# Help with Vaccinations in UK



## Pumpernickel (Apr 5, 2012)

I am hoping to get a Chi puppy this summer and have been doing LOADS of reading on this forum to ensure I am fully prepared when I do get one but I still have some questions to ask about vaccinations.

I live in the UK and am aware that our requirements are slightly different to the US, so I googled it and found the following info on the RSPCA website:

'Dogs should be routinely vaccinated against:
Canine parvovirus
Canine distemper virus
Leptospirosis
Infectious canine hepatitis.'

However.. when reading on this site I have heard that Leptospirosis can cause bad reactions and have not really heard the hepatitis one be mentioned. I have also read about the issues with over vaccinating by giving boosters every year and using titer testing to avoid this.

From what I can gather I will need to have my future puppy vaccinated against parvo and distemper but I am unsure if I will need to have anything else.

*So what I want to know is:

1. If you live in the UK, what are the vaccinations you give your Chi? (From being a puppy to any boosters when an adult).

2. Did your vet give the vaccination for each disease at a separate time? If so how many weeks apart were they given and which was first?

3. Has anyone in the UK found a vet who will agree to titer test your Chi or is this unheard of in this country?*

Sorry for the list of questions but this is something I really want to be clear about before I actually get a puppy!

I really hope you can help


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## AllaboutEve (May 20, 2010)

Hi 
Poppy had her first vaccination last May and had a quite bad reaction, she was ill for 3 weeks. She is coming up for her next booster and I am apprehensive to say the least. I am planning a stroll down to the vets office in the next couple of weeks to speak to the head vet at my practice about titer tests. I spoke to one of the other vets last year when Poppy was ill and she didnt really seem to know much about them. The only thing I am not sure about it whether my insurance company will accept that as an alternative to the jabs. If I find I can get them done at my vets, I will have to give the insurers a call. When I spoke to the vet last year, she did say that the next 2 boosters would not be all 5 of the illnesses (rabies included) but only 2 of them, as the other 3 last for 3 years. (I cant remember which 2 but Im pretty sure the annual one includes the lepto which is the one that is most well known for reactions).
I would be interested in other comments from UK people as we seem to have even less information here about titer tests than in the UK, and I will post some info if any help, once I speak to my vet.


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## Munchii (Mar 22, 2011)

Dexter had 2 puppy shots.
Because he only weighed 0.5kg when he was 8 weeks old, he couldn't have his jab then. He had his first at 10 weeks, and second at 12 weeks. No reactions for me 
After the second shot, you have to wait a week before taking them for walkies.
I personally don't vaccinated every year with my chihuahuas. I do a booster every 2-3. It's actually been brought out into the open recently that dogs simply don't need them every year. Dex will have another jab at 12 months.


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## Pumpernickel (Apr 5, 2012)

AllaboutEve said:


> I am planning a stroll down to the vets office in the next couple of weeks to speak to the head vet at my practice about titer tests. I spoke to one of the other vets last year when Poppy was ill and she didnt really seem to know much about them. The only thing I am not sure about it whether my insurance company will accept that as an alternative to the jabs.


I would really appreciate if you could let me know what they advise about the titers and also what your insurance say. I hadn't even thought about their requirements when it comes to vaccinations!

Were you given the option of giving Poppy the Lepto vaccination or were you told it was compulsory? This is the one I would like to avoid if I can..




Munchii said:


> I personally don't vaccinated every year with my chihuahuas. I do a booster every 2-3.


Munchii, was Lepto one of the jabs that you Chi's have had?


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