Today, I want to talk to you about the confusing world of distemper-parvovirus vaccines because they have a lot of different names and it can be really confusing as to what it means. So hopefully I’ll be able to clarify everything about this vaccine for you.
So the typical components and the most core components of the distemper-parvo vaccine are actually three things. One is the distemper virus. And that’s a really important one because that can kill puppies and adult dogs. It can affect a lot of their different organ systems and if an infected animal becomes neurologic, it’s almost always fatal. So this is a really important disease to protect against.
Then there is the parvovirus component. A lot of us have known about parvovirus, because that is really, really infectious for puppies. They have really bad diarrhea, their entire immune system collapses, and is highly, highly fatal without treatment.
Then there’s the other component, which we don’t really talk about a lot, but its also really important. And that’s the adenovirus. And that can infect the liver or the eye, again, making dogs really, really sick, and can be fatal if they get that.
So to recap: distemper virus, adenovirus, parvovirus, these are the main core components of this vaccine.
To make it a little bit confusing, its also known as DHP, because adenovirus is also known as hepatitis virus. So if you see a DHP, its the exact same thing as DAP, just has a different name just to confuse us.
The next thing that people add on to this distemper-adenovirus-parvovirus vaccine is the DAPP vaccine. That extra P stands for parainfluenza. Now, we don’t include that in our injectable distemper-parvo vaccine because that’s actually in our Bordetella vaccine (kennel cough vaccine). So we have Bordetella plus parainfluenza and feel like we get a better immune response by doing it intranasally than we do subcutaneously with our distemper-parvo. So we don’t include that in ours and have a cleaner, simpler vaccine, and put the parainfluenza with the Bordetella.
Then you can get a DAPPC. And that’s a distemper-adeno-parvo-parainfluenza and coronavirus. Now, this is one of those vaccines which is a total quackery. It is not useful at all. And really, I’m surprised its even on the market. It’s one of those things that I feel like a lot of the low-cost vaccine clinics just try to upsell people with “more is better” because there honestly is no benefit to it. Coronavirus can cause diarrhea, especially in neonates (very young puppies). However, we don’t start vaccinating these dogs until, at the earliest, six weeks but typically about eight weeks. By then, coronavirus has really done the worst it possibly will ever do to these puppies. And the vaccine is really not shown to actually decrease the diarrhea or fecal shedding of coronavirus at all. So there is really no point. And that’s one of the components we take out and do not recommend because its just something that can cause harm as they can have a vaccine reaction to it. This is one of the reasons we try to steer people away from these low-cost vaccine clinics because they’re just trying to sell you more without actually being better. They don’t have your pet’s best interest in mind with these recommendations.
So that’s DAPPC. Then there also DHLPP. And that L, if you see that in there, is for lepto. Leptospirosis is actually a serious disease. And its something that can put animals into kidney failure and liver failure. The reason why we don’t do it is because in San Diego, it’s really rare for that to occur. We have heard of case reports of it being in the area, but we’ve heard of maybe one or two in the nine years that I’ve been practicing here. The problem with giving the vaccine is that it’s highly reactive and it is required to be given annually. So a lot of dogs will have a vaccine reaction to it and the immunity doesn’t last very long. So overall we don’t think that’s its worth the incidents of the vaccine reactions and the annual injection for a disease that’s exceedingly rare. The only real other argument to give it is that leptospirosis is potentially transmittable to people. It is one of the only diseases we vaccinate against, besides rabies, which can potentially protect people. But again, its really rare, and is a treatable disease, so the risk-cost benefit ratio just is tipping away from us vaccinating against it.
So those are all of the different components that typically will be in the distemper-parvo vaccine. It can be just DAP like we give it here, or DAPPLC, which is not what we recommend. If you’re looking though old records and you’re trying to figure out what vaccines were given and when, just bring them in and we can help you sort through it. But hopefully, this provides a little bit of clarity behind this very diverse vaccine and why we’re only giving just the DAP here at Coastal.
What Is the DHPP vaccine?
DHPP, also called DA2PP, is a combination vaccine that immunizes dogs for four diseases. The vaccine is typically injected subcutaneously (under the skin). Each letter in DA2PP or DHPP stands for one of the diseases covered in the vaccine. DA2PP vaccines are modified live vaccines (MLV). They contain a small amount of the virus in order to “teach” the immune system how to fight it. The amount of virus present is not capable of making a dog become clinically ill with the virus.
Canine Distemper is a serious virus that starts in the respiratory system. In addition to respiratory signs, distemper can cause thickening of nose and foot pads, fever, and gastrointestinal problems. This disease is highly contagious to unvaccinated dogs and is often fatal.
Possible Side Effects of the DHPP Vaccine
All vaccines have potential side effects, but veterinarians agree that the benefits of vaccines outweigh the risks for most dogs. Most vaccines have self-limiting effects. They may cause lethargy, decreased appetite, and mild pain and/or lumps at the site of injection. These side effects typically resolve within a day or two.
Vaccines should not be administered to a dog with a fever. In general, sick dogs should not be vaccinated until they have recovered from illness. Vaccines are generally avoided in any dog with a history of autoimmune diseases because it may cause the dog to become sick.
Vaccine reactions are uncommon and typically occur within 15-30 minutes of injection. Signs of vaccine reaction may include vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, difficulty breathing, facial swelling, and collapse. Bring your dog back to the vet immediately if you notice any of these signs.
How Often Should Dogs Get the DHPP Vaccine?
The AVMA has established standards regarding the DA2PP vaccine.
FAQ
Is DA2PP and Dhpp the same?
Does DA2PP include Dhpp?
Does my dog need DA2PP every year?
What does DA2PP vaccine mean?