Initial Vaccinations

DogzRule1996 · Post by **DogzRule1996** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 8:26 pm

When they say that the puppy has had a veterinary wellness check and initial vaccinations, does that mean that they have had ALL their vaccinations? or just MOST of them?

Fundog · Post by **Fundog** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 10:23 pm

"initial" means just the first round. The pup/dog will need a set of boosters after a certain amount of time-- usually 1-3 months, I can't remember for certain. After all of the sets of boosters have been completed, just one annual booster each year after that will be sufficient for the duration of the dog's life. The term "current on shots," as a general rule, means the dog will not need any more until the following year/anniversary date of the last set. When you adopt a new dog, it is a good idea to get a copy of its vaccination/health record, if at all possible. A copy of the rabies vaccination is especially vital, since you cannot obtain a dog license with your city without a valid rabies certificate.

DogzRule1996 · Post by **DogzRule1996** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:41 pm

So how many sets do they need? And is that like separate cost? or when you adopt the puppy they will give you something to help pay for the vaccines?

Fundog · Post by **Fundog** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 2:48 am

Okay, here's the general chart: Your new puppy or dog with unknown history needs the following shots: 1 rabies-- these are good for one, two, or three years, depending on what your vet uses.

1 bordetella (kennel cough), annually-- these are technically optional, but most groomers and kennels will not accept your dog unless she has this vaccine.

3 canine parvovirus in the course of the first year
3 parainfluenza in the course of the first year
3 Distemper-Hepatitis (CAV-2)

These three shots (parvo, distemper, flu) are often done as a "combo" vaccine, just one shot, all together, so the dog doesn't need to be jabbed a whole bunch of times in one visit.

Each of these visits to get boosters, and each of the shots themselves, have their own set fee associated with it. As for getting help to cover the cost, I have not experienced that, however, some vets occasionally will offer a payment plan. I don't know if breeders help out with that or not-- I seriously doubt it.

Now, there are a couple of other ways to obtain a dog that can help you get "lucky" with the cost: 1) Get the dog through a rescue. Quite often, the dog will already be spayed/neutered, and up to date on shots, all for a minimal adoption fee-- that varies from rescue to rescue-- I got my setter for $100, spayed and current on all shots, including bordetella. In contrast, we had adopted our spaniel from the local kill shelter, and all totaled, we ended up paying over $200 for her spay, shots, and adoption fee.

Communities often hold vaccination clinics, where residents can bring their dogs over to a venue, like a park, and get all the vaccines and licenses, for reduced cost. Example: My vet charged me $23 for my dog's rabies vaccine, then I found out my city had just held a clinic where the rabies vaccine was only $14! (Man, I was bummed!) You can find out more about these programs at your city office.

And last, but not least: Have you heard of "The Big Fix?" It's a low-cost mobile clinic that travels through cities, offering spay/neuter surgery, and shots, and now they are offering micro-chipping too, all for reduced cost. Again, inquire with your local city office or animal shelter, or check the newspaper for information about when the clinic will be coming through your area.

DogzRule1996 · Post by **DogzRule1996** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 6:12 pm

Its a puppy that has been weaned and brought to an animal shelter. It's pure, and you can meet the parents of the puppy there. They go there because I think they don't want you to go to their house or something. I know now that the puppies should already have had all their vaccines. But my friend said that after a few weeks, you need to take the puppy to the vets to get another set of some kind of booster shots. What is that? And how much is spay/neuter?

Fundog · Post by **Fundog** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 7:46 pm

The boosters are the same ones the puppy had the first time-- just like I already explained. So the puppy will need another parvo-distemper combo, and then in a couple more months, another, and then the puppy will be all set for a year.

The cost of spay/neuter varies, from vet to vet, clinic to clinic, size/species of pet, gender, and circumstances. And not all vets can do puppies/kittens, because they don't have the right size equipment (mask and breathing tube for administering anesthesia). Neuter of male pets generally costs less than the spay of females, cats cost less than dogs, and a complicated spay, such as during a heat period, or the abortion of a pregnancy always cost way, way, more than just an ordinary spay. Depending upon where you go, an average, ball-park cost of spay can run from $40-$100. Five years ago, we took our puppy to "The Big Fix" and paid $40, plus an extra $10 for pain pills. When we adopted from the shelter, we had to pay an advance spay fee of $80, which was refunded back to us upon presenting the spay certificate. This is our shelter's method of ensuring that people get their pets fixed, to help prevent more pets from ending up in the shelter. I think at the time, the vet was charging $95 to spay a dog. In contrast, a male cat can be neutered for $30. Another consideration is region-- the costs of things often vary according to the demographics (wages/living cost) of the area. An example is, things often cost more in Beverly Hills, Ca, than they do in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

mj702002 · Post by **mj702002** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 7:45 am

The boosters for us have been 3-4 weeks apart, we are actually going to the vets for our last set tonight. At my vet the cost has been approximately $60/visit - but I have also brought fecal samples and have needed a wormer.

