Not Vaccinate!!???!

[LuvMyAbby&Kaela]

Abby just got her last set of puppy shots. I cant believe how much has changed in the past 12 yrs. So much holistic, naturopathic stuff. I have heard some people say they don't vaccinate their dogs because this reason or that reason (always some kind of fearful thing). Or they give certain vitamins and delay vaccines, or select which ones to get etc etc... Anyways I cant imagine going a non-vacccine route when there are squirrels, coyotes, and raccoons in my backyard as well as the occasional bear. There is also parvo in the environment.

I'm a vaccinator, I did my kids, my dogs, I am a skeptic about conspiracy theories (or not) that abound about this now controversial hot topic.

Anyways I wonder what you wise people think of the subject of doggy vacc's.

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

I have titers done before vacc's. I don't allow the "cocktail" shots, make them do them one at time, with weeks to a month in between. And I never allow vacc's when dog has a problem or undergoing procedures. Rabies is only mandatory here, there is a 1 year and a 3 year rabies. I don't do Lyme's.

[Adina P]

I agree with you and prefer to vaccinate. But, because many vaccines have been shown to last quite a while (parvo, rabies, etc) I don't do yearly vaccs for all my dogs. The new guidelines actually recommend rabies only every 3 years.

However things like leptospirosis is a bacteria and the vaccine doesn't last very long so per my vets recommendations I do it yearly for Rosco (MY dog) and Cass and Thule only get it now and then (they don't tend to go to the vent unless something is wrong after the first year's boosters).

[Kim]

I vaccinated our Allie without question. I wish I would have questioned the Lyme Disease shot though. Now, reading about the controversy surrounding the Lyme vaccination, I never would have.

[LuvMyAbby&Kaela]

I dont think they did Lyme. This is what she is immunized against distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus, rabies, leptospirosis. Funny I dont see coronavirus on this health record I thought that was one of the things they are supposed to get?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Whatever you decide to do, I wouldn't include the lepto vaccine with the others in the one shot. Lepto outbreaks have increased in some areas of the country, and it may be necessary to get the vaccine, but have them give it separately at another visit. That's the one that's most likely to cause a reaction.
My vets never give it with the parvo & distemper...ours was called DHPP, not DHLPP.

[Mommy2Max]

There is a doggy daycare here that requires kennel cough every 6 months.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Nancy, there is a new lepto vaccine out this past year that I am told is safer & has fewer side effects than the old one. I'll try to see if i can post some info on it.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I also spent 32 years vaccinating without question, and I am a believer in conventional medicine & science. I am very skeptical of all the "natural" remedies & conspiracy theories as well.
However, I do now know that most dogs retain their immunity to rabies, parvo, and distemper for at least three years, and that over-vaccinating can lead to immune system problems. My vet did not tell me about the options, but Jackdoodle has immune system problems, and is under the care of a veterinary immunology specialist, who did tell me.
She ordered a three-year rabies vaccination and blood titers for the parvo & distemper this year. Jack showed immunity to the parvo & distemper.
The "cocktails" are also not a good idea, as Lynne mentioned; it is immune system overload. I bring Jack in at another time for his bordatella, which can then be given intranasally, which is much less invasive than a shot. If I were going to do any other immunizations, such as lepto, I would space that out separately as well.
The downside to this is that it is horribly, horribly expensive. The blood titer alone cost three times what the shot would have cost. And if you give everything separately, that involves separate vet visits and charges. That is why they started doing the everything-at-once cocktails. Most people seem to avoid going to the vet unless it is absolutely necessary, to save money. However, I have also found that when you go to the vet frequently, as I do (How's every other week, lol?) they tend not to charge you every time. My vet has waived his fees several times over the past year for minor visits, and he doesn't charge me at all to have the tech give Jack his twice-monthly injection.
I will add that my last dog live 16 perfectly healthy years doing things the old way.

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

Years ago, they didn't do all these shots. I remember when I was young and broke only taking my dogs to the free rabies clinics at the local firehouse. No other shots at all. And she lived to 16, too. She also ate Alpo...

As we all know, many things have changed over the past 10-15 years to give pause in many areas of petcare. I believe some of these shots are completely unnecessary, especially in older dogs.

[LuvMyAbby&Kaela]

Ya I always did the puppy shots then after that only every 2-3 yrs for booster (It was rabies I was boosting but I am not sure if other things were in that). As far as expensive...tell me about it!! I call the vet here (behind his back of course -lol) "Doc Hollywood". Everytime I go in there it is $100 to walk through the front door...LOL! My senior citizen dog had to be put under to get his teeth cleaned, and a couple pulled, and some warts removed (ya they dont get any prettier as they get older - like men hehe!). Anyways that combined with the bloodwork to make sure he was OK to be anaesthetised was a woppin $1200.00!! Can you imagine! I got that done the week before getting Abby ($2100.00 incl airfare) so my husband wasnt too happy that I spent over $3000.00 for my existing pet and acquisition of new one...LOL!

Other women get diamonds and vacations. I am easy to please! I just spend money on animals. LOL

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yes, I really didn't want to retire when I planned to, anyway. LOL