# Protect a Puppy from Parvo when Introducing into a Home with a Healthy Adult Dog



## lindseya (Jan 5, 2009)

Hi Everyone - We are getting a GSD puppy in 2 1/2 weeks. She will have at least her first round of shots at that point, possibly her first two rounds of shots. We have a healthy adult dog (up-to-date on all shots) who is active and takes regular walks and plays frisbee in the neighborhood park. Is there anything special I need to do to protect my new puppy from Parvo? (I understand that I need to avoid taking her to parks or public places until she is fully vaccinated.) My adult dog never had Parvo and I have no indication that it runs in our neighborhood but there's no way of knowing for sure. Should I be concerned with my adult dog (being in public places) interacting with the new puppy until the new pup is fully vaccinated? Should I keep all water bowls, toys, bedding separate until then? 

I would appreciate any insight on this matter. I have no indication of parvo in our neighborhood or house, but I want to make sure all is safe for the new puppy. Thanks.


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## BoxerMommie (Jun 26, 2008)

No. Puppy and adult are fine to be together. Don't take puppy to public places, parks, dog parks, PetSmart, etc until fully vaxed and that's about it. 

I got my pup at 7 1/2 weeks and had a 6 year old adult at home who is not vaxed due to medical problems and all was fine. It would just be coming into contact with an infected dog, feces, or where an infected dog had been so as long as your pup doesn't come into contact with a contaminated area or a contaminated dog then he/she will be fine.

Good luck.


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## lindseya (Jan 5, 2009)

Thanks BoxerMommie! This was the worst case scenario that I thought of: if my adult came into contact with parvo at the park where she plays frisbee or on a walk, then unknowingly brings it home and plays with the pup. I guess the chances of that are very small but it was my concern. Thanks again.


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## BoxerMommie (Jun 26, 2008)

Honestly the chance is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO slim I wouldn't worry about it. You'll need and want to introduce them and truth be told, your pup could walk in the same place your adult dog did in the back yard and in theory get it that way so even separating them if your adult came in contact, brought it home, and your puppy then went to that same spot, etc but really, if pigs grew wings they could fly ya know. The chances are so extremely slim that it really isn't worth stressing over. Let them have that time together and get to know each other that's much more important IMO.


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

lindseya said:


> Hi Everyone - We are getting a GSD puppy in 2 1/2 weeks. She will have at least her first round of shots at that point, possibly her first two rounds of shots.


What will the puppy's age be when you get her? She shouldn't have any vaccinations until 8 weeks. The protocol should be 1st shot at 8 weeks, 2rd shot at 12 weeks, and 3rd at 16 weeks. She should be at least 6 months before she gets rabies shot and it would be better if she were 1 year old. Once she has had 3rd puppy shot, she never needs another the rest of her life. Some people recommend another general vaccination at 1 year of age and that will be the last ever needed. People are way over vaccinating their puppies and dogs and it's causing a myrid of health and behavior problems.



> Is there anything special I need to do to protect my new puppy from Parvo?


Just the above mentioned shots.



> (I understand that I need to avoid taking her to parks or public places until she is fully vaccinated.)


No, you should take her out as often as possible to as many places as possible. This is imperative if you want a well socialized dog. She should meet as many people and dogs before she is 16 weeks old. 16 weeks is the point that the socialization window closes any socialization after that will never be nearly as effective as before.

You should do some research on vaccinations and the effect they have on your dogs and how they work. Most people have the impression that puppies gain more immunization with each puppy shot. That is not true. Once the puppy is immune, she is immune. Either he is immune or not immune. There are no degrees of immunity. There is no such thing a a little immunity and more immunity and even more immunity. Thats just not the way it works.



> My adult dog never had Parvo and I have no indication that it runs in our neighborhood but there's no way of knowing for sure.


Why are you so overly concerned with Parvo?



> Should I be concerned with my adult dog (being in public places) interacting with the new puppy until the new pup is fully vaccinated? Should I keep all water bowls, toys, bedding separate until then?


No, no, and no. Your puppy is fully immune the day she takes her first shot. There is a long explanation as to how vaccinations and immunity work. If you want to email me and ask, I will explain it in detail via email. It's much too long to go into here.



> I would appreciate any insight on this matter. I have no indication of parvo in our neighborhood or house, but I want to make sure all is safe for the new puppy.


