Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Vaccinations-How Often and For What?

Yesterday Neeko had her annual checkup. 

 She has me well trained.  I'm rubbing her belly with my foot in the waiting area.


Yesterday I finally got to meet Dr. B, the practice owner, and one of three vets there.  LOVED HER!

Neeko weighed in at 95.1 lbs, and Dr. B said she had a great body condition.  She loved her coat, and said her teeth looked fantastic.  She then shocked me by asking point blank if I fed raw.  When I replied affirmatively I was shocked by how supportive she was of it.

She had an Acuplex 4 drawn, which tests for heartworms, and tick related diseases-Lyme, ehrlichiosis, and anaplasmosis.  I received the phone call today that all were negative.

This office believes in trying to avoid yearly vaccines at all costs, for which I am grateful.  Yesterday Neeko received only a bordetella vaccine.  I didn't want to do that, but it is required by the state of Indiana if a dog is to be boarded.  There is a chance that will occur, so I chose to have it administered.

Next year she will receive DHPP, and bordetella, should I choose to give it again next year.

She was vaccinated last year for rabies and will not receive another rabies vaccine until 2015.

I am contemplating having titers drawn next year, which my vet will gladly do, over giving the DHPP vaccine.

This article discusses titers versus vaccinations.

What do you vaccinate for, how often, and why?

8 comments:

  1. Just curious as to whether you picked a Barkbox winner?

    I'm thinking of having titers done on my dog. Need to investigate if insurance will cover it.

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  2. I'm also considering having titers done on Nola when she gets her exam in September. She had DHPP, Lyme, Bordetella and Lepto as a puppy, but I have no re-vaccinated her for any of those. She got her 3 year rabies last year, so we're good there.
    I may get the DHPP redone on her when she's 4-5, but given her breed's statistically high reaction to vaccines, and Nola's own reactions (lethargy, a bump, pain, vomiting), I'm seriously on the fence about it.
    Nola's Mom

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  3. I give limited and low frequency vaccines.
    I only do rabies, parvo, and distemper. No crazy letter/number combos for my dogs. I don't do lepto or bordatella either.
    Pups get 3-4 parvo/distemper shots (depending on age when acquired and what they've already had). After that, 1 more parvo/distemper at 1 year or so, then 1 final they are middle aged(6-9 depending on breed and health) and no more after that. Rabies every 3 years as required by law, starting from when it's required by law to be given.

    I don't titer and find it to be a waste of money for otherwise healthy dogs with good immune systems.
    I do not like the idea of no vaccines. I think that should be reserved for dogs who truly cannot have them due to confirmed serious and/or life-threatening reactions, or immune system disorders.

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  4. I am thinking like you! Love Whole Dog Journal. Leaning toward titers myself.

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  5. We try not to over-vaccinate our dogs, too. When Beamer got his booster, he had a bump on his thigh for weeks. I think that bothered me more than it bothered him. Your vet sounds very.... new age, which I really like. We are thinking of doing a titers test when Beamer is due for his next round of shots.

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  6. I just do the rabies but will consider titers for the other ones if its not outrageously expensive.

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  7. Vets North Somerset
    Actually there are discounted vaccines for your dogs. Just need to be updated by your vet because they have a quarterly sale for vaccinations. You just have to have an appointment to them just like in our place.

    http://wellpets.co.uk/weston/

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for the howls!!