Vet visits
How many of you know people who do not get their pets vetted? I was speaking to someone the other day who told me they lost their dog to Heartworm, and someone else I know has a rescue that he has never taken in for vaccinations. How is this possible?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Yuki & Ellie on
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All of my animals go to the veterinarian, from the dogs to the ferrets. Yes, even ferrets need vaccines and regular check-ups. I do sometimes feel that there is too much done (for example, I wish it were legal in NY to use titers to determine the need for vaccine.) For the most part, though, I'm happy to take the animals in for their yearly vet visits.
Regarding things like flea and heartworm meds, I go with what I feel comfortable with. I give flea treatments from April through November (the months that are typically warm enough for flea activity) and heartworm year round.
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Permalink Reply by Marcie on
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Last year I stopped flea/tick treatment in November. Becca got the tick that we think caused her lyme in December. I live in Maine and had assumed that the hard frosts had killed off the offenders.
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November is the last treatment that I give, since it tends to swing between warm and cool weather where I live. December, January, Febrary, and March are the months where I don't treat unless the weather is warm.
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Permalink Reply by Rachelle N on
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Here's a useful 2011 article on updated vaccine guidelines that a lot of vets still choose to ignore in favor of giving yearly boosters that might not be needed at all:
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/10/27...
The vaccination checklist in the book Vet Confidential by Louise Murray, D.V.M. outlines which vaccines are considered core and which are noncore. I've used the list as a discussion starting point for designing a personalized vaccine protocol with my vet.
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Just wanted to add that since all dogs have varied lifestyles and live in different regions I think the best advice is to go to a vet you trust and follow his or her advice regarding vaccines and heartworm prevention. Losing a dog to heartworm or to a disease that could have been prevented with a vaccination is heartbreaking.
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Permalink Reply by Linda on
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Sam....what I was seeing with Gemma's eyes didn't look like what had been treated before so I decided a vet visit was best. Very glad I did. So far the pressure in her eyes is holding steady. I don't know what I will do if she loses her sight, she is a very skittish cat to begin with.
And an FYI....if you need people meds for any of your critters (dog or cat) and they will be staying on it go to Walgreen's to have it filled. They have a discount program you can join...it was set up for people who don't have pharmacy coverage on their health insurance. They set Gemma up with a discount card even tho they know she's a cat. It would normally be $10 a refill but with the discount it's only $7.
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Upstate, a couple of hours from the Canadian border.
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My pets all go to the vet yearly at the very least. I have even taken my lizards. My last cat and dog were on the vet's frequent flyer program. I've noticed my bills were not nearly as high for their chronic issues as a friends who went only when a problem was bad.
I think the economic down turn has caused many people to have to make hard choices. Food goes on the table and electric bills are paid, there is nothing left for the vet.
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Jen....I live in Kingston, not quite an hour south of Albany. Grew up in Albany, moved down here when I got married.
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Permalink Reply by Chris Payerl on
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There are reasons why some people do not vaccinate their dogs. Sophie has epilepsy and some of the vaccinations are known triggers for seizures, plus they provide immunity WAY longer than the year to three years recommended for the next round. Also, it is hard on a dog's (or human child's) immune system to get ALL the shots for ALL the illnesses at one time. We got Sophie from a rescue group; she had been an owner surrender and came with records. As a little pup, she had gotten vaccinations for rabies, bordatella, distemper, lepto, parvo, Lyme, and something else which I can't think of right now all at one visit! No wonder she started blowing seizures and wound up in rescue. We have never vaccinated her since we have had her (7 years) and her titer testing for the various antibodies always show sufficient levels. Personally, I do think many vets go a little crazy with all the vaccinations, just like I think human doctors go a little crazy with all the shots, too. Just my opinion. I teach elementary school and we are recommended to get a flu shot every year. Each year I have had one, I got a terrible flu -- not because the shot made me sick but because it didn't address the virus that I wound up getting. Just like bordatella shots --- if it isn't the particular strain that your dog gets, the shot won't help. That being said, we always take Sophie for her yearly check up and periodic blood testing to check her medication levels. We do give her heartworm meds. We no longer give her that oily flea/tick stuff as we noticed a correlation with that and some lethargy issues. We just go over her with a fine tooth comb (literally) if we have been out where she might pick up these unwelcome visitors. If your dog is generally healthy and you trust your vet, then relying on their advice is fine. If your dog has health issues it's another story. Not all vets are familiar with some of the conditions dogs get (just like not all MDs are familiar enough to treat all human conditions) and you need to do some research on your own to see if vaccinations are recommended. Also, check the laws in your community re: what's needed and what type of exemptions may be allowed. Luckily, Sophie's vet and I are on the same page re: titers vs. shots.
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Permalink Reply by Jennifer Markley on
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There are so many factors that determine how a person treats an animal.
From the south? Most dogs are hunting dogs and not family pets. They live out their life in a kennel with 50 other dogs and no medical care. I used to see a dead dog on the side of the road every day.
Live on a farm? Animals are raised for money, not pleasure.
From Europe? Again, animals are not meant to be in the house.
This doesn't ring true for everyone mind you, but is a general observation....
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