Do You Vaccinate At Home?

How many people here vaccinate their dogs at home? I've been looking in to it. It's a lot cheaper then having the veterinarian do it, especially when you have a lot of dogs that need loading up. I've read the important part is making sure where ever you buy them from keeps them refridgerated and avoiding something called Lepto? I need to do a bit more research on the latter because I'm not sure what disease that covers.

What are your experiences with vaccines at home?

 

6 in one, half dozen in the other.

imho you are better off having a vet do it- need a vet for the rabies anyhow, might aswell have them do everything else. it all harks back to my advocating proper vet care to CYA if anything ever goes down-look at some busts of the past, dogs were put down because of lack of vaccinations
find a vet you trust and work w/ them. they will come out to your place and take care of all your dogs, no need to bring them in to the office

 

i buy my shots from the vet. they keep records of everything i buy. rabies shots have to be done by a vet though. my vet comes to my house to do those.

 

I do my own DHLPP-CV inoculations however as rally said before, a vet needs to do your rabies for it to be valid ( plus you can really injure your dog with the rabies vaccine if you don't know what your doing, seeing as it has to be a intermuscular injection so it's best to just let the vet do it). My vet knows me plus I was a Vet tech in another life so the yearly booster I do myself and have never had a problem, I also keep the label from the vaccine and stick it to their medical record as proof of vaccination......

 

Rally, I can see how letting the vet doing the vaccinations is important if you have a lot of dogs and the HSUS is looking to bust people. I've only got six dogs I've got to worry about, and they aren't nothing but mutts that people won't even take a second glance at. Plus I foster dogs so I'm always have animals pass through briefly. I figure it's something I might look into. Thanks for your advice.

AGK, is the DHLPP-CV the 6 in 1? I know about the rabies; that's not an issue. Thanks though. I'll be sure to keep the labels so that I hopefully won't have any issues with records if I do it.

 

Most vets will charge you an arm and a leg to do the 6 or 7 way vaccinations and remember you will need around 3-4 of those shots for puppies and then once a year for adults....Most vets will charge you 20-50 bucks per vaccine plus the office visit. You can do it yourself for like 6-7 bucks.

 

I have done the vaccines at home and purchased them at a local feed store that keeps them refrigerated. I usually buy the DHLPP vaccine. That covers Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parainfulenza and Parvo virus. As far as your concern with Lepto, the vets will usually hold off on giving it to young, small breed puppies because for some reason, they tend to be the ones that can end up having a reaction to it. It shouldn't be a problem to give Lepto to your dogs, though. I have worked as a Veterinary Technician for the last 10 years. I noticed that you are located in Sacramento, CA. I am in Roseville, not too far from Sac. So, if you ever need a hand vaccinating your dogs, feel free to contact me. I would be more than happy to help you out! As far as the Rabies vaccine, you have to have that one done by a licensed veterinarian (like others have already stated), but you can probably find a vaccine clinic where the prices are discounted. I know that Loomis Basin Veterinary Clinic (in Loomis) and Cordova Veterinary Hospital (in Rancho Cordova) are 2 hospitals that I have worked at and they offer a low cost vaccine clinic like once a month. You could always call one of those places and find out when their next clinic is going to be held. If you do decide to give the vaccines at home, I would be sure to start a record/log for each dog and peel the sticker off of the vaccine vial and put it on the paper and write the date that the dog received the vaccination. Also, be sure to watch your dog for a few hours after you give the vaccine for any type of reaction. Watch for any vomiting, lethargy, diarrhea, facial swelling, swelling at the injection site, etc. If any of this occurs, GET YOUR DOG TO THE VET RIGHT AWAY!!! They can treat them for a reaction. I hope that my information has been helpful and I wish you the best of luck with whatever you decide to do. Like I said, I would be more than happy to help you vaccinate your dogs. Just let me know!

 

i've never hada problem with giving my own shots. Lepto is left out til 16 weeks. pups can get a parvo shot @ 4 weeks. at weeks 4-12 i use a 5-in-1 shot. you can get them in a box of 25 for about $70 if you ever had to vaccinate a litter or you if own alot of dogs. for the 16 week shot i give a 7-in 1 and another booster @ 1 year. I then skip a few years as annual shots are unneccessary, plus you can over-vacc too.

