The issue of vaccinations used to be fairly simple. Vaccinations prevent diseases, therefore it was standard practice to vaccinate on an annual basis. Today, veterinarians and pet owners are recognizing that annual vaccinations are not necessary and in fact, can be harmful.

Scientific evidence shows, in some dogs, vaccinations cause the to overreact, creating autoimmune diseases, in which the body sees it own tissue as foreign and attacks it.

Poodles are among the breeds identified as being particularly prone to problems caused by vaccinations. As a result, poodle owners should take care that their poodles are not over-vaccinated. Your poodles vaccination schedule should be determined with your veterinarian. Decisions must be made on an individual basis, based on risk and lifestyle factors.

Vaccination Guidelines and Recommendations

The Rabies vaccine is the only vaccination required by law. The Rabies vaccine is licensed as a 1-year vaccine or 3-year vaccine, although state or local statutes may dictate otherwise.

Research has shown that most core vaccines last up to 7 years. Most core vaccines are licensed as 1-year vaccines, which means the vaccine manufacture only guarantees the vaccine effective for one year.

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• Preventive Health Care

Routine visits to your veterinarian should begin when your poodle is young and continue her whole life. Even if your poodle seems healthy, regular veterinary exams are vital to address your poodles changing needs as it ages, as well as to catch health problems before they become serious.

Learn to recognize the signs of an illness. Take note of changes in behavior, appetite, water intake, urination, or bowel movements. Contact your veterinarian as soon as possible if your dog has any of the following symptoms:

Vaccinate your poodle against diseases, many of which can be debilitating, difficult to treat or fatal. Although it is important not to over-vaccinate your poodle, it is even more important not to under-vaccinate. Puppy vaccinations are vital.

Administer appropriate parasite prevention. Parasites can make your poodle miserable and transmit disease. Keep in mind, it is cheaper to prevent than to prevent than to treat.

Provide your poodle with good nutrition for proper growth, strong bones and muscles and good overall health. Maintain proper weight by providing your poodle with sufficient exercise, feeding the proper serving size and limiting snacks.

Unless you are part of a responsible breeding program, you should spay or neuter your poodle. Not only does spaying and neutering your Poodle make a better, healthier pet, it reduces the number of dogs euthenized at shelters each year.

One way to monitor your poodles health and identify problems early is to give your poodle regular at-home-health-checks. Combine these simple checks with your grooming routine and they will easily become a habit.

Keep your poodles coat and skin clean. Regular grooming removes dead hair, dead skin and dirt that can trap oil and moisture against the skin, predisposing the skin to infection.

Brush your poodles teeth every day to prevent gum disease and tooth loss. Loose teeth can be painful, so the dog may not eat normally, risking nutritional problems. With bad cases of dental disease, bacteria from the mouth can travel through the bloodstream, leading to cardiac or kidney problems,

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• Vaccination Guidelines