# Lepto, Heartworm... questions from a newbie.



## SilverBeat (Jan 16, 2011)

Wallaby had his first vet visit on Thursday and they gave him a vaccine for [I think] distemper and leptospirosis, which she said he could get from drinking contaminated water. I was under the impression that it was just one shot, but I got a call last night asking me to schedule his second shot.
First of all, how likely is it that my dog could actually get this? And if he did get it what would the treatment be?
She also wants to run a heartworm test on him, which I see no harm in doing but she wants him to be taking interceptor year-round as a preventative. Once a month. I take issue with this, since it would basically be like putting a poison into him on the first of every month. There has to be another way.

FYI he is a smallish mystery mix dog, ideally weighing about 35-40lbs now at 30lbs. He often comes with me to the shelters where I volunteer.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Was that his first shot that you know of?

I would also recommend doing the heartworm test and giving the preventative only during mosquito season, giving one dose every 45 days rather than every month.


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

We need to know what age he is. Natalie is absolutely correct about the heartworm meds. My dogs only get about 4 doses a year. You don't really need to begin the heartworm meds until 45 days after mosquitoes appear. That makes their first dose around mid to late June around here.


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## SilverBeat (Jan 16, 2011)

Yes that was his first shot. I am going to get the second one, but does he really need to have it [get it again in a year or three years or whatever?] I don't go camping all that often but I do often go visiting my friends on various farms and such, especially in the summer/spring months.

ETA: he is about 2-3 years old. Just a little on the scrawny side.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Nope. As long as he has one final "annual" or adult shot for DHPP then he's set for 7-15 years.


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## SilverBeat (Jan 16, 2011)

Ooh. He had a DHPP in September when he was surrendered to the shelter in Tennessee. It was on the records that I gave to the vet. Maybe what she gave him wasn't for Distemper, I just specifically remember her mentioning Lepto and the fact that it was a combination vaccine for that and something else.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Is there any way you can find out what he got?


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## SilverBeat (Jan 16, 2011)

Yes it occurred to me that this might be on his invoice. It says...
DHPP- Recomitek C4
Leptovax - Recomitek 4 Lepto
Drontal Plus 68 K9 50

Is it dangerous for him to have two DHPP vaccines so close together?


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

The one he got today should be the last he will need for the next 7-15 years. Its not the best thing he was vaccinated twice within a year, but it's not the end of the world.


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