Dog Vaccination/Booster Anxiety

I am hoping someone on here may have knowledge on boosters... I've had a very confusing experience at the vet and I am having a lot of anxiety that I am being ripped off for money. We just switched to this vet because it was the vet of our new dog.

I don't trust calling our other 2 local vets because I know it is possible they could string me along knowing that I have no idea what the truth it... one of them was also punished for mistreating animals last year so that doesn't help with trust levels.

I have 2 dogs... one I've had for a couple of years and the other for less than a year.

Dog 1: When we got him 3 years ago we had no information on his previous shots. We brought him to a random vet and explained, the vet gave him the standard shots and told us to come back in a year. Life happened and we missed his shots for the next year... at the time of this years vaccinations he was probably about 7 months late.

Dog 2: We got her late last year and was assured by the owners that she was due for her shots in July. Just before her shots were due she got sick, when we went to the vet (her original vet, the one we switched all of our pets to recently) the vet claimed that she wasn't due yet and they'd call us. Well no call came and last month I called them - they then tell me that she was 3 months overdue.

So I brought both of my dogs in for their shots, I was charged $300 (didn't see the bill) and told they'd need to come back in a month for boosters.

They said that because they were both overdue that for the NEXT 3 YEARS they will need to get boosters one month after their shots.

When we brought them in for their boosters I was charged another $300... this time I looked at the bill and was shocked to see that 2/3 vaccinations were listed as 'optional'. I confronted them and they claimed we consented to the unnecessary vaccinations (kennel cough and something bush related).

I know they are lying because these vaccinations aren't necessary for the lifestyle my dogs live... in total I paid an extra $160 in vaccinations that I never consented to and never would have consented to if asked. But according to them I blatantly said yes to all.

Now I am doubting everything they told me about them having to get 2 rounds of shots for the next 3 years. It seems like a money grab to me and I really don't want my dogs to be over vaccinated because they are looking for money.

I could understand them wanting to do a 1 month booster the first time if my dogs were overdue (1 was only 3 months!) but 3 years seems excessive to me.

If anyone has any insights I would appreciate it... I don't know if I should be standing up to the vet and telling them there is no need for doubling the shots for 3 years or if I am just out of touch with what is needed.

Hi

There is loads of information available but it can be hard to tell which are valid.

Here is a link on the latest report from the WSVA http://www.wsava.org/sites/default/f...%20Version.pdf

Basically immunity for the core vacines, Parvo Distemper etc last a min of 3 years but there is a lot of evidence to suggest that many dogs are covered for life.

If you miss a booster there is no need to re start the puppy protocol.

Lepto and kennel cough only cover against certain strains, a bit like our flu vaccine and they dont always give cover for 12 months.

If you are in any doubt check the make of vaccine used, it should be on your vaccination record then google the make ie Nobivac and NOAH, This will take you directly to the manufacturers data sheets.

Vets are still recommending yearly boosters and also telling clients that if a booster is late that the entire series needs to be re-done. This is not true.

Hope this helps

OMG that is way to expensive and Elen is spot on re vaccinations i am a member of a dogforum been there 8 years when I first got my dog needed advice and got it :) Now i help other members ! as said modern vaccines now last well over 12 months some even several years what you should be asking for is a titer test to determine the levels of imunnity of the past vaccines think you should prehaps look for differerent vet :)

Must confess that I don't titer test. The test only shows active immunity and a low count does not mean that the dogs immune system won't kick into action when a threat is detected.

I give the initial puppy vaccinations then one more and that is it for life. I have never vaccinated against KC or lepto as the cover given by vaccines is hit or a miss.

Thanks guys!

I have reached out to a number of other dog owners to get their opinions and they were shell shocked that the vet charged me $600 to vaccinate 2 dogs.

I broke down the costs and it should only cost $200 a year for BOTH dogs! The invoice showed the main 'combo' vaccine was $100 a pop for each dog - each dog got 2 of them. Then they charged me $20 for each of the optional vaccines - each dog for 4 of them.

It breaks my heart to think that my dogs got a grand total of 6 vaccines in a 30 day period when by necessity they only seemed to have needed 1! The more I think about it, the more it seems like a big money grab. We ended up spending 3x as much as we should've had to spend.

I don't know whether or not I should switch vets or just stand my ground next year when it comes time for more boosters. I am all for giving my dogs their yearly booster (we are frequent dog park visitors) but I refuse to have them get it redone a month later each time.

I had a feeling it was bull when they told me that as soon as you go over a year this crazy process has to be started... there is no way that my 1 dog missing her boosters by 3 months warrants this kind of aggressive vaccination schedule.

Jupiter it certainly sounds like your vets have been very greedy, I think I would be looking for an alternative vet as I am not sure I would trust them over anything after this.

If you do decide to keep vaccinating your dogs please be aware that the manufacturers now recommend every 3 years for the core vaccines not yearly.

Elen is correct there is no way Iam going over vaccinate my dog even if it's free its the same with tetanus vaccines these last up to 10 years you cut your self on a rusty nail and say you have been vaccinated 2 years ago going runnig off to the drs for yet a vaccination? Well I wouldn't! Jupiter I would personaly look for another vet who doesn't rip people off good luck :)