Vaccination Questions

[Guest kkaiser104]

I'm looking ahead to September, when Teddi is due for all of his vaccinations. I just had a few questions about your experiences...

 

1) Do you just do rabies and distemper (or the 5-way vacc.) or do you do more? I know there are a few other vaccinations on the market, but I don't know much about them or what they are about...

 

2) Any of you had serious reactions? Obviously, I'm going to get him the vaccs either way. Are there different "brands" that have a higher risk of reaction then others?

 

3) Do you go through your vet or a vaccination clinic?

 

4) What do you use to prevent against heartworms? Is there anything I shouldn't use?

 

I'm going to go through the vet for sure--I'd like to get another fecal done to make sure he doesn't have any worms and talk to the vet about all of my heartworm options. Just wondering your experiences!

[Guest cwholsin]

Here you go:

 

1) we do rabies and distemper and one other one, I think, since we frequently take them to dog parks.

 

2) We've never had a serious reaction to vaccinations and we usually get them all done in the same visit, too. Once Hermes got a little puffy at the injection site but it went away in a few days.

 

3) we get them done at our vet's since the prices are pretty reasonable

 

4) We've used the generic of Heartgard and switched over to trifexis over a year ago and have -loved- it. It's the same medicine as heartgard plus an oral for killing adult fleas, and is also a wormer for several types of worms all for about 20 bucks a month. I don't think I've heard of a heartworm preventative that greyhounds can't have.

 

That's our experience!

[OwnedBySummer]

You'll probably get a lot of differing opinions on this one. Many people do nothing at all. Another segment vaccinates religiously every year. Some just do selected vaccinations. Here's what I do:

 

1. I do 3-year rabies and a 3-year combo vaccine (4-way). I have them on different schedules. On yet another different schedule, are Bordetella and Leptospirosis vaccinations. I probably wouldn't do the Bordetella if we didn't socialize with other dogs so much. We also do a lot of camping, hence the Leptospirosis vaccination.

2. Summer has never had any type of reaction. My two previous non-greys also never reacted.

3. Summer's vet does the vaccinations. I like to keep all my business at one place.

4. I am using Heartguard solely because I'm using K9 Advantix for fleas and ticks (we travel into the US a lot and I wanted her to have some tick protection). If ticks were a non-issue, I would be using Revolution and nothing else.

Edited July 26, 2012 by OwnedBySummer

[Guest kkaiser104]

You'll probably get a lot of differing opinions on this one. Many people do nothing at all. Another segment vaccinates religiously every year. Some just do selected vaccinations. Here's what I do:

 

1. I do 3-year rabies and a 3-year combo vaccine (4-way). I have them on different schedules. On yet another different schedule, are Bordetella and Leptospirosis vaccinations. I probably wouldn't do the Bordetella if we didn't socialize with other dogs so much. We also do a lot of camping, hence the Leptospirosis vaccination.

2. Summer has never had any type of reaction. My two previous non-greys also never reacted.

3. Summer's vet does the vaccinations. I like to keep all my business at one place.

4. I am using Heartguard solely because I'm using K9 Advantix for fleas and ticks (we travel into the US a lot and I wanted her to have some tick protection). If ticks were a non-issue, I would be using Revolution and nothing else.

 

What exactly are bordetella and leptospirosis? Teddi is a frequent dog park-er, so that's my main concern. What should I be giving him to keep him safe?

Edited July 26, 2012 by kkaiser104

[Guest cwholsin]

Bordetella was the other one we get for our guys, and its a vaccination against kennel cough which is very contagious from dog to dog contact.

 

Leptospirosis, upon an internet search, seems to be a vaccination against an organism kind of like bacteria that can be spread through infected wildlife. The website I was looking at suggests that it's more of an issue in mild wet climates so it's not a nationwide standard vaccination. Apparently it's not an issue where we live since the vet has never suggested we vaccinate our dogs against it.

[OwnedBySummer]

Bordetella is the real name for kennel cough, a contagious hacking cough. The lepto one I always think of as an illness caught from squirrel urine. But it is from more sources than that -- skunks, rats, etc. Generally, it's caught by the dog by wading in or drinking standing water. So woods and swamps are key areas. And yes, you can catch this from your dog.

