Heather's future vaccine protocol

Last night, as the stars blinked into view above our den, little Heather lay curled on a patch of cool grass near her siblings’ fence line.

Her fur stirred gently in the night air.

Her eyes blinked, heavy with sleep but curious.

And from behind the wire, her littermates pined softly, noses pressed to the bars like scouts calling out to their wounded packmate.

Heather’d had another long day.

But this time… it wasn’t the same kind of long.

For the first time in nearly a week, her temperature started low and stayed lower.

• 103.7 in the morning.
• 102.9 by afternoon.
• And by dusk… a beautiful, steady 101.2.

The same little body that had spent nights crying, trembling, burning from within was beginning to cool the fires.

She even gave a soft howl earlier in the day that sounded more like a call for attention, not pain.

I scooped her up in my arms and she leaned into me like she used to.

No more stiff moaning.

No more tummy tight as a drum.

Just… Heather.

Still tired. Still fragile. But home again in her own body.

She’s not eating much yet.

A few nibbles here and there.

She gave yogurt a few licks, but turned her head away. It was a clear indication of her saying, “Not yet, Mama.”

But she’s drinking, sunbathing, and snuggling.

Oh… and she’s walking without that roach in her spine from tummy pain.

I haven’t seen any seizures and muscle twitching that can come from a battle with distemper.

But she still has some mucus discharge around her eyes and nose.

It seems to be less than the day before, though.

And as I watched her today, surrounded by fresh air and the calls of birds across the valley, I realized…

We’re not just on the other side of a fever, we’re also standing at the edge of something much more important.

Natural Immunity

So, the question we’ll eventually have to address is…

• What happens next, when a puppy survives something like this?
• When the vaccine designed to protect them… nearly breaks them?
• When well-meaning science stirs up more trouble than nature ever would?

Well, this is where instinct and protocol don’t always agree.

This is where you, as your puppy’s guardian, must step forward as her advocate.

Because the world will tell you Heather needs to “get back on schedule.”

That she needs her next round of vaccines in exactly four weeks.

That a 5-in-1 is next.

Then rabies.

Then this, then that…

But Heather is different.

She isn’t just any ol’ puppy anymore.

She’s a veteran.

A survivor.

A pup whose immune system has already fought a war most dogs only pretend to face through vaccination.

And she will hopefully win it.

Yes, she still has healing to do.

But she is building real immunity from the ground up.

Now that she’s gone through this difficult time, her body knows what distemper is.

Not from a textbook, but from firsthand battle.

Her white blood cells carry the memory of the virus.

Her antibodies were forged in heat and pain, and if she makes it through, they will protect her for life.

So no—I will not be giving her another distemper shot.

And I don’t need a vet to approve of that.

So here’s Heather’s custom protocol, based on everything we’ve seen:

• She will not receive another distemper vaccine.
  Her immune system has already encountered and overcome the virus in its modified live form. She now carries natural antibodies for life.
• She will not be vaccinated again for adenovirus unless a titer test proves she has no immunity.
  Since adenovirus was included in the same combo vaccine, it is likely that her body also built immunity to it alongside distemper.
• She will never be given a 5-in-1 vaccine again.
  Her immune system is too sensitive to tolerate the stress of multiple antigens delivered at once. We will treat her as a highly reactive dog from here on out.
• Parvovirus is still a priority, but we will move cautiously.
  She received the NeoPar vaccine at 6 weeks old without side effects, but maternal antibodies may have interfered with its effectiveness. Once she is fully recovered, we will run a titer test to determine if she has protective antibodies. If not, she may receive one additional monovalent parvo vaccine—nothing else included.
• She will not be given the parainfluenza vaccine.
  This virus is not life-threatening, and considering her sensitivity, we are comfortable skipping this one.
• She will receive one dose of rabies vaccine, and only when absolutely necessary.
  We will delay rabies vaccination until she is at least 6 months old, ideally closer to 12 months. We will ensure the vaccine is thimerosal-free and request a certified veterinary exemption from any future boosters due to her adverse reaction. All future rabies protection will be monitored via titer testing.

I hope this gives you insight, not just into Heather’s next steps, but into the quiet strength it takes to raise puppies with this kind of intention.

This isn't just about vaccines, it’s also about advocacy.

About knowing when to say no and when to trust that your bond with your dog means more than a schedule on paper.

Heather’s story isn’t over.

But tonight, she sleeps next to my side, tucked in to her wire crate with a soft blanket under her paws.

She’s quiet and breathing easy.

And though she’s not eating much yet, I see her light again.

We’re not fully out of the woods, but we’re on the trail.

And she’s not walking it alone.

Say a little prayer for our brave girl tonight, if you would.

She’s earned every bit of love this pack can give.

With heart, hope, and fierce mama instincts!

Jennifer Stoeckl is the co-founder of the Dire Wolf Project, founder of the DireWolf Guardians American Dirus Dog Training Program, and owner/operator of DireWolf Dogs of Vallecito. She lives in the beautiful inland northwest among the Ponderosa pine forests with her pack of American Dirus dogs.