So my dad's dog had a vaccine reaction - Page 2

[Marnica]

Originally Posted by kriket

i consider it in the same boat as preventative flea treatments. i live in an area where both are bad (fleas carry heart worm) so we do both. but like i mentioned before do your research on that too.

i don't believe there is anything else you can do for heart worm

Actually there is...there are natural alternatives to heartworm medication which is actually not "preventive". It is the same medication used to actively treat heartworm infections. We use a natural herbal alternative. Heartworm is not transmitted through fleas either. It is transmitted through mosquitoes.

[Monarchgrrl]

My DW is an RVT and the only vax she will do on our animals is the Parvo vax for puppies. Not that we have had dogs yet, but our cats are indoor-only and are vax-free. We don't board, either. She sees so many vax reactions it's scary.

[just_lily]

We haven't used a boarding kennel since acquiring our second dog - it is just so expensive with two! We have just had a friend come over, so I am seriously considering no more vax for my guys.

Fortunately we live in an area where there isn't any heartworm. I was shocked when I asked my vet about it because where I grew up it was common and we had to give preventative treatment to our family pets. I guess we are pretty fortunate that we don't even have to think about it.

[KayCSmommy]

I didn't realize that you were supposed to VAX animals, (I haven't owned an animal other than fish and a bunny in at least 10+ years though) now that I think about it, I remember my mom giving our dog a shot on the back of her neck shortly after we moved from the country to a small town. They were always on her back about her animals so I am sure that living in the town had something to do with the shot.
I had many cats in my childhood, and we never once took any of them to a vet. I had one of my cats for thirteen years, the only time she went to the vet was to be fixed and at that time my sister was interested in being a vet and she was able to shadow the vet when he was fixing my cat, I will have to ask her is she received any shots at that visit. (She didn't stay at the vets office, she came home as soon as she woke up.) She was almost 14 and in good health when she just disappeared one day. (She used to hide in the car by the battery, so my mom thinks that she got stuck in someone's car and lost, I have my own opinion on what happened to her but that is a different story, but we lived in a town that had big owls, bald and golden eagles, and hawks and they were know to take off with small dogs so its possible that she was taken by one).

[MoonStarFalling]

Our first dog collapsed right after getting his shots. We got home and barely inside the door before he started seizing. We had to board him after that and again the same thing happened after his shots. I'll never do that to him again poor guy. We just take him with us now.