I don't think over vaccination to get your dog in for a routine exam is in the animal's best interest. A person can still get a reminder card for a preventative exam if the vet is so concerned.

I have pulled many many many ticks off of Callie even when on a preventive and with Lyme being a problem here I felt it was better to go with the Lyme vaccine. I haven't done extrem research and do plan on talking to my vet about a titer. I feel like being protected against some forms is still better then being protected against none.

You are right. I agree.

I agree, I'd take my dogs in annually whether or not they are due for a vaccination. I want annual blood work done, and urinanalysis and stool.

It is a matter of selling good preventative health care to your pet owners.

Really? I asked my vet about a titer for rabies...she told me they don't have one yet...and unfortunately in the state of Mass it is mandated they be vaccinated every 3 yrs.

Titers can only tell you the number of antibodies in the blood volume. A dog w/ a positive titer (has antibodies) could have humoral immunity, but does not have cellular mediated immunity (therefore, get infected). A dog w/ a negative titer may not have humoral immunity (no antibodies), but they did develop cell-mediated immunity (and therefore, will fight an infection).

So, it's not that titers are inaccurate, it's just that they can't give you a complete picture to know your pet is covered. Where titers can be really useful is - let's say you found a stray in an unhealthy condition, took her to the vet, you may decide to titer the stray so that you can see if the dog has a positive titer, and if she does - you could consider not vaccinating her at that time.

To the OP, we do only Core vaccines for our kiddos; and we follow Dodd's.

These shots drive me crazy. I took BJ to our regular Vet when I got her at 7 weeks (too young but breeder disccovered she had cancer and had to sell litter of yorkies and maltese) . They examined her and gave me a little book with a series of shots to be given at 4 intervals. I don't know what they are other than distemper and rabies. My little Yorkie I lost in Oct. died of cancer at 10 years of age. She was never around other dogs. Occasionally I took her walks but she had a very large enclosed patio and I would take her a walk in the yard on a leash since she was a runner and the yard is too big. BJ is pad trained since she didn't even weigh 2 lbs. and it is too cold to let her outside. My dogs are house dogs and they go with me in the car. If I go in a pet shop I carry them. I wonder if all these shots are necessary. I also was told she is too young (12 weeks) to get her rabies shot. They called and ssid she is due for another round of shots.

Keep in mind that other dogs are not the only carriers of the diseases for which these vaccines protect against. Other animals are a concern, and humans can track things like parvo into or around your home.

I understand questioning the need for these vaccines. I don't fully understand. My previous dogs never had anything but rabies vaccs after they completed the puppy protocols.

My boy will get a one year booster (one year since his first known vaccines -- he was found on the street) DHPP + rabies + lepto. Then every 3 years he will get DHPP and rabies. He will get lepto yearly. I'd probably give the DHPP less, but we do have a contract and it is somewhat required. Because this is the AAHA protocol, I see no reason to titer.

The girl is done with everything except rabies. She has too many issues to have to process unnecessary vaccines. Her distemper titer is low. I don't lose sleep over it. I just ignore it now. lol. More than likely she has cellular immunity.

I don't do bordetella. I'm not sure that the current protocol being used, esp. with the intranasal, is even appropriate. My dogs both had kennel cough. It wasn't THAT bad. So unless there was an underlying health problem that made KC very dangerous, I see no reason to give it to my dogs.

We have no reason to give lyme. I don't think there are any others worth considering. No, I wouldn't vaccinate my dog for the flu. That is way too new for my liking.

I'm worried about both over and under vaccination. I personally would not give several noncore vaccines every year. Then it just gets into vaccinating for everything all the time instead of a true risk analysis (IMO). I would not give core vaccine (DHP) yearly after the one year booster.

Thank you. I guess vacines are a puzzle to a lot of people. I will get the vaccines and I made a mistake, BJ is 16 weeks old. She is all I have now.

I don't immunize my children with unnecessary medications, I don't immunize my dogs with unnecessary medications. I have issues with them giving the same shot to a 3 pound yorkie that they give to a 100 pound lab. It's seems to be a bit much!

If it were purely a business decision, why would vets always recommend titers instead of the shots after the first year? They would make more money. I think when you see the harm not having the shots can do, you are more likely to believe in the shots.

My vet gives the amount of vaccine in accordance with her weight, sometimes making it necessary to split into two shots. I would rather give the shot and be safe than take a chance with her life. I just lost one little yorkie after 10 years of love and devotion. It was from a fast growing cancer, but we did give her shots when needed.
I agree we all are concerned with costs now and some vets do take advantage but I love this little dog and there are too many dogs running around that never get shots and we don't know what they carry. Someone brought up a good point when I told that my baby is a house pet and is not exposed to other dogs. They told me we carry things into the house on our feet from walking where dogs have walked even if our pet doesn't . Like the old saying, Better Safe than Sorry.
PS. Check other vets and ask the price of certain shots and the office call.:animal-pa

I meant to say why "wouldn't" not why would.

Nancy there are many vets who indeed care about their bottom line - getting a client in every year for the "booster." There is also the fact that many vets stand in stubborn opposition to what the science says. And the science is that dogs have no benefit from re-vaccination if they are already immune. Not one vet school in the US says annual vaccines are necessary yet many vets continue to do it. I find that a middle of the road approach works for me and my pets -- I follow AAHA recommendations and choose a vet who decides what individually is best for each of my dogs rather than a vet who is either milking my wallet for stupidity or just behind the times.