Lyme Disease vaccination

[Paegan]

Willow goes Wednesday for her yearly vaccinations. Going through the list she will get (or the vet recommends I should say) he has a Lyme Disease vac. recommendation on there. Is this a very common occurrence in dogs? I'm asking because money is tight at the moment and the cost of the shot is twice as much as the distemper, rabies, parvo shots. I will pay it to protect her of course but was just curious. Seems like there are more shots recommended every year.

Thanks

Susan

 

[Bailey Boy]

I wouldn't vaccinate there are no guarantees. The only thing you can do is titer every year and keep her on preventives.

I almost lost Coleman because his vet wouldn't treat him for lyme disease. They kept telling me his test results, both urine and bloodwork came back ok, in these 10 months of tests he developed lupus. The lab told my vet he had been vaccinated so they wouldn't treat him.

I took him to another vet and where he was immediately treated for lyme.

 

[BlackLightning]

We just did our yearly shots and we didn't get the lyme disease vaccination. The reason being that we are not in an area considered at high risk of ticks carrying the disease.

 

[BaileyBear]

I think you should try to determine the risk factor for your area. I live in CT and the risk is just about 100% around here. The ticks here also pass on ehrlichiosis for which there is no vaccine.

 

[Paegan]

I think you should try to determine the risk factor for your area. I live in CT and the risk is just about 100% around here. The ticks here also pass on ehrlichiosis for which there is no vaccine.

I know many people with dogs here - none has ever been treated for Lyme. But I also know 4 people who have caught the disease. We are inundated with deer in my area. That being said, I think I will have her vaccinated for it.

 

[lacey9875]

Speaking from experience, treating Lymes disease can be very expensive so I would weigh the cost of a vaccine against the cost of the treatment and absolutely get it. Would your vet let you make payments on the total? Mine has done that for me in the past for surgeries, etc. when I first got divorced.

 

[hankbaby]

Neither of mine have received a lyme disease that I know of.

 

[Sully]

Do a quick google search on Lyme Disease in your area. If you are in a high risk area, then it may be worth getting. My Vet doesn't like to over vaccinate, and I am in the same area as Kaila where lyme isn't considered 'high' risk so I opted not to get that one.

 

[ardeagold]

Ours get it, and some had had Lyme previously. The "new" version does seem to work. We really need to get it here...Lyme is rampant in this area. Those who have gotten the vaccination, haven't gotten Lyme (again).

Also, after her one year boosters, you might want to re-evaluate how often she gets certain vaccinations. Most Vets only recommend certain ones every three years now. You don't want to over-vaccinate because it can cause serious auto-immune issues.

We only get vaccinations that are needed. During the annual physical we have a titer done. Usually they need none, except Lyme. Only once have we found someone to be low on immunity before a three or four year period. Of course, then we vaccinated him.

Rabies is required by law of course. So you must do what the law requires there.

Our Vet did recommend that our dogs get a Lepto (only...not the five or seven in one shot) booster this year as there has been a lot of Lepto popping up due to water run off from the woods/fields where the wildlife lives. However, we've been here 15 yrs and this is the first time we've needed to give a vaccination annually.

Here's a good guide to go by - scroll to the bottom. This is what we do:

http://www.itsfortheanimals.com/DODDS-CHG-VACC-PROTOCOLS.HTM

 

[Sully]

Do all vets do titers if you ask them to before giving the vaccines? Or only holistic vets will offer to do that?

I have not had a vet ever mention or give the option of a titer before until I read about it myself on the internet.

 

[ardeagold]

A puppy absolutely must have the series of shots, and then a booster in a year. That's for all of the vaccinations. After that, it's every three years IF their immunity is low.

After the first year of "puppy" shots and then the booster a year later, you have to ask for a titer versus the shot (which would mean starting at their two year old annual check up, and every year thereafter). And some will try to argue with you (they make more money on annual vaccines you know), but you're the owner...tell them what you want done. It really isn't healthy for a dog to keep giving unnecessary vaccinations. In fact it can cause serious problems. Most Vets realize this and are willing to titer instead of potentially injuring the dog's health by over-vaccination.

They titer instead of giving a shot, and then if the titer comes back "low" then they'll boost the vaccine. I've only had one titer come back low in years. We titer yearly, but really only need to to it every three years. I just do it to be sure. It's part of their annual physical.

When Chandler's titer came back "low immunity" for Parvo...he hadn't had a shot in 5+ years, except rabies.

The link (in my post above), at the bottom of the page, explains it!

 

[Sully]

With all this information, how come vets don't automatically do the titers instead of just vaccinating? and why would they argue with you if that is what you want done! don't vets get these Vaccine protocols to follow as well??

The Vet office I currently go to gives Rabies every three years, but they give the parvo, distemper, etc Vaccine every two years. Is that normal to do it in two years instead of three? I'm going to ask about the titers next time I am in, I know there is a holistic vet semi close to me who will do them. I will switch vets to go there if they give me a hard time..

