Puppy Shots

[smileyzookie]

Ok, I just called the vet to find out what I need to do for puppy shots. I was told Lori needs shots for distemper at 6, 8, 12, and 16 weeks, all costing over 100 dollars total. Yikes.. anyway, this seems like alot of shots for only distemper and I've never heard of this, so is this normal? Are there alternatives?

[Olivia]

For most vets thats pretty typical. Keep in mind the distemper shot is usually also for parvo, adenovirus, and something else as it is a combo shot. Parvo is one of the big killers of puppies and distemper can be a heartbreak so I wouldn't skimp on these first shots. Once she has had her puppy shots then you can move to the every 3 year vaccinations. Also don't forget the first rabies shot at 16 weeks.

 

Olivia

[smileyzookie]

I guess I should have made it clear it kinda sounded like I was more worried about money than health, I wont skimp lol I just wanted to know if there was an easier way of doing it, and if all 4 were necessary. The shots are $100 total but then there is a $25 office fee on top every time I go in.. blah lol :mad: Stupid office fee's lol

 

And thanks for the info about rabies shot. I didnt know when to do that one either. Are there more shots I should be doing?

[Leigha]

wow your vet charges an office visit for just shots. Neither one of my vets do when it's just shots.

[Lunar]

I posted some links on the overvaccination thread in the health forum about the new recommended schedule, and it includes the puppy timeline as well. You might want to take a look.

http://www.bordercollie.org/cgi-bin/ultima...=4;t=001516;p=2

[Allie+Tess&Kipp]

Both my dogs had shots at 6 weeks (done by the breeder's vet), at 10 weeks, and at 16 weeks. Then one-year boosters. Law here is for rabies, and that is every 3 years, so I am going to give everything every few years instead of everything every year.

 

The vet here was shocked when I said I did not want Kipp to have more than 3 sets of shots for his puppy shots. I got funny looks from them a lot and decided I needed a new vet so now we have one. I did not think all those shots were necessary because the vet I used when Tess was a puppy talked me out of shots that I thought were the normal thing.

 

I recommend you do your research here and elsewhere. Also, there are even some people who never give shots at all.

[Allie Oop]

Puppies' immune systems need time to build up protection against the diseases and illnesses that they will be exposed to. The puppy series of shots (Distemper, Parvovirus and Adnovirus-2) is very important. Most information that I have read suggests that the vaccination schedule for puppies not be altered, but that with adult dogs you can do blood tests and titers for immunity levels and administer with much less frequency than was previously suggested. (With the exception of once every 3 years for Rabies, which is frequently required by law.) Lunar's link to the list of suggested puppy vaccination schedule looks like a pretty good one.

 

As was posted above, this topic has been discussed quite thoroughly and you can go back and read the information regarding the need and frequency of various in the Health & Genetics section. We do have some very learned and knowledgeable people on this Board.

 

You might also want to check around and see what other veterinary services are charging for the series. It doesn't hurt to comparison shop.

[Dixie_Girl]

Every vet I have used always had a puppy package. You pay a set amount and get all the puppy shots and exams. You might want to check on that.

[smileyzookie]

Ok it was explained like this to me from the vet, evidently the office visits were already added to the quote they gave me.. thank God for that. lol

[Journey]

You may want to visit Dr. Jean Dodd's website - I think it's www.hemopet.com (??) She has a vaccine protocol on her site that in very informative.

 

Karen

[BigD]

You can also do the vaccs yourself. I think Dr. Sterns and Fosters sells them??? That should save some $$$$. Just make sure you order the right kind.

 

Denise

[punkrockbc]

We're doing the same routine with our 10 week-old. He got 2 sets of his shots already in rescue, then we're getting his 12 week and his 16 week with rabies. They have a puppy package, but that totals to about $250! It includes a lot of extra exams, fecal and blood tests each visit, and it includes 4 sets although we only need 2.

 

It is not as much that I feel all 4 sets are totally necessary, as I want to protect him as much as possible, because he will be going to Obedience at 14 weeks and he'll be around lots of other dogs. My vet respects limiting my adult dogs shots to every 3 years.

 

You should research and do what feels right for you =) with the safety of your pup in mind! Did you get your puppy before 8 weeks?

[smileyzookie]

I havent picked her up yet. lol.. it will at least be another week more likely 2

[AK dog doc]

I think I posted this in the "concerned about overvaccination" thread in the "Health and Genetics" section, but for the distemper/parvo combination AAHA advises a series of three in puppyhood, with at least 2 of them being given at 12 weeks and older - so 8, 12 and 16 weeks approximately.

 

I absolutely do NOT advise not vaccinating puppies. We have the opportunity to see a great many miserable and completely avoidable deaths amongst puppies caused by diseases that could have been prevented by vaccine. Dying from parvo is not pretty, and it is miserably difficult and painful for the puppy. Dying from distemper is significantly worse. Some people might get away with not vaccinating puppies for a while, but sooner or later this catches up to nearly everyone. Just as a BTW, there was a distemper outbreak up here in a bush community about 6 years ago. One of my bosses went up to work it and said that no vaccinated dogs or puppies died (not sure that any even got sick), but that over 80% of unvaccinated dogs and puppies died (and died hard, from his description). A small percentage of unvaccinated dogs (who most likely were never exposed) did not get sick. Of those who did, mortality was nearly 100%. Just because we see a ton more parvo than distemper doesn't mean distemper is gone for good.

 

FWIW, I have three times had clients who correctly and fully vaccinated their dogs bring in dogs with parvo (one owner ordered from a catalog and two bought from feed stores). The dogs ranged in age from 20 to 24 months in age, which is long past the age at which we generally see parvo occurring. There is an accurate in-house test for parvo which was run in all three cases so I am sure of my diagnosis. (Luckily all the dogs did well, but all of them cost the owners at least $300 in the course of the disease, which makes the savings on puppy vaccine look pretty puny.) I have yet to see a vaccine break on a puppy fully vaccinated in-clinic. Doesn't mean it can't happen, but in over a decade I have never seen one. I HAVE seen vaccine breaks in dogs either incorrectly vaccinated by the owner, or correctly vaccinated with (apparently) inferior or inactivated vaccine. So, of course you must do what you think best, but be aware there are consequences to all choices so choose the ones that you can best live with. You know what AAHA thinks. You know what I think. Now you just have to decide what you think.

[juliepoudrier]

I am having my holisitc vet provide the puppy shots for my pup. She got her first shot at 7 weeks, a second at 11, and will get a third tomorrow (almost 16 weeks). From what I understood from my vet, the third is only because she got her second *before* the age of 12 weeks.

 

Giving shots at a really young age is open to discussion as some people believe that vaccinating too young is simply a waste of money since the maternal antibodies may negate any positive immune protective effects from the vaccine.

 

Also, my vet used a three-way vaccine (DAP, distemper-adenovirus-parvo). This was my preference, which is why I took the pup to her in the first place as I didn't want to start an argument with my regular vet about my desire for a reduced vaccination schedule. (Well, that and she's working on a troublesome case with one of my other dogs.)

 

I second checking out Jean Dodds' site and also educating yourself on vaccines and vaccination protocols.

 

FWIW, I didn't choose a reduced vaccination schedule to save money (the two-hour drive to my holistic vet negates any savings) but because I think a reduced vaccination schedule is healthier for my dog.

 

J.