injections

[tink7007]

How much are injections for my new puppy?

[lankeela]

Range from �30 - �60 depending on where you live. Phone round several vets in your area. The bigger groups with veterinary hospitals tend to charge more than the 'one man band' type of vet. Mine lets you pay for the first one, and then pay the rest when you have the second one.

[YvonneM]

If you are on benefits the PDSA might be able to help with cheaper injections. Don't be conned into thinking you have to have the injections boosted every year if your dogs are in contact with other dogs they will be boosted naturally . My lab is 14 and has never had booster injections as did my too previous labs. Children don't have to have their vaccinations boosted every year. The only exception is if you are putting your dog in kennels they will ask for up to date certificates.

[lankeela]

I agree, once my puppies have had the first course of puppy jabs I do not get them done again, unless there is an outbreak of something like parvo or distemper in my area, which has not happened yet. I would also get the leptospirosis jab done if one was bitten by a rat.

Most vets give two jabs at a two weekly interval, but some give three.

[ProperBoPeep]

Lankeela and Yvonne M- I am concerned about your advice given here.

Normal dog vaccines include vaccinations against:

Distemper.
Hepatitis
Parvovirus
Parainfluenza
Leptospirosis.

Antibodies (protection) from the intial set of vaccines last a variable length of time in each individual animal, but a year is about average. Therefore it makes no sense to only have the injections once and then never again - this is particularly true with regard to leptospirosis.

Newer vaccines are changing and some may advocate once every 2-3 years for all but the Lepto part. This still needs to be done yearly.

Worryingly I have seen 2 cases of Parvovirus this year in dogs that had puppy vaccines and no further ones. One died and was 5 years old. The other one survived.

I feel concern about the word "conned" used - honestly, these vaccines are given for a reason!! If everyone had their dogs vaccinated, we would probably see the end of some of the diseases listed above.

Another note to all - pet care is not like a supermarket - cheapest it not always best. Find out what you get for the price and find what the practice will offer you.

For example - if you have your vaccine and your pet has a problem with it - is there a vet on call, or are you expected to go to an emergency clinic, which may be several miles away!

[YvonneM]

Read this
http://www.freewebs.com/novaxx/

[ProperBoPeep]

Yvonne M

I have personally blood tested animals for antibodies to the vaccinated diseases after 1 year to see if booster injections are required. Certainly there are some animals that come back showing they still have a good response and don't need vaccinating. However there are also some dogs which (worryingly) even at 1 year post vaccination have lower than suitable antibodies.

What this means is that in an ideal world you would test each animal each year before each vaccination. I am happy to do this - but bear in mind the blood tests are around �50-80 and you may still have to have a "booster" injection anyway.

Currently we have to aim to revaccinate at an interval which will provide cover to the majority of dogs.

The same would go for worming - in an ideal world I would test each animal every 3 months with a faecal test to see if they needed worming - then only treat if there was a problem. I am happy to do this but in most cases the cost of this is prohibitive to most people, and so we have to "blanket" worm to ensure effective treatment.

I still maintain there is little evidence to suggest that so-called "over-vaccination" is a problem and I still say I see more dogs and cats die from preventable diseases, than I do from "over-vaccination".

We are unfortunately becoming a nation of people whereby "internet-is-gospel". I strongly suggest each individual pet owner talks to a VET who KNOWS what they are talking about and will give you accurate and PROFESSIONAL advice.

On a final note - people often say to me "we don't vaccinate human on a yearly basis, so why dogs?" I think one of the ways to simplify this is that in actual fact 1 year of human time is approximately equal to 7 years of dog time. Therefore in relative terms we are only vaccinating once every 7 years. Food for thought......