*you may want to check with a vet in your particular area as to which vaccs are neccessary. different areas carry higher risk for particular disease on viruses. i would only give what's needed for my area and nothing more...unless you plan to go to public areas and/or shows.

 

I used to do all my own animals' vaccines at home. Then I did a lot of research on the dangers of vaccines and vaccinosis.
Now my animals aren't vaccinated conventionally, and haven't been in almost 9 years. However they do see a homeopath and receive their nosodes, whenever there is a threat.

 

You need to have your DVM admin your vaccines. You need to learn what lepto is and if it is common in your area. If it is not common in your area then dont vaccinate for it.

Edit: Here is some info.....read it!
<CENTER><HR class=hrb width="85%"></CENTER>Introduction

Canine outbreaks of leptospirosis in several states are sparking discussion and controversy about vaccination practices for prevention of the disease and concern for transfer of the disease to humans.
Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection cause by a family of organisms known as Leptospira interrogans. Until recently, vaccines were available for only two strains (Leptospirosis canicola and L. icterhaemorrhagiae), but vaccines for two additional types (L. grippotyphosa and L. pomona) are now on the market. Controversy arises because some dogs are allergic to the carrier in the lepto vaccine; as a result, some veterinarians no longer use the inoculant in areas where the disease is not a problem.
Concern about side-effects are relatively new; clinical canine leptospirosis caused by L. canicola and L. icterhaemorrhagiae is rare in the US, a situation attributed to widespread administration of the vaccine. The new outbreaks are being caused by L. grippotyphosa and L. pomona, strains that are prevalent in some species of wildlife. The theory is that the disease has entered suburban areas with populations of skunks, raccoons, opossums, deer, and small rodents and that dogs become vectors of these strains through contact with the urine of these animals. Lepto can infect livestock as well, so cattle and hogs that wade or wallow in areas contaminated by the urine of carrier animals can also get the disease.
Transmission

Leptospirosis is contracted primarily through contact with the urine of an infected animal, but can also be transmitted through bite wounds and the ingestion of infected material. People at greatest risk of getting the disease are those who regularly clean up after animals (farmers, kennel owners, veterinarians, wildlife rehabilitators, etc.) and those who swim, wade in, or drink contaminated waters. Since dogs constantly sniff the urine spots of other dogs (and wild animals), they are at greater risk than humans.
Leptospirosis is a disease of tropical and temperate climates, so much of the US is susceptible to potential outbreaks. So far, the states of Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, and New York have experienced lepto eruptions and cases have surfaced in many other states as well.
Symptoms,diagnosis, treatment

