• Disclaimer: Hello Guest, Doberman Chat Forums presents the opinions and material on these pages as a service to its membership and to the general public but does not endorse those materials, nor does it guarantee the accuracy of any opinions or information contained therein. The opinions expressed in the materials are strictly the opinion of the writer and do not represent the opinion of, nor are they endorsed by, Doberman Chat Forums. Health and medical articles are intended as an aid to those seeking health information and are not intended to replace the informed opinion of a qualified Veterinarian.”

Our first annual vet check up

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 :D

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 :thumbdown: 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! :cool:) 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.
 
We do get the Lyme vaccine for our dogs since we have so many ticks. It may not be necessary when they get Nexgard too but after seeing what poor Albert has gone through with his tick borne disease, I don't want to have it happen again.
 
At Shadow’s 1 yr check up the vet also said she needs the rabies booster in Dec and then we can start titers ( I spaced all the shots apart so that’s why she isn’t due for everything at once) I’m leaning towards doing the rabies booster and then doing the titers. I don’t know if that’s right or wrong but that’s what I’m comfortable with. ( maybe I watched Kujo too many times as a child).
 
We do get the Lyme vaccine for our dogs since we have so many ticks. It may not be necessary when they get Nexgard too but after seeing what poor Albert has gone through with his tick borne disease, I don't want to have it happen again.
I will look into Nexgard. I'd much prefer giving it during months of more hiking instead of a vax to cover him all year when it's not necessary.
 
I will look into Nexgard. I'd much prefer giving it during months of more hiking instead of a vax to cover him all year when it's not necessary.
Yes, I only give the Nexgard from late spring until early fall when we most actively see ticks. Maybe I should watch that though since hubby has seen two live garter snakes out in the past few weeks on the snow. He also saw an earth worm making it's way across the ice the other day so things are out that should never be out this time of year. :shock:
 
I could be wrong but I believe the booster and vaccine are one in the same. The booster is just protocol in order to boost the amount of antibodies (although, often not needed). The rabies vaccine will largely depend on your laws. Here in the US, many states will NOT accept a rabies titer as proof of being immune.

Here we do the puppy vaccinations as normal, and then boosters at 1 year... then by law rabies every 3 years. Titers for parvo and distemper every 3 years just to be certain.

2016 Dodds Vaccination Protocol for Dogs
 
Yes, I only give the Nexgard from late spring until early fall when we most actively see ticks. Maybe I should watch that though since hubby has seen two live garter snakes out in the past few weeks on the snow. He also saw an earth worm making it's way across the ice the other day so things are out that should never be out this time of year. :shock:
Snakes :green:
 
I could be wrong but I believe the booster and vaccine are one in the same. The booster is just protocol to boost the amount of antibodies (although, often not needed). The rabies vaccine will largely depend on your laws. Here in the US, many states will NOT accept a rabies titer as proof of being immune.
He didn't say anything about it being a legal requirement. I'd just do it if that were the case.
 
My question is, just so I’m understanding it correctly, if I titer and it’s within range, are my dogs protected from getting rabies should they get bitten?
 
@Kaiser2016 I meant to ask you how did Kaiser do with the vet poking and prodding? When we went with Shadow she was not overly thrilled and kept giving me this look for guidance. Way different reaction than when she was there as a puppy.
 
We do get the Lyme vaccine for our dogs since we have so many ticks. It may not be necessary when they get Nexgard too but after seeing what poor Albert has gone through with his tick borne disease, I don't want to have it happen again.
Most rabies are mandatory every 3 yrs. after their initial rabies done at 6mo and at 1 yr. titers for rabies are accepted when traveling overseas but by law a titer will not be accepted in place of the every 3 yr requirement.
 
My question is, just so I’m understanding it correctly, if I titer and it’s within range, are my dogs protected from getting rabies should they get bitten?
It the titer iS WNL allowed for protection then they are protected.
 
@Kaiser2016 I meant to ask you how did Kaiser do with the vet poking and prodding? When we went with Shadow she was not overly thrilled and kept giving me this look for guidance. Way different reaction than when she was there as a puppy.
When the vet came into the room he stood in the doorway assessing him it seemed. He talked about how much bigger he was than the last time he saw him. And he called him handsome which pleased me haha.

K was great except for a bit of dandruff. No pensive moments. No whining. The vet didn't muzzle him for the physical exam which I thought he might because he got down at his level to draw the blood from his mid fore arm. I asked Kaiser to go into a down which he did but then he sat up as the vet got closer. Vet asked for handshake, got one, poked Kaiser in that same arm and drew a vial of blood. Their blood looks like ours! I don't know why that seemed to surprise me.

He checked ears and anal temperature. K's nub twitched and he looked back - who could blame him lol. K used to blow his anal glands during dremel sessions so he is used to being touched back there for wiping afterwards. Aren't you glad you asked!

He listened to chest which I really didn't expect K to stand so still for that. He checked all limb movements and paws. The back paw was lifted first which was weird to him at first and he pulled it back. He was ok with the remaining paws. The vet went back to recheck the first paw.
 
He had a post exam poop so he must have been a bit nervous. It was solid though. image.jpeg

Also, I should mention that we drop in to the vet office often enough to weigh him when we are in the area, so he's familiar with the place.
 
I have always just sort of done what feels right. Even before learning of the documented ill-effects of receiving the accepted normal amount of vaccines, I just felt like about half way through my first Dobe's life I didn't need to get all those shots anymore.

The Rabies vaccine: I guess I've not really fought that one. I don't need the legal trouble if my boy nips someone. Everywhere I've lived besides Arizona has had raccoon in the neighborhoods, in addition to other wildlife. We had bats in AZ, and everywhere else, though I have a hard time picturing one biting my dog. Well, I guess if a bat was injured or sick, and on the ground and one's dog investigated the bat it could easily result in a bite, so there's that.
 
I'm torn about the raccoon. I know they go through trash bins but nowadays with all the bigger city bins that are too tall to knock down, it's not much of a risk. But bats...sigh.
 
I'm torn about the raccoon. I know they go through trash bins but nowadays with all the bigger city bins that are too tall to knock down, it's not much of a risk. But bats...sigh.
You're in British Columbia, no? I used to live in Seattle and we had a ton of raccoons. Had to fasten the trash can lids closed. Well, actually, our property not that often. I guessed that the scent of the dogs kept them at bay. When I first moved to our house that had been unoccupied for a while and had not had the backyard maintained for an appreciable amount of time, I saw a raccoon sitting up in one of our pear trees. I never really saw them in our yard after we'd lived there for a bit.

You'd see them walking around at night and during the day. If you saw an adult with young (so cute!), they'd rise up on their haunches and glare at you challengingly.
 
We're in Alberta, next to BC, just a few hours north from Montana. We've been to Seattle, Washington, and Portland, Oregon. Portland is totally comparable to BC, and Calgary is like...well, not Seattle, more like Houston, Texas.

There are these big plastic city bins now, so we don't have to use the aluminum bins with lids. Ive got one on the deck just for convenience, but raccoons have never been sighted in the area so far. We have seen skunks with their offspring though. Just hearing about the stink risk is enough to make us avoid them on late night walks.
 

Back
Top