Question about puppy shots

[Krystee]

How many sets of the puppy shots are puppies supposed to get. My vet gave me a puppy schedule and it shows 4 sets. Tobie has already had 3 and it shows that the last set should be at 16 weeks. Is this right? For some reason I was thinking that they got 3 sets. I know the vet knows way more than me but different vets do different things so I thought I'd check.

[Critter]

mine had 4 sets and then they did the rabies during the neuter.

[Krystee]

okay.. my vet also has rabies listed at 16 weeks with the 4th set of shots but I will probably wait until 6 months for the rabies. I don't think he would do both of those together anyway because he didn't want to do the 3rd set and kennel cough together because Tobie is so small. We did the 3rd set and then came back the next week and did the Kennel Cough.

[phfgkl]

From my understanding, little dogs should never have their rabis at the same type they're spayed/neutered
I am totally against giving them a rabi shot also when they're so tiny, everyone needs to watch this short video
The Rabies Vaccine for Dogs: Side Effects and Precautions You Can Take

[Britster]

I'm opting to just give Jackson three sets. He's had 3 sets, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, and 16 weeks. He's going to get rabies when he gets his neuter.

[Critter]

Originally Posted by phfgkl

From my understanding, little dogs should never have their rabis at the same type they're spayed/neutered
I am totally against giving them a rabi shot also when they're so tiny, everyone needs to watch this short video
The Rabies Vaccine for Dogs: Side Effects and Precautions You Can Take

I never heard this but as with anything I am sure there are always views about this being right or wrong. I know my vet says it is easier for them to do it when they are fixed. My daughter works for a vet in another state and they also do it that way.

[Britster]

Originally Posted by Critter

I never heard this but as with anything I am sure there are always views about this being right or wrong. I know my vet says it is easier for them to do it when they are fixed. My daughter works for a vet in another state and they also do it that way.

That's what I'm doing - I'd rather just get it done at the same time!

[jeffandkim]

Ella had 4 puppy shots: 3 with the breeder and one with our vet. Jack (our Maltese) only had 3 puppy shots: 1 with the breeder, 2 with the vet. Our vet did the rabies with both around 17 weeks, separate from the puppy shots.

Something to ask your vet is how they handle the booster shots. Ella and Jack will go in and get a one-year booster, then will test their blood after that. They'll only get shots if the antibody level in their blood is too low--this helps avoid over-medicating.

[Wylie's Mom]

I'd be very cautious about getting a rabies vaccine during a surgery. The surgery and anesthetic are already dangerous in and of themselves. Rabies is a "big" vaccine (in terms of reaction) - if a reaction occurs, what then, when the body is already without food/water x12-16 hours, is trying to recover from anesthesia, and was just traumatized by surgery?

How would you even know a reaction is occuring if 1) they're unconscious or 2) they're in recovery from anesthesia?

I don't understand giving rabies during sugery at all. Am I missing something?

[Ellie May]

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

I'd be very cautious about getting a rabies vaccine during a surgery. The surgery and anesthetic are already dangerous in and of themselves. Rabies is a "big" vaccine (in terms of reaction) - if a reaction occurs, what then, when the body is already without food/water x12-16 hours, is trying to recover from anesthesia, and was just traumatized by surgery?

How would you even know a reaction is occuring if 1) they're unconscious or 2) they're in recovery from anesthesia?

I don't understand giving rabies during sugery at all. Am I missing something?

I couldn't have said it better and you are not missing something.
In my opinion, it is safer to do it while the dog isn't going through a major procedure. Why put the body through that all at once? And how will you know if there is a reaction?


If a dog "needs" four sets of shots, then they were probably started too early. Two to three sets (usually three) depending on start date is what seems best.

[ILoVeEMiNnie]

yes its 4 shot's but i have to go for 3 thank god this is the part i least like about owning a pet is the vet appointments sometimes i like going to talk to people about ur babys but i hate to wait i mean as long as they are healthy that makes me happy i just hate to go threw it ugh i wish i had my own personal vet lol

[Wylie's Mom]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

I couldn't have said it better and you are not missing something.

In my opinion, it is safer to do it while the dog isn't going through a major procedure. Why put the body through that all at once? And how will you know if there is a reaction?

If a dog "needs" four sets of shots, then they were probably started too early. Two to three sets (usually three) depending on start date is what seems best.

Glad you saw this and that you agree, bc I couldn't really believe what I was reading; can't fathom why a vet would give a potent vaccine to a dog who is already in an extremely vulnerable physical state.

It makes me wonder how often this is happening, and whether people realize the dangers of this practice.

[GurleyGirl]

My vet's schedule is that that pups must have two puppy shots after the age of 10 weeks. I start my pups at a little over 7 weeks so there is only a series of three shots that way. He would give the rabies shot with the last puppy shot if I let him. I wait until at least 6 months of age... usually older... my Rambo was 8 months old and my Emma was 9 months old when they got their rabies shots. They never went outside before then.

My Winnie was recently spayed and she was due her 3yr rabies shot... they wanted to give it to her after her spaying. I nicely declined that offer.

I never let the vet give more than one shot at a time regardless of the age of my dogs. If any reaction occurred I wouldn't know which shot caused it.

[jp4m2]

Originally Posted by Krystee

How many sets of the puppy shots are puppies supposed to get. My vet gave me a puppy schedule and it shows 4 sets. Tobie has already had 3 and it shows that the last set should be at 16 weeks. Is this right? For some reason I was thinking that they got 3 sets. I know the vet knows way more than me but different vets do different things so I thought I'd check.

Puies don't "need" or require "sets" of shots....The only reason they give so many vaccines is because they are doing them way to early so the pup has moms immunity and it blocks the vaccine from replicating.....therefore the vet keeps giving them so by the time he doea three he's banking on one to take.....Kris Cristine just posted a thread on this very issue...

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...-16-weeks.html

In the August 2008 issue of The Whole Dog Journal, Dr. Ronald Schultz reports in an article entitled, Vaccinations 101, by Lisa Rodier, "Research shows that less than 50 percent of puppies will respond at six weeks; 75 percent at nine weeks; 90 percent at 12 weeks; and by 14 to16 weeks, close to 100 percent will respond. "


If the vet would just wait til the pup is 16 weeks or older one shot for parvo, or distemper would need to be done only once... therefore not exposing the pup to unnecessary vaccine ingredients that will stress and wear down his immune system . Each shot carries it's own risks from the preservatives and contaminants that get in it from manufacturing process, so more is not better.....