Leptospirosis bacteria multiply rapidly after entering the body. Signs of the disease can begin as soon as two days after exposure or as long as 26 days after contact with infected urine, but generally occur within one-to-two weeks.
“The severity of the disease can vary widely but it has the potential to be extremely severe, and in fact fatal,” wrote Henry Boer DVM of Pioneer Valley Veterinary Hospital in western Massachusetts. “Symptoms are typical of kidney and liver disease, and can include, fever, loss of appetite, muscle pain, dehydration, vomiting, diarrhea and bleeding. Some dogs will have an increased water consumption and urine output while others may have a decreasing output of urine. Jaundice may occur, and the dog may be painful in the abdominal area or in the lower back. In extremely acute cases, a dog may suddenly go into shock and succumb.”
Toss in fatigue, depression, gastrointestinal upset, difficulty breathing, the potential for meningitis and eye inflammation, and a picture of a diagnostic nightmare emerges. To further complicate matters, veterinarians are unlikely to suspect lepto in the early stages of the disease because the symptoms are variable and lepto caused by previously implicated strains has gone off the screen as a threat in most of the nation. Initial suspicions are often aroused by blood tests that show liver or kidney involvement, and the disease is confirmed by finding the bacteria in a urine sample or in a liver or kidney biopsy.
Once diagnosed, lepto can be treated with common antibiotics such as penicillin, tetracycline, and erythromycin. In advanced cases, therapies to deal with any liver or kidney involvement will also be necessary.
A dog that has recovered from disease caused by one strain of leptospirosis will be protected from disease caused by that strain in the future, but that protection does not cross species. Therefore, the dog will remain susceptible to other forms of the disease. Vaccines to protect against the disease must attack each specific strain in order to be effective. To confuse matters even more, vaccinated dogs can have mild cases of the disease that show few or no symptoms and can shed the bacteria in their urine, thus spreading the infectious agent.
Leptospirosis vaccines may only protect dogs for six-to-eight months, so veterinarians in high risk areas recommend twice-yearly vaccination. Each dog owner should work with his pet’s veterinarian to determine whether the risk of lepto outweighs the risk of reaction to the vaccination and whether the potential for outbreaks of L. grippotyphosa and L. pomona are of enough concern to vaccinate against them as well.
Because of the potential for the disease to cause serious illness in humans and because dog owners want their pets protected, canine and human health professionals are increasing their awareness of the disease, their procedures for prevention, and their protocols for diagnosis and treatment. Medical advances are announced every day, so ask your veterinarian for the latest information about lepto to determine the benefits and risks of vaccination for each pet.

 

Simms good post.

I do vax all my dogs myself.

I wanted to say I do vax for lepto because I take my dogs to every part of the country to show where there could be 200+ dogs. I have never had a problem with the vax and hope it stays that way.

Do you think I am doing the right thing?

 

I finish puppy shots and then I don't bother with vaccinations.

IMO, people over-vaccinate their animals. For legal reasons I can understand the rabies but I've seen vaccines do a lot more harm than good in people and animals.

For people that have active working/hunting dogs in highly public situations or who come in contact with other animals a lot, I believe it's better to be on the safe side and do it but otherwise, I wouldn't bother. Never have.

 

I understand that. I believe dogs are over-vaccinated as well. The new vaccine protocol has ended yearly vaccinations too. My adult dog only gets vaccinated every 3 years. I ignore the cards the veterinarian sends me saying she's due for the annuals. She has so many allergies anyway, she's always getting check-ups. We don't worry about that bit lol

This new pup I'm paranoid with though. I'm like "When can he get his Parvo shot?!" I've never had a pup before haha

 

Do you do the titers testing? I've read about those, it had me real interested.

 

Yeah that's why I finish up the puppy shot's, Parvo is everywhere out here.

 

I give my 6 way vaccines to pups at 6 weeks,9weeks,12weeks and 16 weeks then the last one at 1 year old after that I dont do anymore yearly vaccinations. By then pup should have a high immunity to parvo,distemper etc....and be able to tolerate the virus more as adults if they happen to get it.....only time I will get another vaccination is if the parvo virus mutates and my vet tells me there is a new strain of parvo vaccine I need to get to fight the new strain of parvo. I have dealt with parvo twice and this is what has worked for me oh yeah dont forget alot of clorox bleach lol.

 

so what do you guys do about rabies vac?

 

titer tests are a must. you should also do a dna pcr at the same time. cost is about $120 for both here.

 

You don't ever have an issue with parvo? I've been lucky to never have a case of this EVER but that particular virus seems to run ramped around here. I know of alot of people that seem to have an issue with parvo when they don't get their dogs vaccinated. One of the worst things I've seen a pup come down with (on someone elses yard). I was just curious how you keep it at bay without vaccinating for it. I know your out alot with you dogs around other dogs band was just wondering.

 

For me it depends on the dog as far as Rabies go. The last case of rabies where I live was found in 1987, and none of my dogs are ever in area's where there are skunks and/or bats which are supposedly the most likely carriers in our area. So unless I planned on going out of state w/my dogs and would need it for legal reasons or was competing, I see no reason for it. For me.

For people w/working or hunting dogs where their risk is increased, I think it's necessary.

Out here Parvo is everywhere, so I finish all the puppy shots and 1yr old booster and i'm done from then on out.