AimeeM Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 If you've had a rescue with scattered/inconsistent records, did you just do all vaccinations over? Obi's records are pretty scattered, and while we do have some, some is also just "say-so". I'm taking him in next week to our new vet for a general exam, but I'm curious what your experience here has been. Is there a "better" way to do this? Is this something the vet will have a lot of experience with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 The vet will likely have had plenty of experience with that. I suspect most vets would recommend re-vaccinating to get him caught up on everything. That's what most rescue groups do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 This is not an ara where I have any expertise, but my understanding is that there are "titer tests" available that can determine if a dog has active antibodies to diseases like distemper, parvo, and even rabies. If you are concerned about over vaccination it might be something to explore. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted November 28, 2014 Author Share Posted November 28, 2014 The vet will likely have had plenty of experience with that. I suspect most vets would recommend re-vaccinating to get him caught up on everything. That's what most rescue groups do. Thank you. We've never had experience with a dog w/o records. I wasn't sure if it was safe to re-do all vaccinations. Do they space them, like they would a child? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted November 28, 2014 Author Share Posted November 28, 2014 This is not an ara where I have any expertise, but my understanding is that there are "titer tests" available that can determine if a dog has active antibodies to diseases like distemper, parvo, and even rabies. If you are concerned about over vaccination it might be something to explore. Bill That's a great idea. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 I've titred before but generally speaking, in a dog with an unknown hx rescues just do the basic vax. (mostly because titres are as expensive or MORE than just doing the vax) It will be the basic rabies (& then most people never do it again, unless crossing the border. We have no requirement to reboost that one here.) + parvo, distemper, & IIRC adenovirus. (Plus deworm & deflea.)Most vets & clinics here will follow some version of the AAH protocol. It's very regional - some diseases are very prevalent in certain regions & not in others so what you'll vax for will vary.You can check it out yourself - they include guidelines for 'initial dosage in adult dog' which is what you'd be doing. http://www.aahanet.org/PublicDocuments/VaccineGuidelines06Revised.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 I have a friend who worked in a vet for a long time and rescues strays. She feels very strongly about getting titers done and not over-vaccinating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 If you don't have actual records from actual vets, then, yes, you should treat him as a never-been-vaccinated dog. Not a huge deal in an adult dog. Take all the records you have to your vet. They'll figure out what he needs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 pps. Titers are very expensive. For instance, at dh's hospital, for about $80 or so (100ish if you include Bordetella), you could get an exam and rabies and a DHLPP (or DHPP if in a non-leptospirosis endemic area). Titers are going to run 80-150 each . . . So, expect several hundred dollars in titers if you choose them. Titers are not necessarily available for all those vaccines (DHLPP is actually FIVE vaccines in one. . .) Rabies is legally mandated, so if you don't have legal vet records for that one, you MUST get it. Choose a good vet, and do what they say to do. One set of extra vaccines in a dog's live is not a big deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted November 28, 2014 Author Share Posted November 28, 2014 If you don't have actual records from actual vets, then, yes, you should treat him as a never-been-vaccinated dog. Not a huge deal in an adult dog. Take all the records you have to your vet. They'll figure out what he needs. He isn't an adult at all. He is only barely 5 months old. It appears that he had his very first vaccinations, but little (or nothing) after the initial vaccinations. If I recall, with Luke, there were several that were two-tier vaccines, and needed follow-ups, in the first year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 He isn't an adult at all. He is only barely 5 months old. It appears that he had his very first vaccinations, but little (or nothing) after the initial vaccinations. If I recall, with Luke, there were several that were two-tier vaccines, and needed follow-ups, in the first year. At 5 mod old, just start fresh, as if he was never vaccinated. For sure. He won't need a bunch of "puppy boosters" because he is past the age where that is needed. He'll just need one or two visits now (3 weeks apart) and then boosters a year later. Don't waste your $ on titers now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 Our girl was about 2 when she was brought in from off the street. She was not microchipped, no collar, no idea of her history. They did (or redid, we don't know) all the vaccines she needed. We've had her a little over a year now and she's on a regular annual adult dog vaccine schedule now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 an aside, but there isn't really annual dog vaccine schedule per se. if you live in a rabies mandated area (I don't) you may have to do that one & if you take your dog to daycare or very popular dog parks, you would need bordatella & perhaps some other regional vax but generally speaking, once your core "puppy series" is done, you're either done or you might choose to titre/boost but much less frequently than annually. Many vaccines provide years or even possibly lifelong immunity & do not need boosting. I'm a big supporter of vaccines but there's no doubt that many vet vaccines are over administered. Your pet still needs an annual wellness exam but it doesn't necessarily need vaccines. There is a rabies vaccine challenge study going on right now to test the duration of the rabies vaccine but current serology data indicates immunity for many yrs http://www.rabieschallengefund.org/ I personally follow Dr Dodd's vax schedule http://drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/66693331640/dodds-dog-vaccination-protocol-2013-2014 My guys had their shots when I adopted them, & I needed to get rabies vax for Darwin because I was transporting him across the border (he's my American boy LOL) & that's been pretty much it. I titred Daisy a few years, I boosted Darwin a few years ago, Bear I'm leaving alone altogether.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 Vaccine schedule according to her vet :) She gets rabies (required here to be licensed in our city and to go to dog parks which we occasionally do) and bordatella (we kennel her on occasion if we go out of town and that's required). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.