Puppy Shots

[Fish 4-5]

Just got back from the Vet. 3rd round shots and a heart worm pill and a "check up". 130.00
I looked at the reciept and the shot was 30.00 and the pill 10.00. My question is how hard is it to give a dog a shot and a pill ? I looked on- line and you can get the shots for 6 bucks and the pills cheaper to. I am thinking about doing some of this myself. Obviously if the dog gets sick he needs to be seen by a Vet. How common is it for owners to give standard shots ?

[solon]

I do all my own vaccinations except for rabies, because that one is mandated to be given by a registered vet by our state law and you need the proper paper work for regulatory reasons. You can buy your own rabies vaccine in some states. When we have a litter, I purchase a box of 25 doses of pup shots, usually Vanguard plus 5, the series starts at 7 weeks of age with the first dose. And when the pups leave to their new homes, I offer their owners two vaccines for them to use for the 2nd and third boosters. If you only have one dog, then you need to find single dose vaccines for sale. The suppliers also sell the syringes. You need to adjust the vaccines you use to what diseases are prevalent in your area, although the main thing to protect puppies for is parvovirus and distemper. I use the surplus pup shots for boosters on the adult dogs if they need one. I boost at 1 year, again at 4 years, and maybe once again at 8 years. There is a shelf life for the freeze dried vaccines, so you need to take that into account.

I use ivermectin sold for large animals for heartworm prevention, there are various formulations and dosages that you can find on the forums with a search. Make sure you double check dosage when you read about it on a web forum. The cost is about $0.15 per month.

Lyme vaccine is pricey, about $20 per dose. I recommend Merial Recombitek, because there is challenge data published that it works. You need to buy a minimum of 20 doses, so you may be better off getting it at your vet, unless you go in with someone with enough dogs to make it worthwhile to buy 20 doses.

When your dog is sick or injured, by all means use your vet.

Solon

[mcbosco]

For one dog it may not be practical. You might also live in area where Lyme & Lepto are not required.

So after age 1, there is really not much to give other than rabies. Even If you can buy rabies vaccine where you live, the authorities might not accept self vaccination if your dog bites someone. I know that is the case in some locations.

[jt807]

I think Walgreens are nationwide, and I know the ones here carry it.

I have been told to not purchase it from a feed store or the likes. You don't know that it wasn't left at room temperature, but Walgreen's knows how to take care of medicine. Just ask at the pharmacy counter. It is more expensive, like around $12 a dose for te 7-in-1, but it includes the syringe and the needle.

[FrozenTundraGSP]

If you go to Drs. Foster and Smith they have a video on how to do it. I have 2 dogs and well worth it. In my area I dont have to worry about much not even heart worm just fleas and ticks. For rabbies I do it and have my girl friend video tape the dogs getting it and my state that is enough proof that they got it.

[Fish 4-5]

Thanks for all the info. J

[Birddog3412]

Like JT said, do not buy from local feed stores. I had a coworker who had a litter of bassets that all got parvo, not saying that was the reason but not worth the chance. I buy all my dogs shots from Jeffers Livestock supplies. I buy a Galaxy 5way, buying a box of 25 they are about $3 apiece, needle and syringe not included. You can buy a single dose with needle and syringe.

[mcbosco]

Its funny how laws from state to state differ, in NJ I am pretty sure you can by the vaccine without a prescription but the syringe you cannot.

[Birddog3412]

Its funny how laws from state to state differ, in NJ I am pretty sure you can by the vaccine without a prescription but the syringe you cannot.

You mean you cant go to the local farm store and buy syringes?

[mountaindogs]

For whatever it is worth, most companies will guarantee the vaccines when they are given by a veterinarian but not by an individual. If a veterinarian gives regular vaccinations to a puppy and it still accuires parvovirus, the company will pay for treatment (can run way over $1000 depending on severity and duration) If you gave them yourself, they will not do that. I have seen this occur and the people were reimbused all vet expenses. Seen many many cases of self vaccinated puppies getting sick, also. (Very hard to know if it was temperture, handling, not timed properly i.e. delayed too long in between or started too late, expired, or just didn't work, or perhaps the owners are not entirely honest.) With one puppy I would consider it like insurance, especially if I lived in the Southeast. Parvo is rampant. We see hundreds of cases a year from all over the area. AFter the 2nd annual parvo is of very little risk and I use a reduced vaccine protocal or 3 years (except for rabbies per law) and often do them myself.

