Kaiser2016
Well-Known Member
Kaiser had his first annual exam with his vet today. A bit of dandruff during the blood draw but otherwise fine.
I said no to every vaccine so now we are doing a titer for parvo and distemper. Vet is holistic and was very open to titers. He did not show up with vaccines ready to administer.
Sounds good so far, but here's where I'm not sure.
Shouldn't there be a rabies titer too? We debated for about 20 mins whether my vaccine cheat sheet (the one-page Core and Non-Core Vaccine list from Dogs Naturally) was right or not. Even my hb was agreeing with him at one point but I left the rabies shot as a 'I need to think about this'. So here I am - help me think about this
Vet said Kaiser should get a rabies 'booster'. Having only read about all this stuff on here, the details were kind of abstract, and the reality may be that I'm mixing up the terminology of boosters and vaccines? I know K had his Rabies shots as a puppy from this same vet. For his one year checkup, does he need a booster, or just a titer for rabies?
Vet said the last incidence of rabies he saw was 8 years ago, but that raccoons and bats carry it and that we have those here. Raccoons are even seen in some city neighbourhoods. If Kaiser gets no rabies update now (whether titer or booster) the risk to him is that if he is bit or bites someone, by law he would be quarantined for 10 days. Obviously I don't want that. This means I should insist on a rabies titer, right?
As for Lyme Disease, non core vaccine, K has never had one, but we go hiking in the mountains, woods, trails with other wildlife present. He suggested that the tick risk is not that high here, so that one is up to me. It would have to be done each year Some in our Dobe crew believe in the chemical treatment for fleas/ticks, some don't do any treatment at all. Last year we did nothing at all. No Dobe in our crew has ever had ticks (that we know of). I'm thinking we should skip Lyme vaccine...thoughts? I know this is not a foolproof method, but after each hike, we wipe him down with baby wipes. (People usually stop to watch! ) When we get home I will give him a body rub to feel for any spots or scratches, but I don't rub everywhere, each time.
I said no to every vaccine so now we are doing a titer for parvo and distemper. Vet is holistic and was very open to titers. He did not show up with vaccines ready to administer.
Sounds good so far, but here's where I'm not sure.
Shouldn't there be a rabies titer too? We debated for about 20 mins whether my vaccine cheat sheet (the one-page Core and Non-Core Vaccine list from Dogs Naturally) was right or not. Even my hb was agreeing with him at one point but I left the rabies shot as a 'I need to think about this'. So here I am - help me think about this
Vet said Kaiser should get a rabies 'booster'. Having only read about all this stuff on here, the details were kind of abstract, and the reality may be that I'm mixing up the terminology of boosters and vaccines? I know K had his Rabies shots as a puppy from this same vet. For his one year checkup, does he need a booster, or just a titer for rabies?
Vet said the last incidence of rabies he saw was 8 years ago, but that raccoons and bats carry it and that we have those here. Raccoons are even seen in some city neighbourhoods. If Kaiser gets no rabies update now (whether titer or booster) the risk to him is that if he is bit or bites someone, by law he would be quarantined for 10 days. Obviously I don't want that. This means I should insist on a rabies titer, right?
As for Lyme Disease, non core vaccine, K has never had one, but we go hiking in the mountains, woods, trails with other wildlife present. He suggested that the tick risk is not that high here, so that one is up to me. It would have to be done each year Some in our Dobe crew believe in the chemical treatment for fleas/ticks, some don't do any treatment at all. Last year we did nothing at all. No Dobe in our crew has ever had ticks (that we know of). I'm thinking we should skip Lyme vaccine...thoughts? I know this is not a foolproof method, but after each hike, we wipe him down with baby wipes. (People usually stop to watch! ) When we get home I will give him a body rub to feel for any spots or scratches, but I don't rub everywhere, each time.