 

ETA: Try not to do all your shots at once. Try to get at least 2 weeks in between. Summer's 4-way is a completely different YEAR than her rabies vaccination. It's easier on them with space in between PLUS if there is a reaction, you'll know what it was from.

Edited July 26, 2012 by OwnedBySummer

[KF_in_Georgia]

I have an ailing 12-year-old and a healthy 7-year old under my roof.

• 3-year rabies shots for both. This is by law. Some people substitute titers for the shot, but titers are not legally acceptable substitutes in Georgia (or many other places). (A titer is a blood test to determine the level of a particular antibody in the bloodstream. The problem is that there's no "rule" on what's an acceptable rabies titer, so most jurisdictions won't accept it.)
  
• The "5-way" (DHLPP) for the 7-year-old. It's an annual shot. We're knee-deep in squirrels and in places with standing water (the lepto); the other four letters are to prevent potentially fatal diseases (distemper, hepatitis, parvo, parainfluenza). I crossed my fingers for luck and didn't give the DHLPP to the 12-year-old; he has a number of other health problems, and I didn't want to rattle his immune system.
  
• Frontline Plus for fleas/ticks; it works fine for us, although I'm aware other people don't have good luck with it.
  
• Heartgard Plus for heartworm. I much prefer Interceptor (it protects against a wider range of parasites), but I'm still waiting for Novartis to get its act together and start re-supplying it to vets. Heartgard Plus gives my guys 24 hours of soft poop or diarrhea. I don't want a combo flea/heartworm med (like Trifexis) since I'd still need something more to prevent ticks. Some people give heartworm meds two weeks away from the flea & tick preventatives, but I haven't done that and haven't had a problem.
  
• Bordatella (for kennel cough) is squirted up the dog's nose (rather than injected). Silver got this vaccine because she's about to start going to meet and greets. She's a healthy dog, and I'm not worried about kennel cough being particularly dangerous for her, but I don't want to risk her bringing something home to my old boy.
  
• I get all shots at my vet's office. The vet himself does rabies; techs can do the others, and going in to see them avoids the office visit fee associated with seeing the vet. (So, combine rabies vaccinations with a wellness exam; save the other shots for non-vet visits.) My guys get shots spaced out at least a few weeks so we'll know what shot has triggered whatever reaction. One suggestion is to schedule the shots early enough in the day that you and the dog can hang out in the vet's waiting room for half an hour or so afterward as a precaution; you don't want to be in your car, on your way home, and trying to deal with a dog having a major adverse reaction to the shot he just had.
  

[racindog]

If you HONESTLY research this you will be shocked at the number of adverse reactions etc. and the terrible side effects that result from the over vaccination syndrome that has been one of the vets biggest money makers. Even the vets own professional organizations have had to pony up and admit to a lot of it-that is why the protocol was changed to 3 years. Titer testing is an option. Personally I would never give a greyhound the rabies and the combo shot on the same day. Both are a terrible assault to their system and together it could push them over the edge and who knows what issue would manifest. Also if you investigate the various additional vaccines I think you will be surprised to find the truth about their efficacy(may only be 6 months if that for bordatella etc.) and I have heard that the lepto for e.g. only is supposed to protect against certain strains that are anything but prevelant. Hence the dog could still catch one of the other strains of lepto that is actually out there. Regardless IMO you should wait a while-at least 20 minutes- before leaving after any vaccinations in case they have a reaction. My dear Minny who had never had any rxn of any kind to anything in 8 years nearly died when he got his last rabies shot. Interestingly this happenned during a period of time that several other previously unreactive dogs also had mysterious unexplained rxns and some died from their rabies shot. Guarantee you it was something with the vaccine but of course the manufacturer has that info closely guarded. Anyway had I not stopped at the post office right after leaving the clinic and thus still been in the area so I could rush him back to the clinic for emergency treatment he most likely would have died. He lost all control couldn't even pick up his feet and collapsed and could not walk by the time I got him back into the clinic and he had a horrible look. I will forever be grateful to Dr. Sloan for saving his life. It was very critical. If you go straight home after the shot and then they react to it they may very well be dead before you can get them back to the clinic for treatment. It was a horrible experience. I always wait now to make sure they will be safe before I take them away from the clinic. I just read the other day that you should make sure the rabies vaccine is labeled TF (thimerol free). Other than that its a crap shoot I guess. You just have to hope the vaccine won't hurt them too bad. I think it was only about 2 years ago that a bad batach of West Nile virus vaccine killed several horses before they were able to pull it. You just never know.