I imagine this would apply to distemper and rabies, as well. I have seen whole litters with distemper, but in every case mom's vaccination status was unknown, and the puppies started to get sick betweem 4-5 weeks. Earlier than most would vaccinate a puppy. Corona virus is hard to ID for sure, and bordatella and lepto would not be covered, as the vaccines are not stated to prevent but to reduce the risk of aquiring and lessen severity, or some such lingo. Much like the flu shots for people.

Rabies must be administered by a veterinarian here, and signed paperwork kept on file at the state, the veterinarian office, and with the owner. If a dog bites someone and paperwork can not be provided the dog can be siezed, euthanized and tested at the discretion of the idividual bitten. Rabies IS occasionally found in local wildlife throughout East Tennesse.

[tommyboy72]

Any farm supply store should carry 7 in 1 and 5 in 1 shots and wormer. I give a series of 5 in 1 shots till the pups are about 6 months starting at 6 weeks, 3 months and then again at 6 months. Sometimes pups have an adverse reaction to the lepto medicine so I wait till they are 1 year before giving a 7 in 1 once a year. I also use Safeguard horsepaste wormer to worm them. You can worm 4-5 adult dogs with it and there is no real danger of overdosing them on the active ingredient. I have no real danger of heartworms or rabies where I live so I don't give rabies shots or heartwormer. The vets I use have both been in business here from 10-15 years and both say they have never even seen a case of rabies here. The shots range 5-6 bucks and the wormer is 8 bucks for a tube. As mcbosco stated though some states are more strict than others on their rules so you may want to check the rules for your state. I live in Oklahoma who happens to be pretty lenient on this.

[mcbosco]

Its funny how laws from state to state differ, in NJ I am pretty sure you can by the vaccine without a prescription but the syringe you cannot.

You mean you cant go to the local farm store and buy syringes?

NJ is one of a handful of states where you need a prescription to buy syringes. The vaccine I could get if I wanted it. State law is that all dogs must be vaccinated by 7 months by a licensed provider, cats too.

Without the paperwork, your dog is dead if it bites someone.

[parshal]

I have a vet supply shop about a mile from my house. They have mostly equine products and all sorts of first aid supplies. I can get the 7 way shot, with syringe, for $5. The rabies shot is $6 but I have the vet do that for reasons explained above. They also have bordatella both in the nasal and shot form. I pretty much just use a 7 way shot once a year for my two dogs. Taking both of them to the vet for simple shots also includes a $29 "wellness exam" so things get expensive quite fast.

[Shadow]

Orschelin's had a refrigerator where they kept the 7 in 1 vacines- $6.00- I bought the syringes there or at my phamsists- forget now as it's been over a year- $.20 for the disposable

[ACooper]

I leave the serious stuff to the vets, but all the vaccines, worming etc I take care of. For one dog or 20 it is way more cost effective to do it yourself.

[TAK]

Best thing to do is to find a small country vet that will sale you the shots. Just a bit more than a farm supply place but the vacine is fresher in my opinion. I am not a fan of the farm supply stuff because many times they may not be outdated, but getting pretty close.......
Now if I could only get the vet to sale me the knock out stuff... so the next pine pig aint so much $$$$$!

[ACooper]

Tak sometimes you can get ACE from the vet for post porcupine care, you might ask?

[D2shorthairs]

I do the same as TAK to ensure fresh vaccines that have been well taken care of.

David

[dog dr]

Just got back from the Vet. 3rd round shots and a heart worm pill and a "check up". 130.00
I looked at the reciept and the shot was 30.00 and the pill 10.00. My question is how hard is it to give a dog a shot and a pill ? I looked on- line and you can get the shots for 6 bucks and the pills cheaper to. I am thinking about doing some of this myself. Obviously if the dog gets sick he needs to be seen by a Vet. How common is it for owners to give standard shots ?

i agree thats pricey for the shot, but i would be more concerned about the $90.00 physical exam. That must have one heck of a physical!! what did you get for $90, if you dont mind me asking??

