# Vac ?



## Onyx11 (Jan 8, 2012)

Today Onyx went and got his last vac so I thought,I saw a vet that I do not normally see. She said ok we will see you back for his last set in three weeks,I said Hummm Dr Bart said this would be his last He had one at 6 weeks by the breeder 10 weeks and now 13 weeks. Really does he have to get four??? I have never had any pups of mine get four vacs!!!!:argh:What do you all think?


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## judyf (Aug 20, 2011)

There are several good discussions of puppy vaccination protocol here. I personally use minimal vaccinations. My puppy, Lucy, was done at 6 weeks and 14 or 15 weeks, and then titered at 6 months when I had her rabies done. 

Her titers were for parvo and distemper, and Lucy came back fully protected. She will not need another vaccination or titer (other than rabies) for at least 3 years, per the titer report; in reality, she is probably good for life.


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## Onyx11 (Jan 8, 2012)

Thanks,I am calling there tomorrow I just don't get how two vets that work in the same office are telling me two diff things...One says no no he needs another that if they get the last one b4 16 weeks of age he may not be protected,But the vet I always see says no he only needs the three.. UGH! I wonder how much titer test will be..I bet it's a bunch!


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

That's horse cr*p. I had a vet try to tell me that too...because Tiger's 3rd set was before 16 weeks.

So long as they have had 3 sets, you're good.


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## Onyx11 (Jan 8, 2012)

Ya! That's what I thought Dr Bart is going to say the same thing it is his office and I think he needs to say something! Onyx was acting well kinda scared and shy the vet seemed scared of him it was really odd. I have not had him around a ton of people yet just scared to take him out b4 all his vacs were done. His reg vet checks him over ears eyes teeth rubs all over him.Well this lady lifted his ears a tiny bit how could she see anything!!?? UGH!


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## judyf (Aug 20, 2011)

Titers need not be expensive. I paid $42 to Hemopet for a titer for distemper and parvo. My vet drew the blood at the same time she drew for heartworm. I was not charged for sending in the sample. I received the results via email and fax.

Check out Dr. Jean Dodds' and Dr. Ron Schultz's vaccine protocols.

I also had a vet who seemed to be afraid of my spoo. Imagine! It was the same idiot that administered a 1 year rabies shot when I had made an appointment for a 3 year shot and spend 10 or 15 minutes discussing (or so I thought) overvaccination and titering.


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## outwest (May 1, 2011)

My Bonnie got a 4th parvo because Parvo is so prevalent here. She only got the one, not any of the others. Could it be that? I didn't object because parvo is such a wicked disease. If you think it was because my vet wanted the money, you are wrong. I purchased a puppy package which covered all of it for much cheaper than individual vaccines. Most vets give 4 parvo vaccines around where I live. I figure she is done for life, but will do titers in 6 months. 

Is it also possible the fourth is for a rabies? I had Bonnies done separately than the others, which required an extra visit, but I wasn't charged any more for that.


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

outwest said:


> My Bonnie got a 4th parvo because Parvo is so prevalent here. She only got the one, not any of the others. Could it be that? I didn't object because parvo is such a wicked disease. If you think it was because my vet wanted the money, you are wrong. I purchased a puppy package which covered all of it for much cheaper than individual vaccines. Most vets give 4 parvo vaccines around where I live. I figure she is done for life, but will do titers in 6 months.
> 
> Is it also possible the fourth is for a rabies? I had Bonnies done separately than the others, which required an extra visit, but I wasn't charged any more for that.


Personally I would not have done a fourth parvo (unless you are referring to the fourth parvo booster that would occur at a year after the third puppy shot). Here's how vaccines work - you do not "boost" immunity with booster shots as is commonly believed. Rather, you vaccinate a puppy 3 separate times because you cannot be sure at what point the dam's immunity wears off. The idea is that of those three vaccines, one of them will occur when the dam's immunity has worn off. Vaccinating _before_ dam's immunity has worn off has zero impact. Once a dog has had an immune response to the vaccine, they are immune. 

Now, rarely, some dogs do not develop an immune response for whatever reason. From what I have read, if they don't, they likely won't _ever_, which is why it baffles me (and the leading researchers on appropriate vaccine protocols) that people continue to vaccinate older dogs. By the time a dog is a mature adult, if they are not already immune despite multiple vaccinations, they likely will not develop immunity so the body is being harmed by repeated vaccinations which serve no purpose.

