Vaccination Schedule

[Nyboy]

There are a lot of knowledgeable dog people here. I was wondering how oftern do you give your dogs vaccines? When I was a teenager I worked for a vet, every client dog or cat was told to vaccinate every year There is a big movement that we are over vaccinating our pets, causing health problems from it. I do my dogs about every 4 years, its not a money thing ( I do it myself very cheapy). As more and more people stopped the every year shots, vets needed to find a way to make up that lost money. They make clients run a blood titer test, out of the thousands of titer tests over the years I have seen never have 1 come back dog not covered. What do you do about your dogs vaccines?

 

[thistlebloom]

Don't look at my avatar, I'm posting this anonymously...

I do rabies every four years, and after the first go round of the alphabet soup vaccinations they pretty much only get the rabies shots.

But my dogs aren't exposed to other dogs, we do take them hiking and biking, but that would be out in the forest, not in public parks.

In all the decades of owning dogs I have never once had them get sick. Or die from anything but old age. Well, except for my little JR that took on a coyote pack.

 

[Ridgerunner]

My two got that alphabet soup when we got them from the pound, plus were spayed. They each get a rabies shot every year. it's not a legal requirement out here in the country but is in most of the cities and towns around here. When we go out of town we board them so they are exposed to other dogs then.

I give them Heartguard and treat them with Frontline every month. Every other year one of them gets tested for heartworms, rotating them of course.

That's about it for regular testing but when one started losing weight we had them tested for worms. Yep, tapeworms, so they got treated for that.

 

[thistlebloom]

Rabies vacs are good for 4 years aren't they Ridge?

I've never found a flea on my dogs, and so far heartworm isn't a problem in this area.

I do worm routinely, including for tapes, because the dogs savor cat poo and the cats eat rodents.

 

[canesisters]

I agree @Nyboy , annual vaccs are more to provide a steady income than to protect pets. We figured it up once - at $35/pet/per client, the vet I worked for made enough JUST on annual vaccs to cover all of our saleries.
Mine get the 3wk, 6wk, 9wk, 12wk vaccs as babies and then the rabies every 3 years after that (3yrs in VA @thistlebloom )

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

We're required to register our dogs with the county, so rabies is mandatory. Since we've got to board them soon, they also have bordadella (sp?) kennel cough. I use heart gard generic for about 6 months but we hardly have any mosquitoes anyway. Gave up on the flea meds, again since there are little to no fleas her.
As for our cats: nuthin' for them. They are happier and healthier than our first cat where I followed protocol.

 

[Nyboy]

Don't look at my avatar, I'm posting this anonymously...

I do rabies every four years, and after the first go round of the alphabet soup vaccinations they pretty much only get the rabies shots.

But my dogs aren't exposed to other dogs, we do take them hiking and biking, but that would be out in the forest, not in public parks.

In all the decades of owning dogs I have never once had them get sick. Or die from anything but old age. Well, except for my little JR that took on a coyote pack.

Thats what they do in Europe puppy shots thats it.

 

[catjac1975]

I get the rabies at the appropriate time. There is rabies in our community. You also run the risk of them taking your unvaccinated pet in an epidemic if it gets a bite of unknown origin. If your pet is vaccinated and gets such a bite your still need to quarantine it. I had a pup die of Parvo when the first epidemic hit in the 80's so I always get that.I also get lyme vaccines for my dog. I have had it multiple times, I had horse with it and would not wish it on my worst enemy. I have the same worries about what they can do to your pet so I get them with apprehension. With my cat I only get rabies after the initial shots.

 

[journey11]

I had read a university research article some years back that convinced me that the protection provided by the DHLPP vaccination does extend from 7 years to the lifetime of the dog. My dogs get their puppy shots on schedule and the first adult booster and I stop after that. I am not one to let my dog run loose annoying the neighborhood, so my dog is always on a leash or in her yard and I believe her risk level is extremely low for any of those diseases since she doesn't come into contact with any other dogs. Some of the boarding kennels will require all shots to be current though. I unexpectedly had to board my dog when we went on vacation this time, but they waived the DHLPP requirement for her due to her age and because my vet stated that she didn't really need it.

The state law here requires rabies vaccinations to be current. If your dog should be involved in a bite incident and there is no current rabies certificate on file, they have the right to put your dog down here. We get the 3-year rabies vaccination on schedule. That one does need updated and I have seen enough rabid coons and opossums around here, so the necessity is definitely justified.

 

[Smart Red]

I guess I support my local Vet. I take my dog (and any other that happen to be here) in for her shots once each year-- that includes the rabies shot each 4 years -- and both grandaughters' cats in each year for their regimen of shots.

Heck, I was taking the outside cat in for rabies shots before it was recommended for cats (still at yearly) simply because she was forced to be at risk.

I also provide tick and flea protection for both cats and dog. Cats, because the two newest ones had ear mites and this is all-in-one protection and the dog more for ticks since I haven't seen fleas here in 30 years.

Also test dog for worms yearly although it has only been an issue once and do take in for anything I deem unusual behavior and seek a professional opinion.

Well, gosh, I suppose I do take pretty good care of the animals entrusted to my care.