[Julie822]

Thank you in advance for taking the time to read this. I apologize for the length of this post, but I wanted to include all of the pertinent information and I couldn’t think of any other way to do it.

I am absolutely freaking out, and DESPERATELY seeking some help! My boyfriend, David, took our 3-4 year old dog (not exactly sure of his age, since he is a rescue), Diesel, to the vet yesterday for his annual checkup. I was going to go with them, but I was exercising at the time and Dave was trying to do me a favor by going alone and taking care of it.

Just some background: due to the fact that Diesel was a rescue, when we first got him we had no information regarding when or if he had ever received any vaccines at all. When we took him to the vet in October 2008, he received the following vaccines: Da2PPv, which I believe covers distemper, parainfluenza, and parvovirus. He was also given a rabies vaccination that was specifically good for one year (since they were unsure if he had received one previously and didn’t want to over vaccinate). He also received a bordatella booster that October and then again in May 2009, which I have now come to understand that he really doesn’t need for a variety of reasons (but that’s a whole different story altogether).

Anyway, after receiving some excellent advice/ information through this site from another member, John B. Symes, DVM aka “DogtorJ”, regarding vaccination scheduling, I made sure to print out that information and send it with my boyfriend to the vet. We had never been to this particular vet before, and I was concerned about the possibility of over vaccinating. As Dr. Symes mentioned in his post, most vets are still vaccinating annually for many things in spite of the fact that the AAHA changed the vaccination recommendations to every three years for the ‘Core’ vaccines. So, based on that information, all Diesel really needed was a rabies shot that was good for three years, since the other one had expired.

Once David and Diesel arrived at the vet, he said he felt incredibly rushed and pressured. After attempting to voice his concerns, asking several questions, and presenting them with Diesel’s previous medical history, the doctor proceeded to administer an intranasal Bordatella booster and a rabies vaccination. Then, he looked over Diesel’s medical/ vaccination history and matter-of-factly determined that Diesel was also due for additional vaccines. Before Dave could even ask what these vaccines were and what they were for, the doctor had already given Diesel a second injection in the same area where he had administered the rabies vaccine! According to the paperwork from yesterday’s visit, Diesel’s vaccination certificate states that he was vaccinated for all of the following yesterday: Rabies, Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis (which, to the best of my knowledge, Diesel had never been vaccinated for before), Parainfluenza, Parvo, Corona (again, I don’t think he was ever vaccinated for that before), and Bordatella. In fact, according to the ‘Vaccination Certificate’, the only thing Diesel was NOT vaccinated against yesterday was Lymes!

Needless to say, both Dave and I are SICK over this. We have both cried so much, and we feel taken advantage of, totally helpless, and scared to death for Diesel. I have been on the internet nonstop (particularly yorkietalk, AAHA, etc.) and I have seen so many horror stories about overvaccinating, not to mention the individual problems both immediate and long-term associated with the Leptospirosis and Corona vaccines. I feel like we were duped into pumping our beloved pet full of unnecessary poison and chemicals, and the guilt is hurting me so much. We love Diesel as if he were our son, and we are both so scared that we have put his health at risk.

Realistically, how bad is this? As of right now, the only reaction Diesel is having is some swelling and tenderness localized to the injection site. Can being vaccinated for Lepto and Corona just one time cause all of the horrible side effects I have read about? Have we hurt our little boy forever? Could someone please help me out, I’m begging for some answers.

Thank you in advance for any help or advice offered, I can’t put into words how appreciative and grateful I am for this forum and the caring and knowledgeable members here.