[107barney]

Originally Posted by kjc

I think most give them together. Big dogs can handle it. The only vets that give them separate are the ones that know specifically about Yorkies and the effects of vaccines on small breed dogs.

This is why, as a Yorkie owner, one must educate themselves and be a proactive advocate for one's Yorkie's health.

Many times techs prep the exam room prior to your entry. They look at your chart, see this dog needs X, Y and Z. They pull them from the fridge, mix them up and put them in the room for the vet to give to the dog.

When I enter the exam room, I scan it for anything, especially vaccines. If I see vials with needles, I stop the vet before the exam and say 'What's that?'
The vet says 'Oh Just the vaccines.'
I say' Okay, we'll start there. What are they? Specifically? Let me see them. (and I read the labels) If I see something I don't understand, I ask about it then and there.
'What's this? Lepto? My dog doesn't get Lepto. Or Lymes. Or corona. No flu shot, no Giardia vac, no dental vac, no new vacs'
Vet says 'Well, we've seen 3 cases already this year.'
I say, 'And how many dogs have you seen without it this year? 10,000? 20,000? I am not risking my dog's life for those odds.'

ME: 'I want DHPP today.' And they better show me a vial that says DHPP and nothing else on it. Not
Vet: 'Oh we've run out of that, we're giving DHPPLCv instead.'
Me: 'No, you're not. I'll come back when you get the DHPP in.'

Me, again: 'What's in that 2nd vial? Rabies vac?'
Vet: 'Yes'
Me: 'NO. Not today. I'll be back in one month for the Rabies. Please remove it from this room. Thankyou.'
Vet: 'But it's already prepared.'
Me: 'I don't care. Give it to somebody else.'
Then the Vet starts the exam.

Not to be anal or anything, but many vets will try to sell vaccines. They make money on them. You must learn to say No. You need to protect your pup against this kind of unnecessary vetting.

I recently changed vets and was surprised to learn that vaccines are separated for large dogs! Things are changing and it is no doubt due in part to vocal petowners demanding better care for their dogs. I always suggest people read the AAHA guidelines on vaccines as a starting point on vaccines to learn about the topic and to figure out what questions one must ask of one's vet. If you don't know the right questions to ask, you won't know if the answers you get make sense. As for the syringes being prepared in advance - I too have seen this happen. It became so stressful to banter about lepto every visit that I just had to find a vet with a policy of not vaccinating small breeds with lepto.