 

[ardeagold]

They must give Rabies according to law. Period. Or your dog is at real risk. If the dog hasn't gotten it's rabies vaccination and runs across a wild animal, they WILL put it down. You must give those shots as the state requires.

There are exceptions, but only for very sick, old or immune-compromised dogs. It takes a lot of hoops and paperwork to avoid giving a rabies shot as the law requires.

Most people don't know about titers. So the Vets do what they think is best for the area and their bottom line.

The first time you ask for a titer, they often raise their eyebrows and ask "why?". Just say you don't see a need to vaccinate if the dog already has high levels of immunity, and you don't want to take the risk of compromising your dogs health by over-vaccinating. They'll usually shrug and do it. Then they'll know the next check up, what you want done. Mine just says "titers, right?" LOL

He never offered titers...I had to ask first. Now it's routine for me, and he knows it.

Oh...and back to the topic. We give Lyme vaccines for all (and for Cole, a KC vaccine) annually. No titers for those. And since we are at such a high risk area for Lyme, it makes sense. The vaccine doesn't provide long lasting immunity. Cole gets the KC vaccine because of the dog shows. He kept coming home with some version of KC. Since he's gotten the vaccine, he's been fine.

 

[Sully]

yep I knew the rabies was a must by law, so every 3 years it is for us here. But I thought the Distemper and Parvo etc was always every three years but they do it every two years at my current vet.

So should I only need to get a titer done every two years when he is 'due' for his parvo and distemper shots? How often do you find your dogs need to get this shot since you have always gotten titers? Is it alot longer than the usual 2-3 years most vets give it?

 

[ardeagold]

We titer annually during their physicals. But according to Dr. Dodd's link...it only needs to be done every three years (or more frequently if you wish). I just feel more comfortable checking their immunity annually. Might as well, since I'm already there! :lol:

So should I only need to get a titer done every two years when he is 'due' for his parvo and distemper shots? How often do you find your dogs need to get this shot since you have always gotten titers? Is it alot longer than the usual 2-3 years most vets give it?

From my post above:

We titer yearly, but really only need to to it every three years. I just do it to be sure. It's part of their annual physical.

When Chandler's titer came back "low immunity" for Parvo...he hadn't had a shot in 5+ years, except rabies.

If you feel more comfortable doing it every two years, that appears to be fine too!

 

[Sully]

Oh 5 years without having to get a shot! That's a long time.(Sorry I missed that in your other post!) I think it's definetely worth it to get the titers done. Thanks for all the info !! I look forward to the vet's first reaction when I ask him :shocker:

Sorry for going off topic..!

 

[Paegan]

Thanks all of you. You are an amazing wealth of knowledge. Willow is just a little over a year old now so these would be the first shots she's gotten since here puppy stage, so I will have her vaccinated as is usual. I think next year I will have the titer done. My vet is a bit old fashioned but he is open to any concerns I have and will gladly do it if I ask.

 

[ardeagold]

Oh Paegan....since she's getting boosters for ALL of her vaccinations this year, I would ask the vet to separate the Rabies and the other shot by 3-4 weeks. Yes, that means you'll have to go in twice, but it's worth it. In fact, our Vet (even our farm Vet versus our holistic Vet), won't give the rabies vaccine with the others. He makes us wait a few weeks between.

Hitting their system with all of that at one time really isn't good. Rabies vaccines do cause serious reactions and hit the immune system harder than some of the others, and the others can cause problems of their own.

It's best to wait a few weeks between different types of shots, just to give her immune system a chance to recover. And, should she have a reaction...at least you'd know what caused it.

Vaccinosis is a real problem...so just try to be careful about how and when they're given!! (There are lots of articles on canine vaccinosis if you google it).

 

[new_2_newf]

My vet is the same way with my kitten...she got her rabies last, and 3 weeks after her last round of boosters. I asked if it was because she was just getting over a kitty cold, but my vet said no...they separate them out for exactly the same reason, it makes it VERY simple to figure out what exactly caused an adverse reaction. It meant two trips across the boarder (I live in Ontario and deal with a vet in Michigan), but I was more than happy to take her in again.

 

[Newfs Forever]

Do all vets do titers if you ask them to before giving the vaccines? Or only holistic vets will offer to do that?

I have not had a vet ever mention or give the option of a titer before until I read about it myself on the internet.

I think you need to ask the vet. A lot of vets don't/won't consider "Eastern medicine". Some may actually balk at the idea of titers. That being the case, I have changed vets in the years past because they have been so inflexible. I have titred for many many years with the exception of rabies, of course. Fortunately, up here in NH, rabies is every 3 years instead of yearly.

I also use nosodes for Lyme's and kennel cough.

I use an holistic vet who obviously is allopathic by training.

Long/short, consider your surroundings and what terrain/s your dog/s are on.

I have friends who only do the holistic route, however, they will vaccinate for Lyme's because they are avid hikers and campers (with their dogs). They feel the risk isn't worth it.

Good luck!

HTH,