Hello All,

Went to the doctor on Saturday to have Luna vaccinated for Bordetella (kennel cough).

The doctor was recommending Leptospirosis and Lyme vaccines as well. Which I am considering because we do go on hikes and camping. (Lyme) Also because we do have racoons that roam around the neighborhood as well (lepto).

Our vet said that we should schedule the appointment early in the am just in case she has a reaction to the shots.

Anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks!

For your location I'd strongly suggest getting the Lyme vaccine. The Lepto not so much unless you have a rodent problem (rats/mice).

Raccoon you would need to worry more about rabies and I'm sure Luna has been vaccinated for that already.

I have Kale vaccinated for Lyme, Lepto, and Crotalus (rattlesnake). He had no reactions other than being sleepy like a little kid after getting their flu shot. Lepto is an annual vaccine but I plan on giving it every 3 years because it is combined with the dist/parvo vx and that is a three year. Lyme and Crotalus are annual. Better safe than sorry, especially with a disease like Lyme.

Our vet said something about her face might get swollen so we would have to bring her back just in case she has an allergic reaction.

I'm being lazy and not wanting to research, what is the lepto vaccine? They haven't meantioned it here.

artoaky wrote:

Our vet said something about her face might get swollen so we would have to bring her back just in case she has an allergic reaction.

That's extremely rare, it can happen though. Like with anything, there is the possibility for side effects. But in my opinion the benefits outweigh the cons.

Leptospirosis is a disease that is carried through other animal's urine. If she ingests it through leaves, grass or anything else it's serious.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leptospirosis

Tiff&Kya wrote:

I'm being lazy and not wanting to research, what is the lepto vaccine? They haven't meantioned it here.

Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that causes lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and death if untreated. Transmitted through standing water where wildlife have urinated, most commonly deer, rodents, etc. It's shed through urine.

hypers987 wrote:

Tiff&Kya wrote:

I'm being lazy and not wanting to research, what is the lepto vaccine? They haven't meantioned it here.

Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that causes lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and death if untreated. Transmitted through standing water where wildlife have urinated, most commonly deer, rodents, etc. It's shed through urine.

So I should probably change my dog's kiddie pool everyday, since we have squirrels and possums in the backyard.

we started the 2 shoot Leptospirosis last yr, they get the 1yr 1 shot booster this week. no reactions.
good for all the stream drinking they do on hikes

Tiff&Kya wrote:

hypers987 wrote:

Tiff&Kya wrote:

I'm being lazy and not wanting to research, what is the lepto vaccine? They haven't meantioned it here.

Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that causes lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and death if untreated. Transmitted through standing water where wildlife have urinated, most commonly deer, rodents, etc. It's shed through urine.

So I should probably change my dog's kiddie pool everyday, since we have squirrels and possums in the backyard.

I don't think the squirrels or possums would get in it to pee, but if it's something that your worried about then you can. It's more if and animal that has it or is carrying it pees and it rains and creates puddles, or they pee near water and it trickles in, like slow-moving streams.

One thing I do know about the vaccine itself is that the only breed of dog that doesn't get the vaccine are Dachshunds, they are the breed that more often than not have a severe reaction to it. So my Violet is not vaccinated for it.

hypers987 wrote:

I have Kale vaccinated for Lyme, Lepto, and Crotalus (rattlesnake). He had no reactions other than being sleepy like a little kid after getting their flu shot. Lepto is an annual vaccine but I plan on giving it every 3 years because it is combined with the dist/parvo vx and that is a three year. Lyme and Crotalus are annual. Better safe than sorry, especially with a disease like Lyme.

You know, I'm kind of wondering if we should look into the Crotalus vaccine as well, especially with the amount of hiking we're doing. This is a pretty snake infested area (though not all rattlesnakes), and we do see them from time to time. Between living here for flight school and the 9 months I've lived here this time, I've seen 2 eastern diamondbacks, a water moccasin, and a copper head, and Aaron's seen a copperhead. I've also had friends find pygmy rattlesnakes on their driveways.

I would, gives you a bit more time to get them to an ER vet for the anti-venom. Kale's nose is everywhere when we hike, so I thought it would be a good idea lol If a dog were to piss off a snake, it'd be Kale haha

I'll have to ask my vet about it. The huskies love to drink out of the puddles on hikes, and I don't normally let them (because most likely it's saltwater) but sometimes they sneak it!