Anyway, I went off on a tangent. 

Now, are you saying you are wondering if the fourth shot was a rabies shot and not a parvo shot? I would say that this is very likely and this is what a good vet would do. This is exactly what Tiger's vaccine schedule looked like. He had 3 sets of puppy shots and then quite a bit later had a rabies shot. (I pushed rabies way further than I legally should have  )


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## qtpoodle (Jan 15, 2012)

judyf said:


> Titers need not be expensive. I paid $42 to Hemopet for a titer for distemper and parvo. My vet drew the blood at the same time she drew for heartworm. I was not charged for sending in the sample. I received the results via email and fax.
> 
> Check out Dr. Jean Dodds' and Dr. Ron Schultz's vaccine protocols.
> 
> I also had a vet who seemed to be afraid of my spoo. Imagine! It was the same idiot that administered a 1 year rabies shot when I had made an appointment for a 3 year shot and spend 10 or 15 minutes discussing (or so I thought) overvaccination and titering.


I looked into titers and my vet said it would cost about $250 to get a rabies titer done on my little girl's Chihuahua. That's all the vet would be doing. How did you get your vet to draw blood for you knowing that they wouldn't get the money from doing a titer test on your dog? Did your vet do the titer by sending in the sample to Hemopet or did you send the sample in to Hemopet?


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

Rabies titers are kind of odd territory because there hasn't yet been an official anibody level established in dogs to represent that they are immune. Right now I believe they go off of the human establish level. There are studies being done to try an establish this level.


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## Ms Stella (Aug 16, 2010)

qtpoodle said:


> I looked into titers and my vet said it would cost about $250 to get a rabies titer done on my little girl's Chihuahua. That's all the vet would be doing. How did you get your vet to draw blood for you knowing that they wouldn't get the money from doing a titer test on your dog? Did your vet do the titer by sending in the sample to Hemopet or did you send the sample in to Hemopet?


Check your state laws..here you cannot use a titer to keep a vaccine requirment up to date :-( I have gotten titers on other vaccines but in my state, anyway, they wont accept a titer on rabies and it is illegal to not be current on Rabies vaccines. :argh:


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## Onyx11 (Jan 8, 2012)

I know for sure the 4th is a parvo shot again,I would think the dam's immunity would be worn off by 12,13 weeks? That's why I was so confused. I called the office today and my vet is on vacation so I will call him Monday. I just don't want junk going into his body if it is not needed.


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## judyf (Aug 20, 2011)

Charismatic M is correct (as usual) about the rabies titer. However, The Rabies Challenge is in year 5, I believe, of testing the length of time the rabies vaccine is effective, so hopefully there will soon be scientifically accepted data. I do not know of any states that accept a titer in lieu of a rabies vaccination, but some will accept an exemption from your vet for health reasons, etc. You will have to look up the statute yourself, as some vets seem resistant to this.

That said, Hemopet DOES offer a rabies titer for $75.00. Go here:

http://www.hemopet.org/files/TEST_REQUEST_FORMandTESTING_DETAILS.pdf

I had asked my vet about Canine Vaccicheck when I had my 15 week old gal in for her shots, and gave her a copy of the Safer Pet Vaccination Seminar dvd. Vaccicheck is an in-office titer for distemper and parvo , takes 20 minutes, and should be reasonably priced ($8-10 per test or thereabouts in a shelter situation, I think; more of course in an office situation...). 

When I called to arrange for Lucy's rabies appointment at 7 months, I asked the receptionist if they were using Vaccicheck yet, and was told no, but they could send a sample out for a titer. So --- I asked if I could bring in the paperwork for the lab I wanted to use, and she said sure. So I did (snicker).

My vet requires blood tests for heartworm to sell you the meds, so I needed that done anyway. I just had the vet draw blood for the titer at the same time. (I handed her the filled-out paperwork with my credit card info on it for the test, and judging from the look on her face I think she was really surprised at the low cost.) They did not charge me extra to send in the sample.

It is easy to forget that your vet is working for you, and you are paying for a service. I have left a few practices when I felt I was not being well served. I have been pleased with this practice, and will keep using them. I consider myself lucky.


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## Onyx11 (Jan 8, 2012)

Called my vet the titer she said would be 40-60 bucks. I will be finding out more on Monday.


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## judyf (Aug 20, 2011)

Excellent!!!!!!


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