# Finding a vet who will do minimal vaccinations



## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

It is totally normal for your vet to ask for that information. Unfortunately Vets run into the problem of clients abandoning animals when they can't pay for services and having this information helps to track them down! Finding a Vet to follow your protocol is just a matter of you saying 'NO' and letting a Vet know exactly what Vacs you want and don't want. Many Vets only carry the 5in1 but also carry individual doses of just the vacs you want if you request them ..... just know what you 'should' have for the area you live in and where you take your dog!
Where I live and my surroundings I know I don't need or want Lepto, I don't board my dog so I don't need Bordetella, etc etc....The only vacs I do are Rabies (required by law) Distemper and Parvo.......and not yearly! 
A meet and greet is good to see if you like a Vet's personality and to see if you agree on the way he handles animals.................if a vet is condescending or treats me like I'm stupid he is not considered!LOL!!!!


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

Here I do his DHPP... Lepto, Parvo, Distemper... once. Not every three years. Any vet will give them. Then, just don't allow the vet to boost that shot... ever. They won't argue with you... it's your choice. I just shake my head when her girl reminds me. 

Rabies every three years is unavoidable. I don't even argue about that.


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## Sanic (Oct 22, 2015)

Thank you MollyMuiMa! If asking for all that info is normal then I'm probably going to end up going with that vet (unless he just has a horrible personality haha). It would be great to start out with someone who agrees with me on everything and his clinic is super close to us so that's a plus!

I love having a back up plan though so I'll probably schedule something with 1 or 2 of the other clinics that I like as well. Those vets carry the 5 in 1 so if for some reason that was the only option they had could I request that they order what I want? 

Based on where we live and our plans for our pup, we don't need to get lepto or bordetella either. We do plan on going on a road trip to Colorado when the pup is older so we can go hiking, I'll definitely look into it then.

Finding a vet is the last thing on my "To Do" list to prepare for our puppy coming home. I'm trying to get it done before all the holiday craziness takes over


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

most vets order vaccination in bulk. My vet told me to order the vaccine myself if I just wanted a single dose of Parvo and Distemper instead of the 4-in one that she carries. She will give the injection. I went with what my vet had on hand for Dakota when he was a puppy because of the time issue. But I am planning ahead for his one year booster.

So I would say that,no, not every vet will order just one vaccination for just one client.

I still think my vets are good because they do not pressure me to overvaccinate.


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## Sanic (Oct 22, 2015)

Countryboy said:


> Here I do his DHPP... Lepto, Parvo, Distemper... once. Not every three years. Any vet will give them. Then, just don't allow the vet to boost that shot... ever. They won't argue with you... it's your choice. I just shake my head when her girl reminds me.
> 
> Rabies every three years is unavoidable. I don't even argue about that.


I'm definitely doing rabies, 3 year is available here so I'll do that. 
I sent an email to one clinic asking about titers and she dismissed me and told me that they offer the 3 year Parvo and Distemper. I probably won't be going there.

Do they treat you any differently when you refuse to revaccinate annually? Do you do titers at all?


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## Sanic (Oct 22, 2015)

MiniPoo - where do you order your vaccinations? I would be ok with ordering them and having the vet do the injection. Like you, all I want is for them not to pressure me to overvaccinate.


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## patk (Jun 13, 2013)

are you buying pet insurance? your vet will be happy and so will you. check the threads at pf on this issue. there are several poodle parents who are very happy they made the choice to get insurance. just don't get vip. that's my testimony on the issue!


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

I don't do titers. I'll never do him with anything but rabies for the rest of his life. Hopefully, another few years. To fight it would be a real pain. To succeed would be lucky... and for what? A $10 shot??? $100 for titers? 

Continuing resistance to Parvo, Lepto and Distemper has been Challenged to at least seven years now... maybe more. Jean Dodds site is the best for the latest on Challenges. 

It may be that the combos become a once-in-a-lifetime thing.


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

It can be ordered through online pet supply company. Someone on the forum told me the name but I did not order it so forgot the name. I am sure someone will tell us again. It does cost very little for each dose.

I haven't done titers in a while. I just did Parvo/Distemper every 3 years until they were around 10 years. Then I stopped all vaccinations but rabies. Looking back I probably gave them the 4-in-1 which is the one without lepto. I did not realize in the past there was more than Parvo/Distemper in those vaccinations.

