CDV Vaccine Case Study

A common way that people and animals alike will prevent the body obtaining a virus is by getting a vaccine. This is why CDV cases are much higher in wild populations. CDV is most commonly found in younger dogs but also in more mature dogs that have not gotten a vaccine. Puppies will typically receive one shot every three to four weeks from six weeks to eight weeks old, then a booster shot will be give at week 16 (Larson, 2006). If the dog is nor longer a puppie, i.e. older than the 16 week mark vets recommend that they get the MLV in a double dosge separated by three to four weeks (Univeristy, 2007). The booster shots will always increase the number of antibodies against CDV. Today, there are two different kinds of vaccines for CDV (Larson, 2006).

The rCDV vaccine is known to contain the genes for only fusion proteins and hemagglutinin (Larson, 2006). Through several trials groups of scientists were able to discover that there was a lowered chance for dogs to get CDV from the MLV vaccine by 30% (Larson, 2006). The live modified virus vaccine is a sample of live virus that is modified not manifest as the original sample would. This process allows the white blood cells to detect the virus and create a familiarity to the foreign substance, which communicates with the rest of the body that it is unwelcome. The next time the body is exposed to this virus, the white blood cells already have created the anti-bodies to fight off the virus without being infested. This is similar to some shots people receive throughout their lifetime, such as the chicken pox