ljmahr

With all the debate about vaccines for our children on this forum, I was just wondering what you all thought of giving vaccines to your pets? They had a segment on the today show today and just starting thinking about it. To those who do vax their kids, do you vax your pets? The ones they do not vax their kids do you vax your pets?

We only have a gerbil and we just got him last weekend from Petsmart so we never really thought of this.

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Laura

Mommy to 4 beautiful girls and 1 handsome boy

meow_173

You know its funny...my mom vaccinates her 3 cats every year. My cat is almost 5 (in june) and he's had his first and second shots, dewormed, neutuered and his front claws de-clawed, and thats it. I've never had a problem with him, and he's an indoor cat, so i've never gotten him vaxed.

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Skyburning

There is just as much controversy about vaxing pets as there is children. I personally vaxed my dog for everything once, but she won't recieve the boosters. The only vax I'll continue is rabies but only because it's required by law. I do use a heartworm preventative though. They are finding that dog vax have a much longer lasting immunity than original thought and vaxing every year is overkill and can actually be harmful.

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Lissa

I have "different" perspective when it comes to having pets that I won't get into, but I think that all pets should be vaccinated for sure.

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Kaytee

well I was a registered veterinary technician before having kids. So I do know abit about pet vaccines as well.

More and more and I can probably say most vets now will vax on a case to case situation.
I vax my pets for diseases that I know are more likly to occur with them. THey get Rabies (legally) they also get lepto vaccine as they are lakes oftne and we live in the country (spread through raccoon feces mainly). I do not give parvo vaccine to my lab (he had parvo as a puppy so he has a lifelong immunity, he was not mine at that time). My other dog does not get parvo as well, as she is 8 years old and it is a puppy disease. They only get kennel cough if we are boarding them (rarely)
My cat does get all of hers though. Cats are more likely to develope most of the vaccine preventable diseases then dogs are.

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Kaytee

that is so true, most vets only give the yearlies in order to get you to return every year. Same with the fact that most clinics us the 3 year rabies vax but still tell you to come in every year. They do this, not for the money (as vaxing is very low cost for vets) but because if they don't tell you to come in every year, then you won't bring them in for well checks. Same as kids, the vaccine schedule for pets is so the docs can see your child/pet

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fallon

my cat's had all the samethings as meow's and my dog like sykburning...they get check ups as well

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ljmahr

I haven't done too much looking around on this yet, but do they use the same type of "harmful" stuff in pet vaccines?

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Laura

Mommy to 4 beautiful girls and 1 handsome boy

Kaytee

yes they do. They are similar. That is why, just with kids you have to weight he risks and benefits of them.

I do strongly suggest that all puppies get parvo vaccine though (unless they had parvo) it is a scary and very painful disease and very very very common

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fallon

I always make sure any new pets get all their shots...if they ever had to go to kennel I would have them boostered. Talula still gets her rabies shots and heartworm provention though

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