# Touchy subject



## MyChiBros (Apr 18, 2016)

Hi

So I need to open the debate about 'to vaccinate or not'. I understand people are going to say yes and others will say no but PLEASE understand I am just looking for what YOU did and why it worked for YOU.

If anyone starts ripping the next apart for their decisions I will just go look to respectful adults able to handle a debate like adults.

I am really struggling with it and who better than to go to than all my lovely peeps here.


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## susan davis (Mar 25, 2011)

I'm assuming you mean the 'core' vaccines. Distemper Hepatitis and others. 4 in one vaccine. I did these as a puppy, and then every 3 years. Rabies is the law here in USA. Can be either yearly or 3 year. I think the core vaccines might last even longer than 3 years, but so far vets are reluctant to go any further out. I noticed on my vets computer "owner only vaccinates every 3 years".


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## BasketMichele (Sep 9, 2014)

Great topic! I will have to try and remember to keep an eye on this post for the feedback and thoughts and opinions.

I, like you, struggle with this too at times. I have no choice living in the USA but to vaccinate for rabies every 3 years, which I will do reluctantly. As far as optional vaccines, ie: Lymes, Lepto and Bordetella, I will not and did not do. The core vaccine like Susan mentioned. I did the puppy series and the one year booster. I have not crossed the bridge of having to make a decision on how often, if at all, I will do those past that point. Right now my thought is that the "4 in 1" is optional because it is not the law here in my state and after getting the puppy series and one year booster with that vaccine, testing and studies show those vaccines levels are still high enough for full immunity 5-7 years later. So I will most likely refuse that vaccine from here on out also and maybe do a titer test when we reach the 5-7 years mark and decide from there.

A little off your topic but I thought it was also worth mentioning: I also refuse to give mine heartworm meds or artificial chemical flea/tick treatment monthly. I am not going to give mine insecticides and pesticides on a regular basis as a preventive for something they do not currently have. However, I do have them tested for Heartworm and Lymes twice a year. I use an all natural plant oil spray, as needed on them when I know I am putting them at higher risk somewhere outside for fleas, ticks or mosquitoes. In the summer I also spray our yard with an organic natural "bug" spray every month that also is made up of plant oils.


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## CuddlesMom (Feb 22, 2014)

You should look into titers for distemper and parvo. They are blood tests that will tell you if your dog is still immune. There are also titers for rabies, but they don't count toward the rabies vaccine laws in the United States. When Cuddles needs her distemper shot, I might get her titers, instead. 

I do not vaccinate against non-core diseases, like Lepto or Bordetella. A lot of those vaccines only last a year, and over-vaccinating a Chihuahua can be very dangerous.


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## rubia (Jul 3, 2008)

*No more rabies....*

I don't do rabies anymore. Rico has had progressively worse reactions. In spite of prophylactic benadryl injects, etc. He had it twice and is assumed to be covered for rabies. In some states you need a blood test to show this, in others just a doctors letter citing "medical exemption" to rabies vaccine. Rico get registered and licensed every year with an exemption.​


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## K8emcgee (Oct 25, 2015)

I'm also wondering the same thing. my padme is 6 1/2 weeks old and I know it's time to take her to the vet soon. unfortunately I got her with fleas and have since been picking them off I also love in the country with lots of ticks so I don't have an option but to get the flea/tick chewable and heartworm too bc there are alot of puddles and random collections of water and was told they can get it from drinking water outside. I don't know what else to do after that though I want to protect against Parvo that really scares me and eventually rabies too since I'm by the woods but what other puppy vaccs are a must and what aren't


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## LittleBeverly2015 (Jan 26, 2015)

I am for vaccinating for rabies and for distemper and parvo. I am also for the use of heartworm medication and flea and tick preventatives (I use Heartgard and Nexgard). That being said, I have a Chi who is very allergic to the parvo and distemper vaccine. She is not able to get that shot but she does get the rabies vaccine. 

My little guy Bentley is vaccinated for all. And its a good thing he is. My neighbor had Chi puppies who ran all over our yard. One of them ended up with Parvo somehow. Bentley was very young and I believe without that vaccine he would have been at great risk.


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## Dorothy's Mom (Apr 8, 2015)

I am an anti-vaxer for both my kids and my pets. Now, that being said, every pet we have ever had was a rescue and the rescue had already vaccinated. But we do NOT further vaccinate for any reason. Yes, it's law here, too, but I refuse to do it.

If you are really struggling with this then I suggest you reseach it - BOTH side of it and come to your own conclusion. Because although I deeply believe that vaccines harm and are ineffective what bothers me most is that 99% of people vax only because "the doctor/vet" told them to. Vaccination is supposed to have INFORMED consent. Sadly, very few people are anything but informed.

I respect those who have really and truly done their research.


