# I need your advice!



## Pumpernickel (Apr 5, 2012)

I have been doing lots of reading up on vaccinations (I don't have a puppy yet but hoping to get one soon & want to work out what vaccinations I will be giving it). So from what I have read ideally I would only want to give Parvo and Distemper, NOT Lepto. As I'm in the UK Rabies isn't an issue.

I have called a couple of the local vets and both have said that they advise to give Lepto as it is endemic here and is carried by rats. So walking anywhere such as by a river or canal means there would be a chance of catching it. 

I also asked if it would be possible to give the vaccinations separately and a few weeks apart and the best that they can do is to give a combo of Distemper, Parvo and canine aden type 2 (which I think is Hepatitis) - this is more than I was looking to give all at once .

The one bit of good news is that both vets said they are able to do titer tests in the years to come to avoid doing unnecessary boosters.

So now I really don't know what to do as I have read so many bad things about Lepto on here and really don't want to take the risk, however I also don't want to risk my future dog catching it either! 

Please can you knowledgeable people give your opinions on what you would do in this situation? :scratch:


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## ilovemychis (Mar 8, 2012)

Pumpernickel said:


> I have been doing lots of reading up on vaccinations (I don't have a puppy yet but hoping to get one soon & want to work out what vaccinations I will be giving it). So from what I have read ideally I would only want to give Parvo and Distemper, NOT Lepto. As I'm in the UK Rabies isn't an issue.
> 
> I have called a couple of the local vets and both have said that they advise to give Lepto as it is endemic here and is carried by rats. So walking anywhere such as by a river or canal means there would be a chance of catching it.
> 
> ...



My understanding is that the most commonly used Lepto vaccine that is used does not protect against all strains of leptosporosis and that side effects are common with this vaccine. As far as distemper and parvo go, once immunity is achieved through vaccination, the immunity is believed to be life long. 

My understanding of titers is that they are not always an accurate measure of immunity. So a low titer does not necessarily mean a lack of immunity.

Here is a link on information on titers.

Titers


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## rubia (Jul 3, 2008)

It is difficult to know what to do because the "puppy" jabs are very different than deciding to give or not give "boosters". Personally I would give the Lepto BUT I would have the puppy get an injection of benadryl BEFORE the jab for Lepto. It can lessen side affects. The Lepto usually leaves a lump for a while--the bendryl can help with that. I used to get an IM jab of benadryl--wait about 40 minutes then get the vaccine---then later at home give the benadryl liquid medicine.
I think you ave to weight out the possibility of the puppy picking up an illness and how serious the illness could be when you are thinking about this. Good luck with it.


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