[BootsyCollins]

We get whatever vaccination the vet says he is due for. Not something I give much thought to. I am the same way with myself and my kid.

[Guest SoulsMom]

Soul has lupus, which is auto-immune, so we only do Rabies (as required by law)

[kudzu]

After the initial series of core vaccs we switch to a 3 yr rotation. So for example if my dogs had already gotten they vaccs before adoption in Sep 2011 they would only get the 3 yr rabies shot in Sep 2012 & then get the other core shots in Sep 2013. We'd skip 2014 & start the cycle again with 3 yr rabies in Sep 2015. After a certain age, like about 9 yo, my dogs only get the require rabies vacc. As a core vacc the current vet is using Continuum DAP, labeled as a 3 yr vacc. Previous vet used a DHPP vacc labeled for annual admin but instead gave it only once every 3 yrs. These were done the vets' suggestions. Different vets, different vet practices, both recommending 3 yr rotation schedule.

 

Vaccines like lepto & Lyme can be a tough choice. That's something to seriously discuss with your vet. We've opted out of those for various reasons but people in other situations will sometimes choose differently. Though you do not have to take your vet's recommendation I strongly encourage you to thoroughly discuss the topic & do some research before deciding.

 

We have at times also given Bordatella nasal vaccine every 6 mos for dogs being boarded, going to daycare or taking classes at facilities that also had boarding/day-care. That is a legal requirement for those facilities, at least in Georgia. Otherwise we would not have given it. I don't think it provides enough protection to be worth it but it isn't a vaccine with a high rate of adverse reactions so I don't protest it either.

 

ETA: My girl with SLO, an autoimmune disease, will no longer get any vaccs. When her rabies isn't due until 2014 it's likely I will disregard the law & not get her vaccinated. She would be almost 13 yo then.

 

ETA2: The reason we usually start the 3 yr rotation with the rabies vacc is because my adopted dogs usually only come with 1 yr vaccs so they are due again within the first year I have them. Also, GA requires an annual vacc before starting a 3 yr plan.

Edited July 26, 2012 by kudzu

[greytpups]

I don't know exactly what vaccines they get, whatever our vet gives them...I do have documentation at home.

 

I do know that we travel to the US with the pups at least 3 x per year but do not get the same vaccinations as Summer (listed above). This was the first year we used Advantix when we went to GIG, we never use a tick preventative, nor have we ever found a tick on them. Ben and Brooke travel with us every where (all of our greys have since 2004) but have not contracted anything serious, even from a squirrel scratch or feast of rabbit poop, nor reacted to any vacines.

 

Please note our vet explains what and why they get the vacines that they do and it sounds quite reasonable to me, which is why I responded this way in the first line.

[seeh2o]

I do the 3 year rabies vaccine. If they are going to be boarded, Bordetella. Interceptor for heartworm 3 - 4 months out of the year when the bugs are out here. My vet really doesn't believe in a lot of vaccinations. She does offer titers.

[duncan41]

FWIW: I have asked 3 Vets in three different practices (one a Board Certified Internist) how they vaccinate their own animals. They all answered the same: Rabies every three years and titer for everything else. No Leptospirosis unless there is a reported case in their area. No Bordatella only because they don't take their animals to dog parks and the bordatella virus has a tendency to mutate faster than the current vaccine recipe can be modified. For cats: no vaccines at all unless they are outdoor or indoor/outdoor cats, and you can be sure that none of their cats have ever stepped foot outside.

[Hubcitypam]

I do rabies as required by law - every 3 years after 2nd yearly shot here.

DHPP every 3 years until the dog is around 10, then only rabies.

Bordatella (which comes in both injectable and internasal forms) is pretty much worthless, according to my last two vets it covers less than 50% of strains. You'll have to have it to board a dog- where he'll be in very close contact with lots of other dogs in a closed area and stressed so his immune system doesn't work well. In my book the odds of your healthy dog catching kennel cough outside at a dog park are so slim Vegas wouldn't make odds on it.