Here are a few links to check out.
W Jean Dodds Vaccine Protocol VACCINATION PROTOCOLS
Science of Vaccine Damage
Pet Vaccination danger - adverse reaction to routine vaccination


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## BoxerMommie (Jun 26, 2008)

Just an FYI Rawfed, it is illegal in most counties in the US to NOT vaccinate your puppy for Rabies at 4 months. I've lived in quite a few states in quite a few counties and it's always been if the dog is at least 4 months old then it has to have a Rabies vaccination and be licensed with the county or you're in violation of the county laws. Just be careful what advice you give or you could put people in a bad spot. I know in my county if you wait to register until later than 4 months and don't have proof of prior registering in another county or proof that the dog was just adopted or something then you are fined HUGE amounts of money as a penalty.


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

BoxerMommie said:


> Just an FYI Rawfed, it is illegal in most counties in the US to NOT vaccinate your puppy for Rabies at 4 months.


FYI, BM, I know what the law is. It is better for the dog's health to put it off a few months if possible. A pup is at most risk for adverse consequences if the rabies vaccination is given before 6 months of age. The immune system is just too immature before 6 months to be safe.


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## BoxerMommie (Jun 26, 2008)

RawFedDogs said:


> FYI, BM, I know what the law is. It is better for the dog's health to put it off a few months if possible. A pup is at most risk for adverse consequences if the rabies vaccination is given before 6 months of age. The immune system is just too immature before 6 months to be safe.


Well that may be, but I don't think a moderator of this board, nor any public message board should be advocating to anyone for any reason to break laws. Health or not, the law is the law. One could talk to their vet and request a letter from their vet for an exemption but those are rare not to mention if your dog were to bite someone for any reason exemption or not they are treated not different than a stray and quarantined for 10-14 days depending on the county, personally I would not take that risk.

Again though, I do not feel it is right for a representative of a public message board to be advocating to anyone to break the law...for a variety of reasons.


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

BoxerMommie said:


> Health or not, the law is the law.


I care more about the health of my dogs than a silly ill-conceived law. If no one broke ill-conceived laws we would never have had a civil rights movement nor a woman's rights movement.



> One could talk to their vet and request a letter from their vet for an exemption but those are rare


Thats an option.



> not to mention if your dog were to bite someone for any reason exemption or not they are treated not different than a stray and quarantined for 10-14 days depending on the county, personally I would not take that risk.


I have the ability to control a 6 month old puppy and am not worried about him biting anyone.



> Again though, I do not feel it is right for a representative of a public message board to be advocating to anyone to break the law...for a variety of reasons.


Lucky for me, you aren't the one who needs to feel right about what I say. I don't represent anyone but myself. My words are my words.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Rawfed are you going through a mid-life crisis, I've noticed lately that you have gotten very confrontational with everyone who post anything that you might not agree with. Just my opinion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

whiteleo said:


> Rawfed are you going through a mid-life crisis, I've noticed lately that you have gotten very confrontational with everyone who post anything that you might not agree with. Just my opinion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Hehe, No ******,I'm way past mid-life anything. :smile: If you go back and read these recent threads, Its always the other party who gets all emotional and can't stop. I don't know what their problem is. I make a simple statement in a thread and they fliy off the handle and seem to loose all ability to think rationally. I never loose my cool. I just keep on pointing out facts and asking for facts from them but get no facts and a lot of ranting. I'm not being confrontational at all. Just pointing out facts and try to hold a sensible discussion. Its others that ask me if I need glasses or accuse me of killing rats when I have never said anything about rats. I never said anything about taking dogs to a lab to have experiments run on them but I get accused of such nonsense.

Now how can you say it's me being confrontational?


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## rockymtsweetie82 (Jul 24, 2008)

When Mako was taken to the Vet and it was thought that Parvo was the reason for his illness, I had taken Duckie as well (Duckie was 8 weeks old at the time) And I asked the vet how likely it would be that Duckie could contract the Parvo from Mako (should that be what Mako was diagnosed with). HE said, "The puppy is still immune to the disease because most likely the mother was vaccinated against it and he has been feeding off his mother his whole life." My Vet said that. Of course, that day Duckie got his first set of shots as well. However, just hearing that a puppy is immune to the disease because the mother was vaccinated, then YAY jumping for joy. However, I'm sure that wouldn't count if you get your pup from a puppy mill who doesn't care about vaccinations. 

As for vaccinating China again, RFD you said that it's not necessary to vaccinate them after their puppy shots? She's due for her 1 year. How would the shots be beneficial to her as well as concequencial? Before coming on this board I'd never heard that vaccinating your dog for life could hurt the animal. So I'm really interested in knowing more about vaccinations and how they can effect my dogs.


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

rockymtsweetie82 said:


> HE said, "The puppy is still immune to the disease because most likely the mother was vaccinated against it and he has been feeding off his mother his whole life." My Vet said that. Of course, that day Duckie got his first set of shots as well.


