Does anyone NOT vaccinate your pets?

[mommaknowsbest]

I'm a newbie,so forgive me if this isn't okay to post this question.This is just so exciting for me to be around like-minded moms,but if this is out of the realm of discussion, I can do a google.

I have 2 indoor cats that I rescued from a no-kill shelter. I have yet to follow up on further vaxes. They are (probably) around 2 years old.

I have a neighbor, who said there is no reason to continue vaxing my dogs,as long as they're not around other dogs. They are indoor dogs,we walk them on leashes.

I'm always so busy (trying) to stay up on anti-people vax,but realized that I need to question this regarding my pets.

Thanks!

[amnesiac]

There are some threads in the archives you might enjoy.

[MilkTrance]

I don't vax my dog. I see no need for it. She doesn't hang out at the dog park; she lives on a farm and is very healthy.

[angie7]

My 3 mixes haven't been vaxed in 7 years, and my Great Dane has only had one set of puppy shots. She is now going on 6 y/o in a few weeks. Her brother and sister are completely vax free doggies. My cat is a stray that wandered up a few years ago and she has never seen a vet. So no, I don't vax my pets

[Pariah]

We don't vax our cats...they're indoor cats. Whenever we get dogs, I believe we'll have to do the rabies vax or else not be able to visit a vet (the ones in our area are like that, anyway).

[Milvudeeshna]

My dogs get the rabies shot because it is required by law. We haven't done any other shots since 2005.

[mommaknowsbest]

Thanks, Amnesiac. I'll check out the archives.

Hmmm...I didn't think about the law. Call me wierd, it just wasn't the thing that entered my mind. I suppose to continue licensing,and grooming,I'll have to check on this.

We do live by wildlife, so on the rare occasion when my one cat escapes:,I wonder if I should worry about rabies?

Thanks mamas!!

Off to read....

[rabrog]

We haven't vaxed one of our cats in 4.5 years and the other is almost 3yo and only got vax'd the first round (was taken in by the vet as a new kitten and we got her from there). Our cats are indoor cats, so I see no need to vax.

If/when we get a dog, we won't vax him/her, either. No need to take it to a groomer (waste of money) and it would always be on a leash with us or in our fenced in yard.

Jenn

[Rylins mama]

Ive been wondering about this. We have not gotten any vax for them since we got any of them. The oldest is 5 and youngest is almost 2 (we have 3) they all got their first 2 sets before we got them but besides that, the 2 oldest had their rabies shots because by law we had to when we moved from Cali to Alaska. Well now were leaving AK again next summer and Im pretty sure, when you cross into Canada driving, you have to show the rabies record. I REALLY dont want to get it for them and last time we drove through they just asked if we had papers but never checked but I really hate to chance it. We have all chihuahuas under 5 lbs so it really scares me pumping them with vaccines when they are inside dogs.

[antifreak]

Rabies is all i do unless i'm given no other choice
I wouldn't do it at all but my beagle has brought my other dog out on a walk and they brought home the animal control guy..
now i have to do a rabies and a dog liscence

I got a ticket...

I had my one dog vaxed because the vet refused to take her unless she had distemper it was a weekend and i had no time to get to the other vet...etc etc.
They are horrible about it here and the other hollistic vets are no closer than 50 in any direction...
Vets are as insistant a Peds here.

What a scary place the world has become...and it's not the disease i'm taking about...it's about everywhere you go and everything you do...you are mandated to take all kinds of injections.

[Sileree]

I won't vaccinate again after my cat got cancer from a vaccine and died of it.

[avendesora]

Originally Posted by Milvudeeshna

My dogs get the rabies shot because it is required by law. We haven't done any other shots since 2005.

Same here, for our cats.

Aven

[I Dislike Penguins]

I vaccinate my cats because I regularly foster shelter cats, and it is hard to tell what diseases they are going to come in with.

[Baby_Cakes]

When we adopted our kittens, we did do the rabies shot and the distempter shot. They're indoor cats, but in the rare chance that one of them got out, I didn't want to worry about these diseases.

I had two cats growing up who both died from distemper, I believe. I was young and my mom didn't follow up with any of their shots. Distemper is not a pretty sight. Honestly, it broke my heart to see them slowly disintegrate and pass away when the disease could have been prevented.

[LeighB]

We do rabies and distemper. I had an outbreak of distemper in a shelter I volunteered at. It was horrible, so I'll always vax for that.

[mommaknowsbest]

So much to think about! Thankyou mamas!

I would sooooo love to do -at- home -grooming,but our dogs are huge and long haired-and have oh so long nails. Thus, the reason to spend the $ 3X yr on grooming. This could change,however.

[bri276]

if you decide to do the rabies, google adjuvant free rabies vaccine and call around to see which local vet offers it. the rabies vaxes with adjuvants have been linked to cancerous tumors.

we don't do any for our indoor cats, only rabies for the outdoor cat.