Confused about Vaccinations

[liquid]

After reading up on vaccines, I'm concerned about over vaccination... but I dont know what to do?
Do you vaccinate your dog? At all? I dont know if you're supposed to avoid certain vaccines or avoid ALL vaccines.
Or is there an alternative?

Will my dog get sick if I skip certain vaccines?

Ugh, so confused. This is a scary subject.

[xellil]

Well, both my dogs are old and have had many vaccines.

But they are both now overdue on everything but rabies. After what I have read, and after consulting with my wonderful vet - poof no more vaccines.

i will always get rabies, I don't want them to be taken away from me.

There are lots of vaccine experts around here - I'm not one of them but it made sense to me that my dogs are immune by now.

[Caty M]

I do no vaccines but if I did I would ONLY do the puppy series, or even better, just one set of shots at 16 weeks and that's it.

[liquid]

From my last vet visit, they printed out a list of reminders for my puppy. (6 months old)

12-29-12 Distemper/Parvo Adult Vaccine
12-07-12 Rabies Canine, 3yr.
04-03-12 Bordetella Booster. (Last done 10-04-11)

There were other things on there as well, including fecal exams etc. But these were the vaccines listed as 'reminders'.
Any thoughts? Vaccinate or no?
Im very confused, please be patient with me as I ask the same question in a thousand different ways, lol

[xellil]

I never heard of doing bordatella every six months.

Can't comment too much on the other ones, except i think adult dogs are very unlikely to get parvo, and if you've had the vaccine for distemper he is likely to be immune.

[Cliffdog]

I recommend not ever doing bordetella. In my opinion it's a waste of time and money. As for the others (besides rabies, which is the law) it's really all up to you.

[xellil]

the thing about bordatella is that you often can't board a dog, go to a dog park or doggy day care etc. without it. I'm not going to do any of those things again, but I did when we had dog passes to the dog park.

but no one ever asked me to do it more than once per year.

[liquid]

I recommend not ever doing bordetella. In my opinion it's a waste of time and money. As for the others (besides rabies, which is the law) it's really all up to you.

the thing about bordatella is that you often can't board a dog, go to a dog park or doggy day care etc. without it. I'm not going to do any of those things again, but I did when we had dog passes to the dog park.

but no one ever asked me to do it more than once per year.

Thanks for the information you two. I'll have to look up what bordetella actually is, I gotta admit I never really researched this kind of stuff before.

[xellil]

Most people call it kennel cough. It's like a cold dogs can catch from each other.

The problem is, like a cold, there are all kinds of different strains of it and the vaccine may or may not protect your dog.

[Huginn]

Most people call it kennel cough. It's like a cold dogs can catch from each other.

The problem is, like a cold, there are all kinds of different strains of it and the vaccine may or may not protect your dog.

This is exactly what I have read about it. The bord shot is just like getting a flu shot, it may help in may not. Most vets do recommend it every six months. This is one Huginn will not be getting.

I have decided Huginn will likely get his 12 week(ish), once his records arrive, and then titers after that. Except for rabies. Rabies is required in my state by law, so that one I will be doing, even though is has been something like nearly fifty years since a case was reported. In his 12 week he will likely just get his DAPP, I will not do bord, lyme or lepto.