Vets - Page 1

hi i want some advice i just went to a new vet for my gsd because my other vety wouldnt take him(they wanted him fixed) so i went to a new vet i domnt know much about her but people recomend another vet place so i went there. i let my parents take the dog and she started talking about all these crazy shots that i never herad of that he HAD to get. So my question is what shot from 8weeks - 1 yr should a dog get that will keep him nice and healthy.
i usally get the provo, tempement, rabies, and one other shot forgot sorry. but thats all i got on my blk lab. i dont want her to get over on me so they can make money 

DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza and Parvo) and Rabies,  that's it . I may get flack for this, but I don't normally vaccinate MY OWN dogs for rabies until 8 or so months old, and never get
more then one at a time. My vet has never given me any problems about my choice of vaccination protocall, or mentioned I HAVE to get any of mine
fixed. He loves working dogs and is the old farm type vet. Doesn't offer stuff you don't need/want, no extra procedures no BS. I also don't vaccinate every year and
feed a mostly raw diet. My vet is always very impressed with the health of my dogs and agrees with my methods.

Melissa

Agree with melba.  Destemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluinza, Parvo, and rabies.  I follow the rabies schedule as required by law and no more.  As for the others I vaccinate every 3 years and don't give 2 shots at once.  

We way over vaccinate here in the U.S. My dogs get vaccines every three years.  I do the 5 way and rabies.

the only shots I get in addition to the ones above are the ones the places I go to for training require.  Usually bordatella.

if a GSD walks on his toes instead of his hawks is that bad i herd about this but alwasy wanted to know

None of mine walk on their hocks... They are not supposed to.

The only Vaccines I do is Dap (distemper advenovirus and Parvo) at 8, 12, 15 wks, booster at 1 year then every 3 years. I do Leptosporosis once a year since I have A LOT of wildlife in my area and it has been seen! And of course rabies as required by law. We have 5 to 6 rabies cases per year in my area! I do not do the Bordetella, Influenza or Lyme. I have thought about doing the Lyme vaccine since I also get a lot of ticks. But have been sticking with Just keeping up with Advantix. 

I think instead of your parents going to the vet with your dog, probably you should have gone so you understood what vaccines the vet wanted to give and why.  In our office, we "recommend" DHPP (Distemper-Hepatitis-Parvo-Para Influenza), Rabies, Lepto4, Lyme & Bordetella for all puppies.  However, we do have breeders that do no want to give their pups Lepto, Bordetella or Lyme. 

I personally, have seen what Lepto AND Lyme can do to a dog... (and Lepto is contagious to humans). HOWEVER, I live out in the country, on a farm... and I feel those vaccines are useful to MY DOGS (i.e., we have all kinds of wildlife, stagnet water, etc).  If you live in the city... you may not ever need to give Lepto.  If you never kennel/board your dog... you may not want/need to give Bordetella. 

Re: Lyme... I've seen small dogs where the owner says "they only go out to pee", come up Positive for Lyme.  I personally have had two dogs with the disease.  One died from it (even though I was diligent with flea/tick product... he was not vaccinated for it)... so for me... that vaccine is something I want.  None of my three current GSD's have contracted it and are vaccinated for it. 

IF you choose to separate your vaccines.. you must do it several weeks apart (at least three).

I would never go to a vet who wants to annually vaccinate your pet for Rabies or Distemper.  The fact is that they have done testing and KNOW that they last for at least 3 years... and in all reality probably last double that.... but for Rabies its the law...