ETA: You do not give a rabies 3 year to a puppy in Illinois. We have to repeat the rabies in Year 2, which is then a 3-year vaccination. They are actually the same vaccine but that 2nd year booster is required before they let us wait 3 years to repeat it. I do not know if your state is like that or not.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

Any vet I go to does what I ask in regards to vaccines or neuter/spay, not the other way around... or I don't do business. I do less than Dr. Dodds and I didn't neuter my Poodles until just a couple weeks ago and they're two and a half years old. No way would I do it younger than when they're fully grown and no way would I pump them full of vaccines they don't need and can do harm when over-done or in some cases...at all! They're my dogs and I have researched these things extensively enough and no one else makes decisions on their care. They can suggest, explain, educate but the bottom line is it's my decision. And so is it yours. If you can't find one single vet who doesn't give you a hard time, then I'd be driving as far as necessary. But I can't imagine a vet arguing so much that he/she drives you away. 

I've skipped around to a few vets, one here for one thing, another one across town for another until I landed on one or two that I like and can stick with. I still get post cards in the mail from these other places telling me a dog is over due on his vaccines. So, if I ever pop in for something or another because occasionally I have for some emergency or something where I can't get in to see my regular guy and these places are close, and they ask me if they're up-to-date, I just say, "yes." They ARE up-to-date as far as I'm concerned. 

My new vet is about a 20 minute drive...so not as close as the ones in my town. And the other guy I liked was a 30 minute drive but he was always too busy to get me in without quite a long wait...days and days. So, I've stopped going there. I like my new guy and he's an orthopedic specialist too....very nice and very opened about anything and doesn't press about vaccines or anything else. Super find. Lots of good reviews too. And a personal friend who loves him. 

So, if you have one vet and you're not thrilled, there's no law that says you can't try out some others until you find just the right fit. Do what you're comfortable with for the care of your dogs and don't let anyone push you around. Those vaccines and surgeries make them moolah so naturally they're apt to tell you how much your dog needs them. Do your own research. These days it seems more important than ever.


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

I buy my own vacs(except rabies) at an animal supply store (I do my own shots) .............maybe you have one in your area too....a place where they sell farm/ranch stuff? Up until a few years ago you could also buy them at some drug stores....


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## Sanic (Oct 22, 2015)

Poodlebeguiled - thank you for your response, I'll admit a small part of me was a bit scared to stand up to a vet that didn't agree with me especially since this is my first time raising a puppy. But you're right, this is our dog and we need to be able stand up for him/her and not let people push us around or make us feel guilty (like our last vet did). 

I'm going to continue to do a lot more research so that I will feel 100% confident when talking to the vet. Hopefully we will like the holistic vet near us and we won't have to worry about defending ourselves.

MiniPoo & MollyMuiMa - I'll start to look around to see where vacs are sold just in case, thank you!


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

Google single dose dog vaccine. I found some at RevivalAnimal Health.

Neopar | Revival Animal Health


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Countryboy said:


> I don't do titers. I'll never do him with anything but rabies for the rest of his life. Hopefully, another few years. To fight it would be a real pain. To succeed would be lucky... and for what? A $10 shot??? $100 for titers?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Actually Teaka did fail her first parvo titter and had to b re-vaccinated. She has been good since then, age 13.


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## sparkyjoe (Oct 26, 2011)

We live a bit out in the country, and most of the "country vets" around here were all about the yearly vacs. I was going to go with one of them, but after some thought I just didn't want to have to fight with them all of the time. (They were very, very pro yearly vacs)

We ended up at one vet, and they were OK, but when they wanted to sedate our pup for a simple microchip, I decided to look elsewhere.

Now, we're with a great vet. They are willing to work with my preference of minimal vaccines. They even sent the titers I requested instead of the 1 year booster off to Dr. Dodds Hemopet. The results indicated that he was covered for parvo and distemper, and that we could re-test in 3 years.

We moved away from the "big city" a couple of years ago, and interestingly, our new county doesn't actually require regular rabies (re)vaccination.

Of course, if there was ever a bite incident then we would have to have him quarantined and there could be other legal ramifications, so I'll probably go ahead and "booster" him every three years anyway. Especially since we do live out in the county and there are raccoon, opossums, rabbits, coyote and other critters in the area.