[Fish 4-5]

I should have mentioned Bordetella 26.00 and Fecal exam 31.00. But to be honest I'm not real sure I got a whole lot unless people just want to feel good about having a vet check thier dog over. I think it was mentioned on here or I heard it somewhere that if you did have an emergency and the dog was not a regular Pat. they may not see him. Not sure how accurate that is. I would like to think if I was from out of town and the dog got sick I could take him to see a Vet. I'm sure many Vets. would take a look at him but it's not like humans that will get care regardless.
Pike county ! All I ever hear about is the big deer up there.

[dog dr]

I should have mentioned Bordetella 26.00 and Fecal exam 31.00. But to be honest I'm not real sure I got a whole lot unless people just want to feel good about having a vet check thier dog over. I think it was mentioned on here or I heard it somewhere that if you did have an emergency and the dog was not a regular Pat. they may not see him. Not sure how accurate that is. I would like to think if I was from out of town and the dog got sick I could take him to see a Vet. I'm sure many Vets. would take a look at him but it's not like humans that will get care regardless.
Pike county ! All I ever hear about is the big deer up there.

yeah, when i first moved here i thought "they cant have any bigger deer than where i came from". and they dont, they just have more of them!

[skitchen]

This topic brought a question to my mind, so while we are on the subject I might as well ask and see what you all think. It seems that month by month, I give the same worming medication. With our horses, our vet and many publications suggest using 2 or 3 different kinds or brands of worming medications in a cycle because over time parasites become immune to the effects and they need something new to knock them out.

Has anyone heard of cycling the worm meds being prescribed for dogs? Even though the digestive systems are very different, I would think that something like that would apply to dogs as well.

[mcbosco]

I should have mentioned Bordetella 26.00 and Fecal exam 31.00. But to be honest I'm not real sure I got a whole lot unless people just want to feel good about having a vet check thier dog over. I think it was mentioned on here or I heard it somewhere that if you did have an emergency and the dog was not a regular Pat. they may not see him. Not sure how accurate that is. I would like to think if I was from out of town and the dog got sick I could take him to see a Vet. I'm sure many Vets. would take a look at him but it's not like humans that will get care regardless.
Pike county ! All I ever hear about is the big deer up there.

Boy he took you to the cleaners. Why did he give bordetella? Did you board the puppy after the vaccines? Vets here don't even offer Bordetella you have to ask for it because kennels require it and not more than a week before you board the dog.

[mcbosco]

This topic brought a question to my mind, so while we are on the subject I might as well ask and see what you all think. It seems that month by month, I give the same worming medication. With our horses, our vet and many publications suggest using 2 or 3 different kinds or brands of worming medications in a cycle because over time parasites become immune to the effects and they need something new to knock them out.

Has anyone heard of cycling the worm meds being prescribed for dogs? Even though the digestive systems are very different, I would think that something like that would apply to dogs as well.

Just curious, do you worm every month for a particular reason?

[skitchen]

During the late spring, summer and early fall months. That is what my vet prescribed. Is that not common?

[mcbosco]

maybe its a regional recommendation but not on the east coast, at least i haven't heard it, horses yes, i have done my fair share of those nasal jobs (that was a long time ago) but not adult dogs, every once in a while someone i know will notice a tape worm and have it taken care of but not the other the worms. I guess maybe more people use Heartguard Plus around here. I used just the regular Heartguard for years and dont like paying for Plus. Never had a problem with round, hook or whip worms all that time.

[Fish 4-5]

Thanks for all the input. One day I will figure all this stuff out and try to seperate out what the dog needs as opposed to what people want to give him when it comes to standard shots.

[ezzy333]

Thanks for all the input. One day I will figure all this stuff out and try to seperate out what the dog needs as opposed to what people want to give him when it comes to standard shots.

Work with your vet. They know what is needed in your area better than any of us do. Ask what he/she recommends then go get what they recommend.

Ezzy