Lepto, that's up to you and your vet considering your area, but if I'd do choose it then do a 3 year DHPP with lepto annually. AVMA now suggests a 3 year DHPP protocol and it's just not smart to put unneeded vaccines in our dogs.

 

My first grey died a few days after her shots from immune mediated hemolytic anemia. There was discussion about the possibility of the shots contributing to this, but I'm not sure.

 

In the case of Barkley, who still needs both DHPP and rabies and is young, healthy AND a terrier, I use a shot clinic. For Poodle I just work his rabies in around another time we're at the vet in that window (a couple of months early won't hurt) so there is no additional office call.

 

We use a version of Heartgard Plus.

FWIW: I have asked 3 Vets in three different practices (one a Board Certified Internist) how they vaccinate their own animals. They all answered the same: Rabies every three years and titer for everything else.

I'm really confused. Here in TX you can only do 3 year rabies after an initial and a one year booster. Is it different there?

Are these vets doing titers without initial core rounds of shots? Having watched my neighbors puppies die horrible deaths from Parvo (we saved two by getting them out of there and into vet care) that scares me. They have to be doing some sort of vaccination before the titers begin...don't they?

Edited July 26, 2012 by Hubcitypam

[cleptogrey]

one of my dogs went into shock after his last rabies vaccine.he was 11 so i just boarded him at the vet if i was venturing out into a situation where he needed proof of innocultation-no more camping for willie . willie collapsed/went into shock as i was paying for services rendered. my vet went into action- brought him back, it was scarey. but i have not stopped giving rabies to my other dogs. it's rampid in the county i live in, the highest rates in the state.

 

parvo vaccine is really important- years ago before it was developed it was a death sentence to many dogs. lepto is also on the rise, even though there are many variations it's an awful disease. kennel cough is easy enough to avoid- go for the bortadella vaccine. even distemper is on the rise. do talk to your vet about staggering them . felix had a slight allergic reaction last fall, i called up and was instructed to give him 2 benadryls, it worked, i'm talking to my long term vet about spreading them out. not only can greys have adverse reactions, my friend's corgi has her shots spread out- she reacted. but i do believe in innocultations- i even had my pertussis(whopping cough) booster-

 

i too always take my time leaving the vet. i walk them outside and then sit in the car for a good 10 minutes before i leave. my vet is 40 minutes away.

Edited July 26, 2012 by cleptogrey

[MaryJane]

I do rabies religiously and for the others, titers to see if needed (although, it's cheaper to just do vaccines). This is the second year that I have given the Lyme vaccine. I thought about the Lyme vaccine for a few months before deciding to give it - my primary reason is that I didn't think that I would be able to recognize the symptoms in my dogs if they got Lyme disease and if left untreated, it causes many problems.

[Guest Greyhoundpups]

On Monday the 7th I brought my two greys in for some shot updates. I am now freaked out because one of them has started having some issues. My black greyhound Maude got the same shots as my other but she had her rabies shot! On Saturday at 4am I noticed her not sleeping on the couch but she was just standing weirdly in the dining room. She never gets out of bed that early and she acted scared and was shaking. Then Saturday night after 9 she was laying next to me on the couch and suddenly stood up SCREAMING and holding up her left arm. I've never heard a scream like this ever and it was like she was in the worst pain ever. She finally stopped screaming and put her paw down,not applying weight and was just looking around almost like she was dreaming! A few mins later she put her arm down with all weight and acted just fine but was still shaking. I took her to the er and was there until 2am with no real answers. They took X-rays of her arm and everything came back fine,her temp was normal,heart rate the only weird thing was her blood pressure on that arm was 210 and her back leg was 120! They sent us home with some pain meds that as of today have stopped using. She is being weird yesterday and today. Randomly shaking and looking around like she's afraid of something. She keeps following me around and wants to be super close to me. She also is very hesitant of getting up on the couch and that has never been a problem. Anyone have any thoughts???! I'm freaking out with everything I'm reading online about vaccines. I called our vet today and he wants me to call him in the morning with an update. Not sure ifninwill be returning to the er tonight. She is so restless. Thank you guys!

