I've just realised that my dogs' booster vaccination was due yesterday. Does anybody have any idea how long I have left to have it done before it becomes too late and I have to get the vaccination course started again?
Is it just the dogs yearly vaccination, because Ive had my dog for 8 years he came from a rescue home when he was 3 so now is about 10years old and i only took him to the vets once for a jab, thought the price was a rip off and havnt been back for 7 years, Nothing has ever been wrong with him, healthy coat always eats his dinner and loves it when i say the W word (walkies). He dosnt go to a kennel so is having dogs vaccinated worth while?
I've just realised that my dogs' booster vaccination was due yesterday. Does anybody have any idea how long I have left to have it done before it becomes too late and I have to get the vaccination course started again?
It can be left a couple of months. Your dog will still be immune.
Is it just the dogs yearly vaccination, because Ive had my dog for 8 years he came from a rescue home when he was 3 so now is about 10years old and i only took him to the vets once for a jab, thought the price was a rip off and havnt been back for 7 years, Nothing has ever been wrong with him, healthy coat always eats his dinner and loves it when i say the W word (walkies). He dosnt go to a kennel so is having dogs vaccinated worth while?
I suppose it depends whether they come into contact with other animals or have walks in places where other animals have been. My vet has treated loads of dogs for parvovirus over the last couple of years and all the ones that died were unvaccinated. Apparently it's transmitted in faeces, vomit and saliva and in warm weather the virus can survive in grass, undergrowth etc. for quite a while outside an animal's body. It got so bad in our area last year that we were advised to stay away from parks and other popular dog walking places for a few months - and that was with a vaccinated dog. Personally i wouldn't risk not doing it if it were 10 times the price.
As for vaccinations being worth while, Distemper was a horrible and common illness in the 70's. It is now pretty rare (though still horrible) thanks to vaccination.
Recently a woman lost six unvaccinated dogs to Parvo - she'd given them homeopathy instead.
The frequency of boosters is debated - some favour a three year protocol (distemper and Hep every three years, Parvo & the other one annually IIRC) but the annual booster is still prefered in this country.
Is it just the dogs yearly vaccination, because Ive had my dog for 8 years he came from a rescue home when he was 3 so now is about 10years old and i only took him to the vets once for a jab, thought the price was a rip off and havnt been back for 7 years, Nothing has ever been wrong with him, healthy coat always eats his dinner and loves it when i say the W word (walkies). He dosnt go to a kennel so is having dogs vaccinated worth while?
If they're not in contact with other animals and areas where other animals roam then it's arguable they are low risk for contracting any of those conditions that you vaccinate against...
Having said that - you really, really don't want to see what parvo does to a dog...:(
Hope you do the worming regime every six months...
I don't know if this is a universal thing, but the kennels we use will not take any dog that isn't up to date on it's vaccines - you have to take the papers in to prove it.
If they're not in contact with other animals and areas where other animals roam then it's arguable they are low risk for contracting any of those conditions that you vaccinate against...
Having said that - you really, really don't want to see what parvo does to a dog...:(
Hope you do the worming regime every six months...
And don't forget - Parvo can be carried into the house on your shoe.
And check your insurance - it may be a condition that the dog is vaccinated annually.
We show our cocker spaniels and vaccinations have to be up to date. I have friends in Canada and the States where yearly vaccinations have come under criticism and they are moving towards three year vaccinations and some disease 7years.
There is a big myth about cats and dogs needing regular annual boosters...........there was a TV programme about it a few years ago with scientific evidence that it was totally unnecessary. Pets need vaccinating for 3 years and then after that they will have built up immunity.................you are needlessly lining the pockets of vets (who already make a killing every time we visit them) if you have boosters done every year. I had my 18 year old cat vaccinated 3 years running and nothing since and he is perfectly healthy -growing old gracefully - still enjoying life but obviously slowing down a bit.
There is a big myth about cats and dogs needing regular annual boosters...........there was a TV programme about it a few years ago with scientific evidence that it was totally unnecessary. Pets need vaccinating for 3 years and then after that they will have built up immunity.................you are needlessly lining the pockets of vets (who already make a killing every time we visit them) if you have boosters done every year. I had my 18 year old cat vaccinated 3 years running and nothing since and he is perfectly healthy -growing old gracefully - still enjoying life but obviously slowing down a bit.
I remember that programme or one similar. The yearly vaccination is just another way to extract more money from people.
Lepto definitively requires 12mthly boosters as no vaccine has yet to be created that actually lasts longer than that...
The parvo is questionable on a yearly basis and argueable that vaccination might extend for longer... The parvo virus mutates which necessitates fresh vaccinations at some point for protection...
The only way to know for sure is to have an anti body test done in advance of vaccine delivery...
Distemper and Parvo are NOT pretty conditions - and with the possible herd effect of vaccination breaking down as less vaccinate then there's an arguable chance the viruses will become more prevalent... I recall reading a while ago of a canine distemper case that occured in Eire... That's a tad frightening if it's back...
Another consideration in my book (other than kennels) is pet insurance... If you need vaccinations to maintain third party liability insurance for your pooch then again, there's not much choice in having them done or not...
Do your own research, and it's still an owner choice, but if you need them done for your insurance policy there's not much further than that you can go...
There's also 'titre' testing - which can tell you whether your dog is still immune. Worth considering if you don't want to give unneccesary vaccinations.
The testing is done in Glasgow, and they charge about £25 IIRC to test for the common things that you vaccinate against.
However, your vet will add their charges on to that (for taking the bloods and sending them off), and push the price possibly quite a lot higher.
