vacs question

[Zeus and Cody's mommy]

Cody had his yearly exam, all good in health and growing. He is a large frame BC so his weight of 56lbs wasn't a concern to my vet....she said he is healthy boy, got his anal sacs expressed, his nails done, ect. My question is this....I was asked if I wanted the Bordatella shot, and at this point I swayed from it as he is not EVER around other dogs. He is not social with other dogs, and doesn't have visits with any, he gets muzzled to go to the vets since he isn't too happy with other dogs approaching him, and I am not sure what the consequences would be since this trait came out only about 6 months after rescuing him, a year ago. Sooooooo should I gho back for the Bordatella, or is it not necessary....I only want theb est for him, but saying no to it yesterday has raised some questions in my mind now....thanks for you input...Kathy and Cody

[PSmitty]

I don't get bordetella vacs for my dogs. It is a personal decision, of course, but since kennel cough is not fatal and is easily treated, I'd rather skip any unnecessary vaccines.

[Zeus and Cody's mommy]

At the moment when they asked I didn't feel it necessary, but as I was thinking since we are home and all, I just wondered about it...makes little sense to me to get it if he isn't around other dogs, and I don't work in a vet clinic and am not around other dogs often, in fact none of us in the family are....

[AK dog doc]

If he's not at high risk of exposure - as in, going to shows or kennnels where there's a high concentration of other dogs - his risk is low, and vaccine is therefore LESS of a concern (there are occasional cases of infection even in low risk dogs, but they're pretty uncommon). Bordatella CAN occasionally lead to pneumonia and is not always easily eradicated, but usually it DOES respond readily to medication and treatment. Complications of that level are uncommon. It is, as PSmitty points out, an individual choice, but what I usually suggest to my clients is that if they're not planning a high exposure risk event (such as kennelling), skip it until or unless they are. FWIW, my dogs do not get Bordatella vaccine unless I'm boarding them. One could argue that because of my job, they might be slightly higher risk for exposure than average, but as a general thing their risk is not excessive, so I skip it unless I'm going to up their risk.

 

Hope that helps.

[nancy]

I get Fergie the bordatella vaccine about a month ahead if we will board her.

 

Now that our parents have died, we know when we will travel. Up 'til then, we did get her vaccinated regularly because we never knew when we'd get a call and have to board her. Getting the vaccine within a few days (at best, then) of boarding is not much use.

[Zeus and Cody's mommy]

Thanks alot for the input....guess we will not worry about it then. He never gets boarded as we never travel where everyone in the homeis gone. Our travels are limited to weekends to ball games, and my dau is always here for Cody when these times come up-lucky him!!! So he should be fine then, I was just concerned and I feel much better-thanks to all who responded, and AK dog dioc, I am totally assured with your blessing of NOT vaccinating him at this point