dhlpp vaccination

Question
My 2.5 year old chihuahua is due for a dhlpp vaccination in December.  I recently spoke with a breeder of King Charles spaniels (she is very knowledgeable and has a wonderful set-up for her animals).  My question is, she recommended not getting the vaccination.  She does not vaccinate her dogs for dhlpp.  So, why does my vet tell me it is necessary each year?  Help me!

Answer
You don't have to vaccinate for DHLPP, its not required by law any where that I know of.  But then you are basically playing Russian roulette with your dogs life.  DHLPP stand for Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parvo and Parainfluenza.  All of these are very serious and all of them can kill your dog.  Parvo and Distemper especially are highly contagious and can kill your dog quickly.  The only one you may not need to vaccinate for is leptospirosis.  Dogs (and people) get lepto from fresh water - meaning ponds, run off, ditches, that kind of thing.  If your dog has no access to such things then you can ask your vet not to vaccinate for it.  Lepto also has a higher chance of causing an allergic reaction, so we don't like to give it unless they absolutely need it.  Breeders are great and are usually very knowledgeable about their breed, but they most often do not have any medical training, so when it comes to medical advice, I would go with your vets recommendation.

Amanda