CL66
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Posts:419
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| 04/13/2012 9:36 AM |
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Do you vaccinate your dogs with the boosters every year? I worry about what's in the vaccines (things that they don't put in human ones they're quite happy to put in dogs as it's cheaper) and when chatting to my vet she said that actually the drug companies say the boosters should last a few years (no one quite knows how many) but they're recommended yearly to get owners to get their dogs in for a health check. However you can have blood tests done to check for antibodies and if they're present you don't need to vaccinate again until the antibodies are no longer present.
Anyone do this? And if so any problems with the insurance companies?
Thanks! |
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Nancy D
No. Lower MI - Gaylord Area
MH
Posts:849
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| 04/13/2012 9:55 AM |
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| After the puppy shots and follow up shots the first year, my dogs only get their 3yr. rabies and Heartworm meds. Not sure what you mean by trouble with the insurance companies. |
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Splat
Illinois (Northern)
MH
Posts:3130
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| 04/13/2012 9:58 AM |
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With my boxer I didn't do it every year...I would get the 3 year rabies and do the vacs every 3 years...this was cuz I had no money, not because of the issues involved with vacinces...
So far my GSP have gotten them every year because of 4-H and them being shown so they are required...and this year because we are going to canada...however next year I think I'll do 3 year rabies and no others...
I want to add that my boxer lived a long time for a boxer she was 13 and we put her down because of arthritis and other old age issues... |
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CL66
MH
Posts:419
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| 04/13/2012 10:02 AM |
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Thanks for the reply Nancy, so do you not buy into the boosters and assume that the immunity lasts? I bet it lasts a lot longer than we're led to believe....
Here in the UK the insurance companies will wangle out of paying by any means possible and the vet warned that if you choose not to have every vaccine recommended to you they may refuse to pay out for anything, even things not remotely affected by not having the vaccine. Doesn't surprise me really! |
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CL66
MH
Posts:419
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| 04/13/2012 10:04 AM |
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Yeah Splat, if we were showing i think we'd need them all up to date, and if they were to go into kennels i think they also require it.
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Nancy D
No. Lower MI - Gaylord Area
MH
Posts:849
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| 04/13/2012 10:56 AM |
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Let's just say the the biggest money maker for most vets is yearly vacs. Plus they are afraid that people won't bring their pets in for yearly health checks.
Of all the reading I have done, a lot more recently, it is telling us that most vaccinations last a lot longer than we are told. They are currently discussing that possibility that the rabies vac may last as long as 7+yrs. It's not only how long they last, but problems they can cause to the pet up to and including death.
There is a lot of good information available by Dr. Jean Dodds. Try doing a google on her. In the meantime, I will try to find the links that I can post here. It is quite enlightening.
Nancy |
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pixie bee
MH
Posts:4448
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| 04/13/2012 11:32 AM |
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Aside from puppy shots not one of my dogs,my own or the ones growing up, have ever gotten anything but rabbies.
I don't give lyme,heartworm,etc.
I will occaisionally spray with Adams flea/tick if the season is high risk.
I just don't feel right about all those shots. |
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"Time with my dogs clears my mind, renews my faith, and lets me see the world as it is. My only regret loving dogs as I do, is the misery of their early departure." Robert G. Wehle
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CL66
MH
Posts:419
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| 04/13/2012 12:57 PM |
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pixie does it not affect going into the show ring with your dogs? also does anyone have any problems with their insurance companies not giving comprehensive cover if not vaccinated?
Rupert is already 'special' even by gsp standards and i think pumping him further full of chemicals, especially mercury, will not do him any favours. |
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pixie bee
MH
Posts:4448
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| 04/13/2012 1:16 PM |
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I don't show my dogs.
Not b/c the environment may have health risks but b/c I use a conformation rating given by judges in the german testing system - DKV.
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"Time with my dogs clears my mind, renews my faith, and lets me see the world as it is. My only regret loving dogs as I do, is the misery of their early departure." Robert G. Wehle
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kpwlee
Raleigh, NC
MH
Posts:992
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| 04/13/2012 1:51 PM |
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I would look at may be titering if you don't want to keep re- vacc'ing.
Living in the south I can't even imagine not giving heartworm preventative - check out your area's prevalence here
http://www.petsandparasites.org/
Rabies is a 3 yr and since it too is prevalent and Bugsy is critter happy he'll get that
I have ceased to do Bordatella because it just isn't that useful and he has a crazy immune system so one less thing is better IMO
I will have to think long and hard about the lepto next year as he had a horrible reaction but having spoken to our vet and some friends that are vets they ALL feel really strongly about continuing.
I know that titering is more costly but certainly as your dog ages its a better option |
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It's Bugsy's world...
http://dailyzoomie.blogspot.com/ |
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therozypozy
MH
Posts:470
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| 04/13/2012 2:13 PM |
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For the dogs that I travel with, I do yearly vaccinations. In the parish I live in, you have to give a yearly rabies vaccination. It is in the works to get the 3 year rabies vaccination.
For my retired dogs, they only get the rabies vaccinations.
As far as heartworm and flea prevention. I live in south Louisiana and you would be crazy not to do those two things. My first dog I was a little lazy about going back to the vet to get heartworm medication and paid for it as my lab ended up having heartworms. She was treated successfuly but I could have saved alot of money and the heartache having to put her through that treatment. So never again.
I have friends that do the titus, but since I travel through several states with my dogs, I just keep up with it so I have proof of their vaccinations.
All of my dogs have lived long healthy lives, even the one with the heartwork treatment, so I have had no adverse affects from yearly vaccinations.
I did have one dog on Cheque Drops to keep her from going into heat, but she had so many of the side affects, she was taken off of them immediately.
Roz |
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
MH
Posts:7835
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| 04/13/2012 6:14 PM |
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| I do rabies every year because of the law, but the rest is every 3 yrs for my show dogs. My retired dogs are less frequent, except for my therapy dog who is on the same sched as my show dogs. Heartworm is monthly, bordetella is yearly. |
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Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo), the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo) and the little Princess (Fauna)
Yellow Rose GSPs
   
"A dog has the soul of a philosopher." - Plato |
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smatulewicz
Michigan
MH
Posts:1188
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| 04/13/2012 9:36 PM |
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I start Bella May 1st on Heartworm, but only because all of my family still resides on the other side of the Mason Dixon, and she will always travel with. I won't risk her not being protected down South (Though, up here a lot of people opt not to do heartworm prevention).
I did hesitate doing frontline today...I have heard some "iffy" things about it. But... I figured I'd see how she seemed on it first. (my brother and sister in law seemed to think it made their Vizsla behave significantly different).
I do intend to keep her up to date on Rabbies... as she is off leash in the woods significantly, and heaven forbid she startle a coon, or something bigger and get a bite. |
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Willowglen
Fort Collins, CO
MH
Posts:216
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| 04/15/2012 8:21 PM |
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| Rabies is every three years and I rotate the others - Parvo one year, Distemper another, every year they get one of the 3, but this way they only ever get one vaccine a year. I don't vaccinate for Lyme, Lepto, or Corona. We give a heartworm preventative May through Nov, but we live in CO. If I could afford it, I would give it year round. |
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Christine
Willow Glen GSPs & Weimaraners
www.willowglengsp.com
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