Re: All of You-shots and the likes

["Deb & Boyd McFail" <bdmcfail@alaska.net>]

> Puppies need protection, so please don't regard this as applying to them.
>
> Titers may be more expensive than vaccinations.  I think each titer for a
> specific disease cost us $30-$40 (it may cost less down south where the
> cost of living is less).  Iris is tested for parvovirus and distemper.
>
> In Juneau, at least, our dogs are not exposed to a lot of diseases that are
> present down south (I'm thinking of corona and lepto, for instance).  You
> would need to research this further and talk to your vet to verify if
> titers are
> available for diseases present in your locale.
>

Hi Linda and all,

yes, you remember right, I do titer the girls for Parvo/Distemper and will
titer Boomer as well AFTER he has his full series of shots. I started
titering way back in '97 (not so long ago really, but definitely cutting
edge on titering for Alaska) when Rosie's sister almost died from a Lepto
shot as part of her puppy vaccinations. I do titer once a year but I'm
paranoid, lol. It costs us 70$ here for both dogs which is a hell of a jump
up from vaccine costs. My vet no longer even carries Lepto in the clinic
which I'm glad for, nor do we have to worry about Corona up here.

Last spring was the first year Rosie's Parvo titer was low so she got a
booster. Sophie is still going strong. I tend to titer yearly because we do
travel so much throughout the state to shows and out of the way camping
spots and I know they are definitely exposed to Parvo and Distemper. Both
are rampant in the Bush and although we don't travel to the 'bush' we do hit
the dog shows where a lot of outside dogs come up for the shows.

Fortunately my vet is all for titering and I just recently found out that
only two of us in the clinic titer. Me and one of the local Boxer breeders.
I was very surprised at that because I thought more people did it rather
than continue to dump vaccines into their dogs.

One of the things I did notice and was flabbergasted at was the inclusion of
'Retrievers' and 'Sled Dogs' on the list of dogs that should have the extra
Parvo shot at 18 to 23 weeks. When did this happen?????? I know this didn't
come up with Sophie's puppy shots. I knew Rottie and Doberman owners have
always been told to give the extra shot but I had never before now seen
Retrievers included on that list.

Linda do you have the same recommended protocol in Juneau?

Hugs to Perry, I know exactly how he feels as I've just come up for air on a
project here.

Debs