DogzRule1996 · Post by **DogzRule1996** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 4:36 pm

So how old before it will get ALL its necessary vaccinations (for puppies, of course)

Fundog · Post by **Fundog** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 4:56 pm

Most park rules say puppies must be at least four months old. That's because a puppy will be at least that old before it has enough shots to have full immunity. I think Annie was about six months old when she finished her round of puppy boosters-- but we had adopted her when she was three months old, and we didn't know her prior vaccination history.

Now pulling out Dottie's vaccination record, I see that she had three boosters of the "combo" shot, each one month apart. So she finished in three months.

mj702002 · Post by **mj702002** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 3:49 am

You started the original post back in March...are you still talking about the same pup? I would say either way, if they have never had shots...add 3 months to their age and that is when they will have their complete set of "puppy vaccinations"

Kittylove5 · Post by **Kittylove5** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 7:29 am

This is pretty helpful because I also didn't know the time period of the shots. Looks like Jasmine will be visiting the Vet this week.

MaiasMom · Post by **MaiasMom** » Wed Aug 05, 2009 2:47 pm

A word of caution because this happened to Maia. Make sure they don't vaccinate when the dog is sick. Maia was sick and I took her to my vet of 30 years, he had a new vet working for him and could not see her that day. They took her in the back to draw some blood and left me in the exam room. While they were back there they decided that they would give her shots that were coming due the next month. As a result her immune system could not handle being sick and the vaccine. She will live with a compromised immune system for the rest of her life. It took her down so far that she got a staph infection that keeps coming back. Be careful, know what they are doing. I can always tell when Maia is having a staph out break, she gets snappy with her mate and son.

Lis & Addy · Post by **Lis & Addy** » Thu Aug 06, 2009 1:58 pm

The multiple sets of shots for puppies are because until the antibodies from momma are completely out of their system, the vaccination has no effect. There's no easy way to determine when that is, and so they get a series of three complete sets, starting shortly after they are weaned.

If you get an older pup who has been weaned for a while, you only need one puppy round, and then an adult round at one year.

The one, two, and three-year rabies vaccines are usually the same dosage; only the label is different. If the three-year interval is legal where you are, insist on a three-year rabies vaccine. It's vitally important to be protected against rabies, but the rabies vaccine also has a relatively high rate of adverse reactions. So you really, really don't want to do it more often than necessary. There's tons of clinical evidence that even every three years is more often than necessary; there has never been a case of rabies in a dog that has received two vaccinations as an adult.

What Maia's Mom said is very important: vaccines are for HEALTHY individuals; make sure no vaccines are given while your pup is ill. It won't be useful, and it can have nasty adverse effects such as Maia is living with.

For adult dogs, most vaccines should be every three years, not every year. There are exceptions; if bordatella is needed because of the activities you'll be doing with your dog, that's an annual. So are leptospirosis and Lyme disease vaccines if they are needed in your area. Those are another two that have relatively high rates of adverse reactions, and they should be avoided if those diseases are not a problem in your area. In New England, I would always want the Lyme vaccine, but in other areas, it's not necessary, and is just an added risk.

MaiasMom · Post by **MaiasMom** » Thu Aug 06, 2009 8:35 pm

Thanks for backing that up, I would hate to see anyones dog have to live with what Maia has to live with. It was not until this happened that my vet even thought about it could have this effect on a dog. Because of this I never let them take my dogs away from me while at the vet, I go with or they don't go. As for rabies, this is going to cause a stir. I don't vaccinate for rabies. There has not been a reported case of rabies in my State in over 30 years, not to say that it can't happen but the odds are so low and the fact that my dogs do not run free, in an 8ft high fenced yard.

I am sure that is is appropriate in rule areas where there is wild life, but where I live we don't have wild critters running around.

Now kennel cough and parvo, that is another story, I do get them that, but with Maia she has to have blood work before I will have it done to make sure she is not staph active. sometimes she can be and we don't see liasions so I need to be really careful with her.

Puppy shots are vital and the timing is vital. Getting kennel cough shots does not mean they won't get it, it just means if they do it is not as bad a case as if they didn't get the vaccine. Parvo you never want to be with out the vaccine, it is deadly and an ugly death for an animal.

Remember my story, a long time vet caused this in Maia, make sure your vet is current on his/her education. do your homework and come asking lots and lots of questions. If the vet does not seem to have time to answer them, Get another vet. Just like a human doctor ASK QUESTIONS and be proactive in your dogs care. Expensive does not mean better. Shop around for a good vet, ask others who they like and who they don't like.

What I got from my 30 year vet when it was discovered that they vaccinated Maia when she was sick and caused this, was "oh well, stuff happens" Was I mad, I was furious. OH well is not a good enough answer for me.