Vaccinations: If not mandatory, will you have your dogs vaccinated?

Vaccinations is one of the first responsibilities of the owner. It takes a chunk of the medical expenses a dog can acquire in its lifetime.

Here in my country, dog vaccination is not a necessity. Only a number of owners have their dogs vaccinated with Parvovirus, Canine Distemper, Parainfluenza, Canine Adenovirus, etc. I know in some US states, this is necessity and I've heard that some groomers would refuse dogs who don't have proper vaccination papers. In the Philippines, Anti-Rabies is the only mandatory vaccination.

I've had my dogs vaccinated because a couple of my puppies died of Parvovirus last year. And I had to lose one more of them because he got infected even though I'd been sure I've sanitized the area properly. This was the reason I had all my dogs vaccinated.

Will you have your dogs vaccinated if it weren't mandatory where you live in? If not, why?

 

I would only have my dog vaccinated for things that he might be exposed to. My dog is not going to get rabbies, why vaccinate for it? He never is outside without me, IF he were to get bit by something rabid I would clearly see that and take him to the vet to receive treatment immediately.

 

There is no treatment for rabies in dogs once they start showing symptoms. It's a death sentence. However, the rabies vaccine benefits last longer than originally thought and even here, in the US, the dog may only need a vaccination every three years. Other vaccinations (parvo, coronavirus, etc.) are still suggested on an annual basis, but aren't necessarily required. There's been a lot of research that indicates that annual vaccinations are actually excessive and may do more harm to our dogs than they do good. Titres are a good way of determining if a dog is still protected by vaccinations or if he or she needs an update.

 

Even if you are not required to vaccinate your pet -- please, Please, PLEASE do so. Don’t let your dog suffer an illness, taking you through the heartbreak of losing your beloved friend to an easily and inexpensively preventable disease.

I live in Connecticut, a US State that requires all dogs to have verifiable rabies, distemper, parvo, parainfluenza, and adenovirus vaccines annually. We get this done by a veterinary clinic that partners with Petco, a major pet supply chain. Several times monthly the vet techs go to our local store and administer low-cost vaccines, all recognized by the State of Connecticut.

However, I came here from Florida, a State that required only rabies vaccines. And it did not have to be “verifiable” -- I.e., vet-administered. At that time, you could buy rabies and all other vaccines very inexpensively from local feed stores. Therefore, many people did just that and vaccinated their animals themselves if they couldn’t afford a veterinarian’s office visit.

If your community doesn’t require verification, you can also buy all those vaccines online or by mail order. Again, so much cheaper than going to the vet.

I am NOT advocating that you try to replace your vet. However, if you aren‘t having your pet vaccinated because you cannot afford a trip to the vet, PLEASE do it yourself. You can quickly learn to give your dog vaccines -- it is very easy.

 

I was going to mention that too. Now for most dogs vets reccommend a rabies vaccine every THREE years as opposed to every year. Parvo is very important to vaccinate for in puppies or shelter dogs and distemper and bordatella can be important as well.

I guess my post simply meant was that if the vaccine was un-necessary I would not give my dog a vaccine just for the heck of it. You are correct, my rabies example was a bad one because there is no treatment.

Here is a good article talking about what to remember when getting your dogs vaccinated.

http://www.dogs4dogs.com/blog/2009/04/22/no-unnecessary-dog-shots/

 

Agreed, MakingCents. It's important for dog owners to remember that not all dogs--or even all breeds--respond well to all vaccines. People with white-footed herding breeds, such as collies and shelties, should remember that they have sensitivities to a lot of drugs. The Lepto vaccine can be especially harmful to these breeds. I personally give collie a 5 in 1 vaccine, since I will not subject her to the 7 or 8 in 1 vaccines that my vets want to subject her to each year.

 

Speaking of vaccine dates, yes, the current AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association) Vaccination Guideline has recommended that the effectiveness of the vaccination (after the initial puppy shots) can last up to three years. Some vets have actually started promoting the 3 year gaps.

My dogs also had the 5 in 1 vaccinations except for the first one who had his Parvo shots separately.

 

I would, yes, if for no other reason than the safety of others, too. I feel like vaccines are important in us not spreading around some of these illnesses more and more. And you're right, a lot of groomers, kennels, etc, do not accept dogs unless they have their vaccines.