Yeah, that Vet needs to be dumped QUICK! We had a wonderful vet when we lived in Indiana. He took the time to explain things to mom and dad and he'd sit on the floor with us instead of making us sit on that slick cold table. He was all for the 3 year Rabies, but down here in 'Bama they insist on every year! Our vet down here doesn't yell and is really sweet to us. But they still say we gotta get the shots once a year. Oh bother...but we've not had any problems. Good luck with you vet search and your shots!

Hi Loki! I say get a new vet...Mom doesn't over vaccinate us - we have blood work done instead. We get the required shots (rabies, bordatella) only. We have a great vet here (NJ)who understands and actually agrees that over vaccinating may be harmful. Tell your Mom that she should do what she feels comfortable with whether that's vaccines or not. It's important for puppies to get all shots because they are more susceptible to disease but a healthy adult dog may not need the booster shots most vets push on their clients.

I have a wonderful vet at Stop 11 Animal Hospital. His name is Dr. Hill and he will talk endlessly about your concerns. They use the 3-yr. shots & they use the new vaccine protocols that all the vet schools are using. They are wonderful people. It's at the intersection of Emerson & Stop 11. Actually on Stop 11 just east of the intersection. 885-7297 Dr. Webb is wonderful too but I'm kind of partial to Dr. Hill because he talks a lot.

Loki, you need to remember that if you don't have your required shots and you need vet treatment they probably won't do it until you've had your shots & waited 12 hrs.

What is considered "over vaccinating"?

Over vaccinating is when they give you vaccines that you don't need for your lifestyle.
Mom also read where you're supposed to wait 3 to 4 weeks between shots. Thanks everybody, you've really helped mom.

New Vaccine Schedule: Puppies=8, 12, 16 weeks and booster at 1 year with a 5-way combo vaccine minus Lepto and Corona (Corona is a disease of puppies and is self-limiting anyway). This series will keep your pet immune for life most likely. However, since that's not acceptable by dog parks, boarding, etc boosters every 3 years with the same vaccine components are more than sufficient. If your dog has had boosters every year for the last 5 years (and no puppy shots), I'm sure they are immune for life. What is important is preventative exams (every 6 months to 1 year), bloodwork, etc...not vaccines every year. Rabies of course is required by law...some vets still use the 3 year and some only the 1 year. We can't get around that one :) Instead of vaccinating, titer tests can be done to see antibody levels.

Yah what Stevie's mom said. Very well put and informative, Stevie. We do the titer testing and the three year rabies with regular vet visits.

we go to dr. jennifer hicks @ brookville road animal hospital. she is very "updated" on what you need, or don't need. if you chose not to over vaccinate, she will NOT act like your vet did! that is inexcusable, a professional should not act like that! once my dogs passed the age of about 2, we no longer give anything, except the 3 year rabies vaccination. i do take my dogs to the vet, many times a year. if you cannot commit to going at least twice a year, just for a physical, then you may want to do the yearly vaccs, as so much can happen in a short time, that could have been caught by the vet, if owners took them to the vet more often. i'm a groomer, and i often find things on dogs that i tell them to go to the vet for, because they see me way more than their vet. what is sad is the ones i see maybe once a year...sometimes health issues have gone beyond the help of a vet by then. my cats got their vaccs in the first year, then they have received nothing since, not even rabies. that is my personal choice, but i DO still take them in for check ups. i am what my vet calls a more "aware" type owner, so she is ok with my choices. the best you can do is educate yourself in every way you can, which i have done, and that is why i have made the choices i have. i do not titer my dogs, because i am not concerned about them getting puppy diseases, since they are far from puppies.