breeder Referral: Maxine Channon; EST (804) 333-0309
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Parent Club: Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club of America
Breeder Referral: Judy Keller; MST (360) 331-3412
Breeder Directory: See Parent Club website - Finding a Stafford - Breeder Referral
Standard Schnauzer
Parent Club: Standard Schnauzer Club of America
Breeder Referral: Catherine Lord; EST (201) 825-0462
Sussex Spaniel
Parent Club: Sussex Spaniel Club of America
Breeder Referral: Kathie Miller; EST (330) 545-6996
Swedish Vallhund
Parent Club: Swedish Vallhund Club of America
Breeder Referral: Gail Smyka, svcags@comcast.net
Tibetan Mastiff
Parent Club: American Tibetan Mastiff Association (ATMA)
Breeder Referral: Martha Feltenstein; EST (212) 779-2715
Tibetan Spaniel
Parent Club: Tibetan Spaniel Club of America
Breeder Referral: Patricia Silberman; EST (410) 876-9092
Breeder Directory: website
Tibetan Terrier
Parent Club: Tibetan Terrier Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Diane Revak; EST (954) 340-9356
Breeder Directory: website
Toy Fox Terrier
Parent Club: American Toy Fox Terrier Club
Breeder Referral: Sharon Pothast, EST (515) 289-2752
Breeder Directory: website
Mentors: website
Vizsla
Parent Club: Vizsla Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Florence Duggan; EST (908) 789-9774
Regional Clubs: website
Weimaraner
Parent Club: Weimaraner Club of America
Breeder Referral: Rebecca Weimer; CST (618) 236-1466
Regional Clubs: website
Welsh Springer Spaniel
Parent Club: Welsh Springer Spaniel Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Diane Edgett; EST (973) 579-7455
Breeder Directory: website
Welsh Terrier
Parent Club: Welsh Terrier Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Carol Corby; EST (973) 831-6004
Breeder Directory: website
West Highland White Terrier
Parent Club: West Highland White Terrier Club of America
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Whippet
Parent Club: American Whippet Club, Inc.
Breeder Referral: Mary Downing
Regional Clubs:website
Wire Fox Terrier
Parent Club: American Fox Terrier Club
Breeder Referral: Winifred Stout; EST (800) FOX-TERR
*See Smooth Fox Terrier
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
Parent Club: American Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Association
Breeder Referral: Julie Baker
Breeder Directory: website
Regional Clubs: website
Yorkshire Terrier
Parent Club: Yorkshire Terrier Club of America, Inc.
Breeder Directory: website
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