Your vet is absolutely right about this. That is the reason that pups don't need vacs until AT LEAST 8 weeks. You see, any vacs given while mommy's immunity is still in the pup is useless. Mommy's immunity kills the Modified Live Virus in the vac. In other words the vacs immune cells are killed when they enter the body, thus having no positive effect as far as giving the puppy any more immunity. Thats the reason for more shots at 12 and 16 weeks. IF the vac was killed by mommy's immunity still in the pups body, possibly at 12 weeks, mommy's immunity as gone away and the 12 week shots will provide immunity. If mommy's immunity is still present at 12 weeks, the 16 week shots will provide immunity. It is very rare for mommy's immunity to still be in the puppy's body at 16 weeks of age. To summerize, any vaccination given to a puppy who is already immune because of mommy's milk is useless.



> However, just hearing that a puppy is immune to the disease because the mother was vaccinated, then YAY jumping for joy. However, I'm sure that wouldn't count if you get your pup from a puppy mill who doesn't care about vaccinations.


Yes, that would be a problem. MANY MANY pet store puppies (puppy mill) die from the diseases that pups are vaccinated against.



> As for vaccinating China again, RFD you said that it's not necessary to vaccinate them after their puppy shots? She's due for her 1 year.


Yes, I'm saying that, however there is some controversy. Some say that the one year shots are necessary for lifetime immunity because the immune system is not fully mature until 6 months. If you want to be safe, you might want to give the one year shots.



> How would the shots be beneficial to her as well as concequencial?


Vaccinations after one year have no benefit at all. The immunity already present in the body will kill the new virus in the vac when it enters the body. 

Many conditions have been linked to vaccinations. Many allergies, digestive problems, immune system problems, and behavior problems have all been linked to vaccinations.

Check out this web site for more detailed information. Science of Vaccine Damage

You can also Google _*vaccination dog *_and find more information than you can read in a month.


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## rockymtsweetie82 (Jul 24, 2008)

Thank you for that information. I just wanted to be sure as I'd never heard about this before coming to this site...YAY I learned something new haha.


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## lorih1770 (Jun 17, 2008)

I agree with RFD 100% on over vaccinating. 

I also read that after the puppy shots it may be necessary to vaccinate again at 1 year. Well, my pit bull who I pulled from animal control for a rescue group at about 16 weeks old had 1 round of puppy shots from me and a rabies vaccination (She may or may not have had shots earlier as a puppy, but most likely not). Just a few months ago at 1 year she got a 3 yr. Rabies (only because Rabies is required by law). I had titers done for distemper (only because shots have to be up to date for boarding). The titers came back that she is fully immune (of course I knew it would). Usually after the puppy shots are finished the dog will be fully immune for life. Over vaccinating can cause many medical problems. 

As far as Parvo, I believe it's rare in adult dogs. I volunteer for 2 rescues, one that pulls dogs/puppies from a VERY, VERY bad animal control facility. Unfortunately we have had ALOT of Parvo puppies in rescue. Most likely the mothers and puppies had no vaccinations prior to coming into rescue (just basing that on where they came from- extremely bad ghetto


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

This reminds me, my mom called me up to tell me that my 11 year old dog needed her distemper shot (as reminded by her old veterinarian). I told my mom that she doesn't actually need it and then had to launch into a long explanation about over vaccinating and it's consequences and whatnot. And she responded, "So I don't really have to take the dogs and cat in anymore to get their vaccines?" I said "Nope, they've probably been immune since they were younger and every shot since then has only been a waste of money, if not harmful." To which she replied, "Oh good, because I've been really bad about bringing them in for them anyway!" So there's one less thing she has to worry about in life.


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## rockymtsweetie82 (Jul 24, 2008)

And that's pretty much how I felt when I read that I don't need to do it after the 1 year! YAY for saving money!


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## TJ99959 (Feb 4, 2009)

I have a pet one with pups and vaccinations.
Remember! People keep taking their sick dogs to the vets office. One of the most common ways for a pup to come into contact with parvo is to take it in for shots and let it run all over the place. Assume that the person sitting in the waiting room just brought in a dog with parvo. That means don't let them pet your pup. Their dog with parvo just walked through the place. That means that your pup should NEVER touch the floor. It belongs in a crate, in your arms or on the exam table and no where else.
You are there to get your pup vaccinated, NOT to show it off to everyone.

A sure way to cause an immune system deficiency in a dog is to give them their puppy shots to close together. 3 weeks apart is the bare minimum, anything closer can easily cause more problems than you are trying to solve. Remember tho' that Mommy's immune system can take (in rare cases) as long as 22 weeks to shut down in the pup. (4 to 22 weeks is what vet schools are teaching these days)


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