The boarding kennels I use will accept a dog as long as it's either had a booster, or titre, within 12 months.
I just had my dog's booster done today - and it cost £22
So, financially, it ain't worth doing the titre (for me) unless I thought the booster was harming my dog.
well my dog has to go to the kennels for a few nights next month, so took him to the vets for the required injections needed for his stay at kennels. All the vet did was give him the normal booster jabs and a worming tablet and it only cost £30 as it was a special offer, so waiting 8 years to do it has not harmed him, neither has he had to start the whole course again.
Is it just the dogs yearly vaccination, because Ive had my dog for 8 years he came from a rescue home when he was 3 so now is about 10years old and i only took him to the vets once for a jab, thought the price was a rip off and havnt been back for 7 years, Nothing has ever been wrong with him, healthy coat always eats his dinner and loves it when i say the W word (walkies). He dosnt go to a kennel so is having dogs vaccinated worth while?
You have to vaccinate your pets. Diseases are airbourne in some cases.
He has been lucky. However it is animal cruelty not to vaccinate and effectively shorten lives.
However it is animal cruelty not to vaccinate and effectively shorten lives.
I'm sorry, but that is gross generalisation of the very worst kind. It all comes down to individual cases.
There is much evidence to show that vaccinations often last much longer than the 12 months often quoted. Some animals may never actually NEED a boster, and in rare cases, boosters have actively HARMED dogs.
In that case, my mum must have been 'Lucky' at least five times in a row.
Her last five dogs that I know of (possibly more before I was born) all lived well into their teens, without ever having any health problems other than growing old.
Her curent dog is 10, never had a jab, and happy & healthy. Her previous 2 dogs lived to the ages of 18, and 19. The 19yo one might have gone into his 20s if he hadn't developed cancer.
Declining vaccinations will not neccesarily cause problems, and I resent the inference that it is 'animal cruelty'.
Our cocker spaniel lived a full and healthy life until a month short of his 15th birthday. He only ever had one set of vaccinations and one booster a year after that, so none from the age of 2, we just couldn't afford it.
Comments
It can be left a couple of months. Your dog will still be immune.
I suppose it depends whether they come into contact with other animals or have walks in places where other animals have been. My vet has treated loads of dogs for parvovirus over the last couple of years and all the ones that died were unvaccinated. Apparently it's transmitted in faeces, vomit and saliva and in warm weather the virus can survive in grass, undergrowth etc. for quite a while outside an animal's body. It got so bad in our area last year that we were advised to stay away from parks and other popular dog walking places for a few months - and that was with a vaccinated dog. Personally i wouldn't risk not doing it if it were 10 times the price.
As for vaccinations being worth while, Distemper was a horrible and common illness in the 70's. It is now pretty rare (though still horrible) thanks to vaccination.
Recently a woman lost six unvaccinated dogs to Parvo - she'd given them homeopathy instead.
The frequency of boosters is debated - some favour a three year protocol (distemper and Hep every three years, Parvo & the other one annually IIRC) but the annual booster is still prefered in this country.
If they're not in contact with other animals and areas where other animals roam then it's arguable they are low risk for contracting any of those conditions that you vaccinate against...
Having said that - you really, really don't want to see what parvo does to a dog...:(
Hope you do the worming regime every six months...
And don't forget - Parvo can be carried into the house on your shoe.
And check your insurance - it may be a condition that the dog is vaccinated annually.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3588457.stm
http://www.cedarbayvet.com/duration_of_immunity.htm
I remember that programme or one similar. The yearly vaccination is just another way to extract more money from people.
Geoff.
Lepto definitively requires 12mthly boosters as no vaccine has yet to be created that actually lasts longer than that...
The parvo is questionable on a yearly basis and argueable that vaccination might extend for longer... The parvo virus mutates which necessitates fresh vaccinations at some point for protection...
The only way to know for sure is to have an anti body test done in advance of vaccine delivery...
Distemper and Parvo are NOT pretty conditions - and with the possible herd effect of vaccination breaking down as less vaccinate then there's an arguable chance the viruses will become more prevalent... I recall reading a while ago of a canine distemper case that occured in Eire... That's a tad frightening if it's back...
Another consideration in my book (other than kennels) is pet insurance... If you need vaccinations to maintain third party liability insurance for your pooch then again, there's not much choice in having them done or not...
Do your own research, and it's still an owner choice, but if you need them done for your insurance policy there's not much further than that you can go...
The testing is done in Glasgow, and they charge about £25 IIRC to test for the common things that you vaccinate against.
However, your vet will add their charges on to that (for taking the bloods and sending them off), and push the price possibly quite a lot higher.
The boarding kennels I use will accept a dog as long as it's either had a booster, or titre, within 12 months.
I just had my dog's booster done today - and it cost £22
So, financially, it ain't worth doing the titre (for me) unless I thought the booster was harming my dog.
You have to vaccinate your pets. Diseases are airbourne in some cases.
He has been lucky. However it is animal cruelty not to vaccinate and effectively shorten lives.
There is much evidence to show that vaccinations often last much longer than the 12 months often quoted. Some animals may never actually NEED a boster, and in rare cases, boosters have actively HARMED dogs.
In that case, my mum must have been 'Lucky' at least five times in a row.
Her last five dogs that I know of (possibly more before I was born) all lived well into their teens, without ever having any health problems other than growing old.
Her curent dog is 10, never had a jab, and happy & healthy. Her previous 2 dogs lived to the ages of 18, and 19. The 19yo one might have gone into his 20s if he hadn't developed cancer.
Declining vaccinations will not neccesarily cause problems, and I resent the inference that it is 'animal cruelty'.