[Guest Scouts_mom]

Hugs to sweet Maudee. I have no advice but hope she recovers quickly.

 

My hounds get the normal vaccinations on a 3-year rotation (the first year I had each, it was annual). I don't do the Kennel Cough one unless I am going to be boarding them and it is required. A healthy adult dog can get thru Kennel Cough with no problems. It's puppies and dogs with other problems that need to worry about it. I do get the Lepto vaccination after a friend's grey almost died from it (she is a city dog--has never been in a rural area. So if it is in your area, it can hit any dog. I would suggest that you talk to your adoption group and your vet.

Edited January 18, 2013 by Scouts_mom

[PrairieProf]

I got the Lepto vaccine for the first time last year -- we walk in the woods a good bit. A dog here on GT just DIED suddenly and tragically of acute kidney failure caused by Lepto within the past week, so you can bet your patootie I'm going to keep vaccinating for that from now on! We do Bordatella (dog park, boarding, etc.) and recently started Lyme too.

 

We titer for distemper etc. and have not had the actual shot in several years -- there is NO need for them to have a booster every year. Some people just trust that, I feel safer titering; it's not THAT much money.

 

I spread the vaccines out as much as possible, but my vet is five minutes away and we go there a lot.

Edited January 18, 2013 by PrairieProf

[JJNg]

Then Saturday night after 9 she was laying next to me on the couch and suddenly stood up SCREAMING and holding up her left arm.

Chances are this is completely unrelated to her vaccines. Did they check her for neck pain at the ER?

[Guest Greyhoundpups]

I don't believe they did

[Guest Greyhoundpups]

The er vet did a good once over her whole body,pressing around to check for pain. Maude did do little whines when she pressed a certain part of her paw.

[MerlinsMum]

The only reaction I've ever experienced personally was a few years ago when Merlin had a delayed reaction to the Distemper combo and spiked a fever. He was really under the weather, poor baby. I took him back to the vet, they gave him a fever reducer, he was right as rain the next day. Gave me a bit of a fright, but there again I always get neurotic when Merlin is "off"...

 

Do your research. Speak to your vet. There are so vaccines (like Lepto) that are recommended more and more because of our encroachment on wildlife areas and the presence of raccoons, squirrels, porcupines, etc even in suburbia now. And standing water at dog parks in some areas, etc. Merlin and Sagan don't get the Lepto vaccine because they are leash-walked, I monitor them constantly, they don't go to dog parks or have access to standing water, and when they're in the backyard they wear muzzles with stool guards on them, and they are supervised by me or DH. However, my vet and I have a conversation about it every year to re-assess the need and any updates with the vaccine.

 

I also talk to my vet about the Lyme vaccine. My boys don't get that either - last I heard it's not yet effective enough to warrant everyone getting it (please someone correct me if my info is out of date). My boys don't run around in the woods and other tick-infested areas and we are lucky in that our neighborhood is relatively tick-free (for now...)

 

As I said above, do your research, but don't let the OMG MY DOG GOT THIS VACCINE/SHOT/TREATMENT AND NEARLY DIED stories on the internet scare the crap out of you. Remember there is just as much misinformation (actually probably a great deal more) as there is information on the web. And you can't base your decision on these stories because in most cases when you read about them you never get the full picture - the dog's genetic predispositions, prior conditions, environment, diet, etc etc etc.

 

Talk with your vet! Good luck

 

ETA - Oops, I just realized that this thread was started in July of last year so my post is probably redundant at this. Sorry

Edited January 18, 2013 by MerlinsMum

[sweetdogs]

The er vet did a good once over her whole body,pressing around to check for pain. Maude did do little whines when she pressed a certain part of her paw.

Hope it's not a corn.

 

But it sounds to me like neck pain as well. It can definitely cause scary sounds to emanate & scary leg pain. It can come & go & cause her to shake & be scared from the pain. It doesn't sound like a vaccine reaction - that's usually a fever or swelling at the injection site. What kind of meds did they give you? Usually the treatment is some meds & rest & using a harness instead of a collar. She could have tweaked it anywhere - running in the yard, getting in or out of the car, a misstep. So it could happen again but is not life-threatening.

 

Oh poor Maude-pup. Conor sends brotherly lub. And Keeva Bad Dog doesn't care.