So Hannah was rescued about 4 months ago (end of August). She was a stray that I ended up adopting and long story short we've been together ever since!


Fast forward to today though, I didn't realize all the health stuff that's been skipped throughout her life. The previous owners were negligent and there's no way of knowing what vaccinations she has.

This is keeping me from taking her to dog parks or being around a lot of other dogs.

My question is, what is the best way to approach this situation?


When I first took her in, the first thing she got was a rabies shot which was mandatory, but at the time I didn't want to spend a lot till I was sure that I was going to be able to keep her.


In any case, I've been reading online (http://work4moneyonline.hubpages.com/hub/WhatADogReallyNeeds) about the different things that dogs need over time, but am a little overwhelmed. To my knowledge she's only ever gotten the one rabies that was administered to her this year. Other than that, she has not been tested for any heartworms or anything.


Your suggestions are welcome!

I would call your vet and explain the situation. They'll know how to handle it, and I'd imagine it'd be pretty similar to if you just walked in there with a brand new puppy. Heartworm and fecal parasite testing are a must, heartworm is a lot easier to treat the earlier it's caught.

In general, you want to take your dog in for check ups once a year, and they will give you whatever vaccines are required at that time, since they all have boosters. They'll run the fecal and heartworm testing then as well. Other than the yearly check up, you'll really only have to take her in if she's sick. Also, make sure you pick up a flea/tick/heartworm preventative like Trifexis, so you don't wind up with any new problems.

Besides the vet care, make sure she gets training and socialization. Your vet will indicate when it's safe to go to the park, and once you get the all clear go for it. It'll be good for her to get out and interact with other dogs in a play type situation. Structured training classes are also really good, so check around and see what's offered in your area.

Mostly, relax. We're here to help and let you know what you need to do with Hannah

What a pretty pup! Thank you for rescuing her! I agree - that link is pretty overwhelming and I have two huskies and regularly take them to the vet!

Best bet - find a reputable vet that you can trust not to overcharge you and that takes great care of your dog. Many vets waive the exam fee for a first visit and offer package deals for yearly checkups or will work with you on cost if you're low on funds.

Since you know nothing about her and she was as stray, I would request (and have done myself) a full blood panel as a baseline of her health, to make sure everything is in order. We usually pay around $199 for this type of blood test. They can also test for heartworm. In addition, you can bring in a fecal sample so they can test her poop to ensure she doesn't have any parasites. We got this all done to Chili since he was a stray, in addition to the basic vaccinations he got from the rescue (he was only there 3 1/2 days before we adopted him).

You can get a titer test done to see if she's had any vaccinations and which ones so she doesn't get overvaccinated:
http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/titer_test.htm

Finally, I highly recommend getting a reputable pet insurance policy to cover any big fees that could occur over the lifetime of your pet and start socking away some money each month to put into a "vet" fund. It makes it much easier to budget for routine and out of the ordinary vet expenses.

Like Meredith said, structured classes are a great way for you to get to know your dog and bond with her. It's also a great way to socialize with other dogs in a safe environment. Have fun!

Depending on how old she is will matter if they do a heartworm test. Heartworm testing at the age of under 1 year is pointless, since it takes at least 6 months for the 'baby' heartworms to grow into adults, which is what the heartworm testing is looking for But other than that, they will do fecals, and some shots are fine to repeat more than once in a year, such as bordatella or kennel cough. More than likely for a dog with no records, my clinic would go ahead and vaccinate, but every vet has different opinions!