Bare Minimum Vaccines???
 

I will be bringing my Silky-Poo puppy home next week when he will be almost 9 weeks old. I want to be educated about the vaccines/vet stuff I need to do right away, because I don't want to do everything the vet wants just because they say so. My inclination is to do the minimum # of vaccines for my pup to stay healthy. I don't want to go overboard! I just think there are too many risks with vaccines.

Any advice on this?! It's so hard to research as everyone has different opinions! I just can't seem to figure this out!

I would definitely recommend all rounds of puppy shots and the one year booster shot. You want your baby to have proper immunity to disease. After that, I like Dr. Dodd's protocol. Katie was due for her booster this spring, and I had her blood titered to check her immunity. The vaccines scare me, but I also need to know that Katie is protected. The Lepto and Corona part of the vaccines are questionable for Yorkies, and mine never had them. Good luck with your puppy!

Dr. Jean Dodds' Pet Health Resource Blog | Dr. Dodds' 2012 Canine Vaccination Protocol

http://www.wvgdc.org/html/Dr.%20Dodd...20Protocol.pdf

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Thank you! Do you think my vet would be offended if I printed out that page and just asked what she thought of it? I could just say, "I heard this is a conservative protocol and that interests me- how do you feel about this?" And then in the end it really is up to me, right?!

Small breed puppies should stay with there moms until 12 weeks

Definitely :) I think if you have a good vet, or trust in your vet, all will be fine. I know it is hard to 'stand up' to them sometimes because after all, they are the professional. And I have caved before (Jackson went under for a dental cleaning in April, and the tech told me he needed bordatella before the surgery, it's not something I had any desire to do again, but kinda just went 'okay' because he needed the surgery. I think had I spoken to the actual vet, it wouldn't have been a problem).

But anywho, he was due for rabies shot in May so we do follow the law on that (every 3 yrs) and they also asked me if I wanted to do DHP as well since it had been 3 years (since he was 1 year old), I politely said no thanks we'll be skipping those. And that was that.

At your first vet visit, I would just ask if you can just do DHPP and avoid lepto, corona or lyme (non-core vaccines). Rabies is given between 16 weeks or later depending on your county laws. Then you go back around 1 year of age for a booster of DHPP and rabies (preferably on different days). Then you won't have to worry about it for 3 years so you can have time to research and think about it. :)

I posted some info in these threads, you may want to read:
http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/4254265-post41.html

PS- I got Jackson at 9 weeks old and we haven't had any problems. :)

You guys are awesome! Thank you! :) Is the DHPP one vaccine or could you choose not to get certain parts of it if you wanted? I just want to be super careful cuz my baby is SO tiny!!

I've heard some people say this, but around here everyone seems to send them away from their mamas at 8 weeks! They are choosing to keep mine about a week longer. A coworker told me 8 weeks was old and 5 weeks was more common- I thought that was just crazy!

DHPP is a "combo" vaccine. Then you have DHLPP which includes lepto (I personally would opt not to do this. I know personally my dog had a horrid reaction as a puppy, I never again want to see that, little dogs are known for reactions to lepto).

DHPP is distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and parainfluenza. Most vets just have them all in one -- though I think there are ways to do them individually (like if you just wanted DHP, without the parainfluenza). Hopefully someone else can chime in on that.

If it's easier, maybe discuss with your vet if she feels lepto is prevalent in your area or not and if it's even worth getting, maybe tell her your breeder advised you not to (I know a lot of breeders actually do this).

But basically core vaccines are:
distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus
and then rabies

Non-core would be corona, lepto, lymes, flu vaccine, bordatella. I would personally opt not to do any of these.

I wish I would've been more knowledgeable when I got Jackson, bringing him to the vet at 12 weeks and having him have such a terrible reaction was really awful. Wish I would've read up BEFORE bringing him to the vet. If I could do it over, I'd only do DHP (no parainfluenza) 3x (8 weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks) then booster at a year. Jackson ended up getting DHPP (8 weeks), DHLPP (12 weeks- with reaction), then DHPP at 16 weeks. Rabies he didn't get until 6 months old or so. We boosted at one year, and he hasn't had any shots since except rabies as required by law every 3yrs and he's had bordatella a few times (with bad luck, always seems to get sick somehow) so never again on that one either for us.

Yes well the Yorkshire Terrier Club of America who makes the standard for the yorkie say reputable breeders keep a puppy until 12 weeks and that, that is what is best for the puppy. Most states its illegal to sell a pup before 8 weeks. Just because lots of people are doing it does not make it right. A puppy learns a lot from there mom up until 12 weeks. Breeders who give them away before 12 weeks don't have the best interest of the dog at heart and are simply interested in only money. Puppies gotten before 12 weeks most often have biting issues, socialization issues, and potty training issues. Even the ASPCA says puppies should not leave there parents before 12 weeks.

You also know that Jackson came from a bad breeder.

Nine weeks is well within the code of ethics for both the Poodle and Silky Clubs. age requirementsvare hotly debated; however, the US tends to spend much more energy enforcing the 'rules' than other countries. Not everyone loks at the YTCA as the authorty, so not everyone will follow their guidelines. There are fery falud concerns about keeping puppies for too long resulting in reduced individualuzed socialization. Each situation should be assessed separately. There is a large number of YTCA breeders that clearly have a lot to learn.

DHP is necessary. Two to four sets depending on when they are started. The last set shoud be gven at or after 16 weeks. It should be redone a year later, then pick from a variety of protocols. I'd do it no more often than every 3 years.
for my digs though, we do it quite a bit less than that.
Rabies is required.
Lepto should he carefully considered.

You guys are all SO helpful!

Also- I think my baby might have some Yorkie in him after all?! I know the dad is a Silky Terrier, but I need to find out if the mom is a Toy Poodle or a Yorkie-Poo. She looks totally poodle to me, but to make a long story short I think she might have some Yorkie, too. I'll be finding this out soon. It's just fun to know. :)

I'm thinking I will start off with distemper, hepatitis, and parvovirus unless the vet has any HUGE objections- like if there's something else that's a really big problem in the area or something. Then of course the rabies vaccine will be a bit later on. :)

Do any of you guys know about what price I should plan on paying for these shots? Do you usually pay up front and then go back the 3x, or do you pay individually each time?

I just want to know what to plan for, and make sure I don't go to a vet that's crazy outrageous or something!

Thanks!

OH and is there a point where my posts will no longer have to be approved before being posted, or does that apply to everyone?

One more question!

How do you guys feel about heart worm medication? I know there is really no such thing as a "preventative", and it's really just treating your dogs monthly "just in case". I would never dream of giving my pet heartguard during the winter months, but I'm still deciding what to do during the summer months?! I don't feel right about poisoning my dog. I feel like it would be similar to me taking antibiotics constantly "just in case"! It's so bad for your body! But at the same time, I don't want to constantly be paranoid about my dog getting heart worm?! I have read tons about how it's actually SUPER rare, especially in my state. But I'm still just not sure what to do. :/

Yep. And if I could do it over again, I would do it the same. I think 9 weeks is a good age personally. I feel he would have been worse off had he had 3 more weeks in that person's house. Not that he was being mistreated or anything but I'm glad I got to begin bonding even earlier with him. Thousands of dogs go to their new homes, big and small, at 8 weeks and are absolutely fine.

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