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## N2Mischief (Dec 3, 2012)

When I fill out the forms, I simply leave the SS# blank, and the drivers license info as well. When they ask occupation, I simplify it....like when I was a police dispatcher, I just filled in the name of the City I worked for. I stayed very vague.


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

MollyMuiMa said:


> I buy my own vacs(except rabies) at an animal supply store (I do my own shots) .............maybe you have one in your area too....a place where they sell farm/ranch stuff? Up until a few years ago you could also buy them at some drug stores....


I do that as well. I keep the receipt and put the little label from the vaccine vial (they peel off) and stick it to the receipt. This all goes in a file of health records. Then I have a record of what she has had and the lot number, etc. is there for my records. Our hometown pet stores, feed stores, co-ops and farm and ranch stores all carry vaccines, except Rabies.

Easy peasy. My vet is on board with that and titers too. I am luck he is great!

VQ


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

sparkyjoe said:


> We live a bit out in the country, and most of the "country vets" around here were all about the yearly vacs. I was going to go with one of them, but after some thought I just didn't want to have to fight with them all of the time. (They were very, very pro yearly vacs)
> 
> We ended up at one vet, and they were OK, but when they wanted to sedate our pup for a simple microchip, I decided to look elsewhere.
> 
> ...


In most states it is the State rather than the county which has set the regulations regarding how often rabies vaccinations must be given and they also decide whether titers for rabies are sufficient or if the dog still needs to be vaccinated regularly for rabies. I think since you are rural with all those critters around, a "booster" for rabies might be a good idea. 

We currently are having a resurgence of rabies in our urban fox, skunk and raccoon population and I live IN a city of 150,000 people. It's been a problem for 2 yrs now and our neighborhood fox population which we enjoyed so much is completely gone now. We are all extra vigilent about Rabies vaccine protection in light of this problem. 3 Bison in a herd at the University here were destroyed last summer as they became infected with rabies. It is suspected that they tangled with a skunk or raccoon. Nothing to mess with.

VQ


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## spindledreams (Aug 7, 2012)

Depending on where in Colorado you plan on going you may want to get Lepto shots for you pup in time for it to help just in case. Bordetella unfortunately is often requested for class here sigh but so far I have just told the Vet no and they have respected it. 

My biggest frustration is with rabies. The vet gives the 3 year shot BUT our city demands we get them done yearly. The county is fine with every three years. I so want to move but in the meantime I do what is best for my dogs not the city AC folks.


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

I have done lepto now for a few years for Iris, however due to her advanced age of 13 and not out much with wildlife I may stop with the lepto. 

Our groomer/friend lost her 9 year old Spoo last year due to a bad reaction to the lepto vaccination. He developed Acute Hemolytic Anemia from the vaccine and could not be saved. It was a horrible situation for all who loved and knew him. It took the vet 23 days to diagnose and he declined rapidly. Her other Spoo nearly perished from grief and was only saved by getting another Spoo puppy for him to live with. Apparently some breeds of dogs are more prone to reactions to lepto and poodles are one of them. In addition, Iris does have an existing auto immune issue and that predisposes her even further to having a reaction.

My trusted Veterinarian and I are in agreement that discontinuing the vaccine would probably be best.

It was a real wakeup call about vaccinations for all of us involved. 

VQ


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## Sanic (Oct 22, 2015)

Viking Queen - I'm so sorry about you friend's spoo! I'll definitely be talking about all the risks with my vet whenever we decide to go to Colorado (it might not be for another year or two).

spindledreams - I'm definitely going to sign up for puppy classes (probably at 2 different places) but I'm worried about vaccination requirements once the pup is older. Depending on how things are going training/socialization wise I might have to do bordetella.


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

I would think that once you are through with the round of puppy vaccinations and you let your vet know that you follow the Dodds protocol, they can do titers, etc. The only thing Sunny has needed since he came to live with me at age 3 1/2, is rabies -- and he actually got his first rabies 30 days before he crossed the border into the U.S. (required) and that is the only vaccination he will get going forward. Also, fyi, the dosage in the 1 year rabies is exactly the same as the 3 year rabies vaccination (my vet agreed -- only difference is the 1 year was tested and certified for efficacy for 1 year; and the 3 year tested and certified for efficacy for 3 years). Pretty much everyone requiring evidence of vaccinations will accept the titers.


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