Date: Sat, 19 Jul 2008 19:43:42 -0400
From: Shannon Wall
Subject: Complaining about cost of rabies vaccines and physical exams
Pet owners should really think twice before deciding they can save money by giving their own vaccines. If you purchase your own vaccines at a store, you have no idea whether that vaccine has been stored properly.
The person who sells you the vaccine is not trained or qualified to determine when and whether or not to vaccinate and for what diseases. You don’t know which vaccines should or should not be given to your pet, based on their health and risk factors. You don’t have the emergency life-saving drugs or the facility at home to respond to a negative vaccine reaction, which means you either let your animal suffer or you haul your pet down to the vet or the emergency vet (if it’s after hours).
Most people don’t have the veterinary knowledge to recognize an unrelated health issue (heart murmur, disc
disease, in need of dental cleaning, tumor, cataract, heartworm disease, tick borne disease, etc) or know that the pet is taking a medication that may negatively impact their health if vaccinated at that time. Every companion animal should have a complete yearly physical, vaccines due or not. If you take your animal in for a complete yearly physical (and don’t decline everything) EVERY YEAR, I have no problem with using the rabies clinic for a cheap rabies vaccine.
As far as do-it-yourself vaccines, I don’t think people should assume that just because they can “pop a shot” means they are taking care of their animal properly. Assuming the responsibility of pet ownership means you also assume the financial responsibility for caring for that pet – spending $100-$150 a year per dog for a physical exam, fecal test for parasites, vaccines & heartworm test or physical exam, fecal test and vaccines for a cat is the standard.
You can shop around for better prices (and there are many vet practices out there who will charge ridiculous prices) for routine services. I’d encourage people to get estimates for other professional services like dental cleanings, heartworm treatment, spay/neuter or other surgeries.
BOTTOM LINE – doing your own vaccines may save you some money upfront, but you are assuming a serious risk for both yourself and your pets.
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I come to this blog from a wonderful group of people on the internet who care very much about our breed of dog. the intention was to discourage the practice of treating a dog at home, giving shots ect. I am on the end of the spectrum that believes it is not best to vet for everything a dogs needs in its lifetime.
taking your animal to the vet when you could have done it yourself opens your dog up to numerous issues. disease …
With the influx of thousands of animals being imported by shelters and rescue groups from foreign countries into America to meet the demands of people that want small dogs, (Some shelters have waiting lists)we are seeing old diseases that were once thought to be irradicated showing their ugly heads. pathogens are sadly being imported along with the dogs rabies , different strains of parvo for which there is no test/cure.
Where does a sick dog go to? a vets office! so you take your dog to get vaccinations and could come home with something worse than you vaccinated for.
I am a firm believer in doing all you can at home. yearly visits to the et for fecals are warranted in my opinion,
If you doubt the vaccines are fresh, or not kept properly cooled, have a titers done and find out.
Know your vet, ask him if he signs up to recieve bonus’s from drug companies, ask him how many proheart 6 shots his practice administered in 2004, ask him how he feels about that today.
Your vet works for you, and should not be recieving bonus’s for pushing unproven drugs. We all have opinions that will differ, but i believe that we form our opinions on the great love for our dog kids. I say you can not go wrong if you follow your heart. Even if that disagree’s with how others feel. Donna