Ghost is the same way on hikes. Lulu is pretty good, but Aaron uses a flexi leash and lets her wander even though I've explained just how many snakes are out here. Shoot, google "Croc Hunter Eglin AFB" and see. He came down here to do a piece on how many snakes are slithering around Eglin AFB, which is so close to us that we can hear the AC-130 gunships doing their target practice at night. Plus, the nearest vet ER is almost a 30 minute drive since we live out in the sticks. I need to schedule her 1 year old check up anyway, I'll ask about it then.

blueeyedghost wrote:

Ghost is the same way on hikes. Lulu is pretty good, but Aaron uses a flexi leash and lets her wander even though I've explained just how many snakes are out here. Shoot, google "Croc Hunter Eglin AFB" and see. He came down here to do a piece on how many snakes are slithering around Eglin AFB, which is so close to us that we can hear the AC-130 gunships doing their target practice at night. Plus, the nearest vet ER is almost a 30 minute drive since we live out in the sticks. I need to schedule her 1 year old check up anyway, I'll ask about it then.

I grew up with copperheads running around our property. I am always very weary of letting them out to far, especially in the marsh areas.

Thanks for the feedback everyone!

Scheduled our appointment for Monday and had to take a day off from work. 3-day weekend thanks to Luna!

We do a lot of hiking and traveling, our house even backs up to woods but I have never gotten these vaccines for my dogs and we've never had a problem. And yes, my sibe eats everything he can get his mouth on, tastes other animals' urine, eats other species' feces, and drinks from wild streams/rivers/lakes, etc.

There will always be the better safe than sorry argument and I don't discourage others from doing what they feel necessary for their dogs. However there are sooo many things that they could get just from going out and living life that it makes me question where do you draw the line on vaccines? Do you get them all with the "just in case" or "better safe than sorry" mindset? Not looking to start anything here or provoke anyone, just throwing that out there for people to think about. Again, not putting anyone down or discouraging anyone from getting any vaccinations for their pets, it's just not for me and I wonder about the reasons people do what they do. A friend of mine told me all the vaccines her vet gave her dogs and I was amazed when she listed them out for me (although I didn't say anything to her in order to not hurt her feelings) but the vaccines her vet was advising and her blindly accepting were absolutely ridiculous and highly, highly unlikely that her dogs would ever contract said disease/parasite/infection/whatever.

FWIW, our dogs are around all the same things Luna is exposed to on a regular basis and if it were me I would not get the vaccinations...but then again I also would not have gotten the bordetella vaccine either....that's just me though.

we only do the rabies (law) and the distemper/parvo vac, and like i said i never did the lepto one till last yr when the vet who know we hike a ton suggested it and to me it was a better safe then sorry, the $22 shot is better then all the medical care to cure it if they do get sick. we don't do day care so we don't do the kennel cough.

jbealer wrote:

we only do the rabies (law) and the distemper/parvo vac, and like i said i never did the lepto one till last yr when the vet who know we hike a ton suggested it and to me it was a better safe then sorry, the $22 shot is better then all the medical care to cure it if they do get sick. we don't do day care so we don't do the kennel cough.

Agreed. I do the 3 year dist/parvo/lepto combo, 3 year rabies, Lymes annual (lots of deer around here and Lymes disease is prevalent, we have an average of 5 a month come in with it) and crotalus so if he does get bite by a snake while out on a hike, it'll buy us time to get him in to get the anti-venom treatments. The only reason I gave him the Intranasal Bord vx was because I had to board him, and it was required, other than that I don't vaccinate for that one.

My current vet doesn't recommend the Lepto vaccine, stating they only recommend it in geographical areas that have a high incidence rate of it. However, our doggy daycare requires it so we get it for that reason. (Otherwise I wouldn't, but I love our doggy daycare place and they won't budge on the issue.) When we lived in southwestern Virginia our vet included it in the standard vaccinations. Phantom's been getting it for almost 3 years now and no reactions yet. A quick google search seems to indicate lepto is rather prevalent in Long Island, NY, so you might want to do some research and take that into consideration.

Just read this.

http://www.vetinfo.com/dinfdis.html

"Leptospirosis is a hot topic at dog shows and other competitions now. There has been an epidemic of leptospirosis in Long Island, NY now for a couple of years."

Definitely getting her shots next week.

Yep Lepto is big where I live as well, hence why I get the vx. I've physically seen dogs with it, and it's not something I'm willing to risk Kale getting. Awesome article BTW I'm a veterinary medicine nerd

hypers987 wrote:

Yep Lepto is big where I live as well, hence why I get the vx. I've physically seen dogs with it, and it's not something I'm willing to risk Kale getting. Awesome article BTW I'm a veterinary medicine nerd

Thanks! haha had to look it up.

"Fort Dodge Animal Health has updated its Duramune line of vaccines to include the serovars (types) of leptospirosis that have been incriminated in most of the recent outbreaks. If you live in an area in which leptospirosis is a concern (the latest outbreaks were on Long Island and in California),"

Another quote from the site.