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## susan davis (Mar 25, 2011)

I would love to know how much titering is costing. My vet kind of said "they're more expensive than just going with the vaccine." I am financially strapped (social security and a tiny pension) and can't do much. Grooming and vet checks on 3 dogs are enough! I have found a shelter that does low cost dentals, spays etc. Might look into that. I love my vet, but a regular visit is $48.00. They give a senior a 10% discount.


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## zellko (Jul 3, 2013)

I do some and not others, with the exception of rabies, of course. I do distemper because of its' potential to be fatal. I do not do the ones for diseases that are not as 'serious' in most cases. I lost so many pets to distemper as a child, I wouldn't think of not except when their titer shows a good immunity. Mickey got sick from his first round, but I blame that on Banfield (Petsmart) for their one dose fits all and all in one policy. Why on earth would you give a 4 lb. dog the same dose as a 120 lb. one? His next go round we had a vet that believed in dosing according to size and he didn't have any problem. He was also very honest about the risks and need for each one.


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## zellko (Jul 3, 2013)

Susan Davis, my vet tittered at little or no cost when she was doing other work. She's holistic.


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## coco_little_bear (May 30, 2012)

I think the core vaccines are important, but I'm against over vaccination. My two were vaccinated as puppies and Lilo got another one when she was 1 year old (but that's only because we were unsure whether the breeder had actually vaccinated her for everything as a puppy), but that's it. 

All the researches I've read claim the vaccines last at least a few years, probably their whole lives... so to be honest, unless I'm forced to have them vaccinated again (such as if I want to take them out of the country with me), I probably won't... at least not for another few years. But overall I personally think the benefits of vaccines outweigh the risks... it's just not right for it to be done again and again, year after year.


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## Dorothy's Mom (Apr 8, 2015)

coco_little_bear said:


> All the researches I've read claim the vaccines last at least a few years, probably their whole lives....


This is true. And we all know it to be true if you look at the adult human population. The vast majority of adults are NOT getting boosters. The stats show that most people never get revaxed in adulthood. But yet we don't see massive adult infiltration of things like polio or rubella, diptheria or pertussis. But what we DO see in the adult population is influenza that they ARE being vaxxed for. Interesting, if you really put two and two together.


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## zellko (Jul 3, 2013)

But there are so many strains of influenza that we can't be vaccinated for them which may be the reason that adults get it even with vaccines.


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## K8emcgee (Oct 25, 2015)

by core vaccines do you guys mean all the puppy ones or certain vaccs in particular I do believe distemper and Parvo are important we've lost pups to that too and I also think bordetella is important mainly bc there are a lot of feral cats in the area that have the symptoms which happen to be the same symptoms of feline respiratory disease but I don't want to take any chances my vet does the dhhp which is the four in one if I'm correct but do I have to get that multiple times in her first 6 months like they usually do? what are the core vax bc I'll probably just get the core done along with the heartgaurd and nexgaurd and rabbits at 4 months


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## K8emcgee (Oct 25, 2015)

rabies lol not rabbits


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## ShmilyNMe (Nov 12, 2012)

I do puppy shots and then everything adult EXCEPT the Lepto and Bordetella at 3 year intervals. I do not do heartworm or flea/tick meds as it just seems counter intuitive to feed my dog pesticides. My dogs do not have fleas or ticks as they are 100% indoor dogs and they have always tested heartworm negative.


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## coco_little_bear (May 30, 2012)

Dorothy's Mom said:


> This is true. And we all know it to be true if you look at the adult human population. The vast majority of adults are NOT getting boosters. The stats show that most people never get revaxed in adulthood. But yet we don't see massive adult infiltration of things like polio or rubella, diptheria or pertussis. But what we DO see in the adult population is influenza that they ARE being vaxxed for. Interesting, if you really put two and two together.





zellko said:


> But there are so many strains of influenza that we can't be vaccinated for them which may be the reason that adults get it even with vaccines.


Exactly, influenza is different because there are so many different strains of it and it morphs into new strains constantly, making it impossible to control with one vaccine. So the vaccine given each year can only prevent some current strains, not all. Its purpose is just to reduce the risk of getting it a bit so for that reason I don't personally bother.


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## Huly (Mar 5, 2012)

BG is tittered for DHLPP etc but the Rabies vaccine has caused us a lot of issues. Here are a few threads that tell our story.

http://www.chihuahua-people.com/chi-chat/171954-bg-rabies-vaccine-thoughts.html

http://www.chihuahua-people.com/chihuahua-health/172594-furious-va.html

http://www.chihuahua-people.com/chihuahua-health/172906-letter-i-sent-state-reps-vets.html

http://www.chihuahua-people.com/chihuahua-health/190138-nail-disease.html

So as a summary we have gone from a lump at the injection site to an auto immune disease (SLR) thanks to the Rabies Vaccine and her medical exemption being denied.


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