Does anyone do their own vaccinations??
- Thread starter mojo-rizin
- Start date
I vet my dogs yearly, as they need their Rabies shots as required by law. Also to get their heartworm checks. I just feel it is a little ridiculous to pay $25.00 for a vaccination that I could do myself (worked for a vet clinic for two years and helped with vaccs then). I was just wondering where people bought THEIR vaccs and what brands are "reputable".
I remembered seeing Vaccines in my Foster & Smith magazine.............
I believe they have a fairly reputable name, but like I said above, I have never used them.
Here is a link
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/pet_supplies.cfm?c=3307+65
I believe they have a fairly reputable name, but like I said above, I have never used them.
Here is a link
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/pet_supplies.cfm?c=3307+65
do you have a tractor supply company near you? I did all the kittens shots (besides rabies) myself and that is where I got them from. I paid like $10 for the 5 in 1 kitten shot (per shot and they needed to get 2). I don't do the dogs shots, I let the vet do those, but we just brought the kitten a long and did the shots right there in the car so they were still cold (they need to be kept cold). Bring a cooler or something with some ice to keep the vaccines cold for the drive home.
My point is that I know the vet pays about 4.00 per vaccine. Then they charge $25.00 per vaccine for a profit of $21.00 - basically you pay $21.00 for them to inject your dog. Multiply $21.00 for injecting the vaccine times 3 dogs - you get $63.00. And thats PER YEAR not every three. Now, I would much rather spend that $63.00 on dog food, dentals, etc. and do the vaccinations on my own. That doesn't include if the need arises for other vaccines such as Bordetella, Giardia, etc. The rabies is unavoidable, and I will have no problem paying $15.00 for a 3 year shot.
And yes, I have given plenty of vaccinations before (worked for a vet, AND also grew up on a dairy farm where we vaccinated 250 head of cattle, and our own dogs), I just wasn't sure where I need to get them, since I moved to a large city - they don't exactly have vet supply stores around every corner.
So I DO know what I am doing, I just didn't know if some people had better luck with certain vaccines. I will eventually do titers on all of my dogs, but they are still a little young.
And yes, I have given plenty of vaccinations before (worked for a vet, AND also grew up on a dairy farm where we vaccinated 250 head of cattle, and our own dogs), I just wasn't sure where I need to get them, since I moved to a large city - they don't exactly have vet supply stores around every corner.
So I DO know what I am doing, I just didn't know if some people had better luck with certain vaccines. I will eventually do titers on all of my dogs, but they are still a little young.
Canine distemper/coronavirus/parvo vaccines must be given every year, there is no three year shot that I know of.
I know how to vaccinate, I am a vet tech at a local shelter so I have plenty of expierence vaccinating cats and dogs, but I would personally take all of my animals to the vet for their shots, and not just the rabies. I just don't think it's something you want your dogs associating with you and your home, I would much rather take them out of their environment, get all of their testing, vaccinating, etc. done in one visit.
I know how to vaccinate, I am a vet tech at a local shelter so I have plenty of expierence vaccinating cats and dogs, but I would personally take all of my animals to the vet for their shots, and not just the rabies. I just don't think it's something you want your dogs associating with you and your home, I would much rather take them out of their environment, get all of their testing, vaccinating, etc. done in one visit.
http://www.aahanet.org/PublicDocuments/VaccineGuidelines06Revised.pdf
DHPP is every three. Others are yearly or twice yearly as their lifetime is apparently poor. Many aren't recommended beyond the 4 core vaccs.
DHPP is every three. Others are yearly or twice yearly as their lifetime is apparently poor. Many aren't recommended beyond the 4 core vaccs.
I vaccinate my dogs myself. By law the rabies needs to be administered by a vet here. I do the rest. My vet will ask me if I have already done it or if they need it yet when I go in for their annual checks. They have no problems, but some places do not honor home vaccinations, just an FYI. I get mine from a local distributor, same place I get my medications from the vet.
My dogs don't neccessarily find me repulsive for giving them a shot either every so often. They aren't afraid of my house. They are more comfortable at my house and take it in stride. JMHO.
FWIW, I do not recommend everyone running out unexperienced and getting home vaccinations to cut down on costs. My sister had an unfortunate experience with her Saint Bernard that the lady she received her from tried home vaccinations and gave the bordatella in the neck as with the other regular vaccination. She ended up with a tumor from the shot area a week later and undergoing surgery to remove it twice. Worse case senario of someone not completely knowing what they are doing. If anyone is planning on going this route, I recommend that they learn the appropriate methods from an experienced person such as a vet.
My dogs don't neccessarily find me repulsive for giving them a shot either every so often. They aren't afraid of my house. They are more comfortable at my house and take it in stride. JMHO.
FWIW, I do not recommend everyone running out unexperienced and getting home vaccinations to cut down on costs. My sister had an unfortunate experience with her Saint Bernard that the lady she received her from tried home vaccinations and gave the bordatella in the neck as with the other regular vaccination. She ended up with a tumor from the shot area a week later and undergoing surgery to remove it twice. Worse case senario of someone not completely knowing what they are doing. If anyone is planning on going this route, I recommend that they learn the appropriate methods from an experienced person such as a vet.
I do rescues immediately upon arrival. I get the large (25 dose) packages from KV Vet. Anything they sell is good. There are some other brands I don't like - Ben may have contracted his sensitivity to chicken from a cut-rate vaccine he got at my old vet - that was a rabies vaccine, though, but I've never trusted the brand name since then. Darned if I can remember what it is, though. Started with an "R". That was helpful, I'm sure. 
Anyway, we have to be super careful as we do have lepto around here. A friend nearly lost her dog to it. And in rescue I get young dogs that have been incorrectly vaccinated or not vaccinated at all.
I avoid the feed store vaccs. I can't be sure that they've been kept correctly cool. They get them shipped the same as I do, but I am careful to order mine in cool weather, and put them right in the fridge upon arrival. They might do that too, but who knows for sure?
After that, I take every dog to the vet. They can see things I can't, and of course every rescue gets a HW test which I can't do. HW is a good reason to take your dog every year at least. I've had an occaision where a dog we purchased as an adult turned out to be HW+ - his previous owner was ill and the dog was cared for by someone who let a month slip.
Anyway, we have to be super careful as we do have lepto around here. A friend nearly lost her dog to it. And in rescue I get young dogs that have been incorrectly vaccinated or not vaccinated at all.
I avoid the feed store vaccs. I can't be sure that they've been kept correctly cool. They get them shipped the same as I do, but I am careful to order mine in cool weather, and put them right in the fridge upon arrival. They might do that too, but who knows for sure?
After that, I take every dog to the vet. They can see things I can't, and of course every rescue gets a HW test which I can't do. HW is a good reason to take your dog every year at least. I've had an occaision where a dog we purchased as an adult turned out to be HW+ - his previous owner was ill and the dog was cared for by someone who let a month slip.
