# Necessary Vaccinations?



## Kobi (Oct 26, 2010)

Kobi is due for his rabies vaccination, and I am going to take him in. The vet also has a laundry list of vaccinations/other stuff that they would probably like to do. Personally, I'm not interested in paying for things that aren't actually necessary, and I know the vet I use errs on the excessive side based on past experience.

I've done some of my own research on the subject as far as what is needed and what is not needed. I believe the rabies vaccination is the only one that is required. I figured I'd check here for other opinions since most of our members are pretty well educated dog owners 

Kobi is 18 months. Here is what the Vet has listed as "due"

*Canine Cough Vaccine* 
*Intestinal Parasite Screen* 
*Heartworm Check - Positive* - well winter is winding down and obviously there are no mosquitoes. See no reason for this.
*Canine Rabies Vaccination* - gotta get this, obviously
*Dhlp And Parvo Vaccination* - had as a puppy, but shouldn't a healthy puppy be okay?

For what it's worth he's with me 100% of the time. He doesn't go to the dog park since he gets his exercise from running with me or playing with my girlfriend's puppy (also healthy). We don't use a doggy day care, dog walker, or any sort of boarding service. I think he's very healthy and his exposure to these risks are low.


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## kristen (Oct 18, 2011)

I'd get the Parvo one for sure. At 18 months I am guessing that's his parvo booster. They get 3 as pups, then that booster a year or so later. Parvo is pretty serious, and they can pick it up from contaminated ground, years after any infected poop has been there.
The kennel cough one is controversial. I know a few pups that have gotten kennel cough even thou they've been vaccinated. I personally wouldn't feel the need to get this one if hes not in daycare or boarded etc.

I plan on getting Odin's heartworm bloodwork done this spring as well as his stool sample test for parasites. I am a better safe than sorry kinda person, and $50 on a test vs. thousands if he gets sick... its a worthy expense in my eyes.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Mine get a heart worm check with their yearly check up, even though the are on a heart worm preventive.
Kennel Cough Vaccine every 6 months. The others when due and a Rattle snake Vaccine yearly. The cost is cheap compared to treatment of one of these diseases.


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## Emily1970 (Apr 21, 2011)

I get all of those vaccines plus a leptospirosis shot. The lepto shot is not really necessary probably, but we just get them all in a bundle. Bordatello is very important. They can get bordatello very easily. Even if vaccinated, but maybe not as bad a case.


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## raps702 (Dec 19, 2010)

Well we just took Axel in last week for his shots. (16months old)

Wellness Physical Exam- $68.00
Rabies- Canine- $30.00
DHPP PureVax-Biennial- $29.00
Fecal Analysis-Internal Parasites $42.00
Synovi G3 Chews-120 count (glucasamine tabs for strong bones)- $58.00
Interceptor tabs- $40.69

Total with tax- $277.90

For some reason I thought the bill would be under $100... Not even close...


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## Kobi (Oct 26, 2010)

Whew, that's one heck of a bill!

I already have to pay an extra $35 a year because my dog is with nuts vs. without. I understand why the city does it... but come on... I'm being taxed for not cutting my dog's nuts off?!


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## redrover (Mar 17, 2011)

Just so you know, my vet refuses to give a heartworm preventative prescription without a negative heartworm test, even if they've never tested positive and the dog is on preventative throughout heartworm season. So you may not really have a choice on that one.

And yep, my city charges extra for a license if the dog isn't altered. Drives me crazy! I get it...but also find it ridiculous.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

raps702 said:


> Well we just took Axel in last week for his shots. (16months old)
> 
> Wellness Physical Exam- $68.00
> Rabies- Canine- $30.00
> ...


I love my vet and her prices. I'm gonna cry if she ever retires. She charges half of what most of the vets do in my area and deals with a lot of sporting dogs. Last year was her first price increase in ten years. She apologized for having to raise her office fee to $40.


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Kobi said:


> Whew, that's one heck of a bill!
> 
> I already have to pay an extra $35 a year because my dog is with nuts vs. without. I understand why the city does it... but come on... I'm being taxed for not cutting my dog's nuts off?!


WOW, you guys are really overcharged. I have to pay only $10 extra for keeping Sam's nuts dangling here in Richmond Hill, Canada. I asked why, city responded it's insurance for possible damages my dog might do ???
I think I pay $25 total for a dog license. 
No other booster vaccines except rabies. All else is a waste of money and may even contribute to increased canine cancer rates. There is a book published, I think it's titled "Shock to the system" and it's all about over vaccination.


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## pippa31 (Aug 2, 2011)

We moved last year and it wasn't until we found our new vet that I realized how grossly overcharged we were being at the old vet.

Our 2 cats' annual exams/shots went from being 350.00 to under 100.

We have NEVER paid a vet bill for Pippa (our V) that was over 150.00 EXCEPT when she was spayed (spay operation was around 350.00). Even when she got all her shots as a puppy....

Our new vet has also waived their office visit fee (45.00) when they are just checking Pips quickly for something....our old office charges us 75$ to walk in the door.

Don't know what all this means....except that I am glad I found our new vet!! (Who, BTW, also did not push us to spay until WE were ready!!!!)


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## Kobi (Oct 26, 2010)

I made an appointment for Kobi's Rabies and Parvo vaccinations today... at a new vet  Obviously I have not been satisfied with the pricing at the old one so I'm going to take him where my girlfriend has been taking their dogs. 

After looking at a bit more information, I decided to go ahead with the Parvo vaccination again (along with Rabies). Everything else I'm not concerned about at the moment.

Thanks everyone for the input!


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## finch (Sep 19, 2011)

In our area, we have a low-cost dog wellness clinic once a month at a local pet store, so we go there for the routine shots. Finch has actually never been to a real "vet office" except for her spay and we used a $90 spay certificate for that (http://www.friendsofanimals.org/programs/spay-neuter/). We tend to err on the holistic medicine side of things for our 3 dogs, but they do get rabies and kennel cough. Finch had all the standard puppy vaccinations when she in the rescue. We had to resort to Advantix flea & tick meds last year b/c they were REALLY bad last year, but we always try the natural methods first.
*Prices for our local wellness clinic (http://www.petquartersne.com/calendar/bangor.html):
*Canine Distemper / Parvo (3yr) $18
Canine Rabies (1 or 3yr) $12
Kennel Cough Vaccine $16
Lyme Disease Vaccine $24
Heartworm / Lyme Disease Test $40
Microchipping $40
Worming $5 - $12 Depending on size​


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Having had two dogs back in the 1970s (both hard-luck cases) who came to me with heartworm infestations, and having nursed them back to health, I won't ever skip the heartworm test. Willie is on heartworm prevention all year, but I still get him tested. (All it takes is one mosquito in the house.) I do tend to skip the one for kennel cough because Willie will not be boarded and is not allowed to interact with strange dogs. I do everything else the Vet suggests. His prices are very reasonable. Unlike other types of parasites, heartworms will kill your dog pretty quickly.


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## Suliko (Sep 17, 2011)

About Bordatella vaccination... Since Sophie attends doggy day care once a week, this vaccine is mandatory. However, she still somehow caught kennel cough even with it. She was put on a 10-day antibiotic course and was fine. I notified the day care, and they told me no one else there had it (or at least to their knowledge no one else had it). So, even with the vaccine, the pups can get the kennel caugh


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