How to Find Out What Vaccinations Your Dog Needs. - Berkeley,CA

The funny thing about dogs, is they can appear completely healthy. The dog could have all kinds of unknown internal problems, and seem perfectly healthy. You received a dog, with an unknown medical background, and you have no idea what the dog was exposed to. I would think "experience" would tell you, that only a vet visit can determine the health of a dog. Is the dog even fixed? You do need to see a vet, because it's not good to over vaccinate, and it's not good to assume the pet is healthy. Especially, with children in the home.

If money is tight, how can you really provide for a dog?

A vet cannot tell whether or which vaccines he's had. With no shot record, you have to assume he is NOT vaccinated.

If he'd gone to a shelter instead of to you, they'd give him a full check-up including bloodwork to check for disease, and they'd give him all the vaccines because that's the only way to know he's been vaccinated. You need to do the same.

You don't KNOW the dog is really healthy. You don't KNOW anything about him... a friend bought him form craigslist... you don't even know who the previous owner was or why they gave him up etc.

Take him to the vet. One visit is not going to break the bank (and if it does, maybe you can't afford the dog).

T.

The typical schedule for dogs is a series of vaccinations between 7 & 16 weeks, including the 1-yr Rabies, followed by boosters the following year.

Typically, the Rabies given after the first year is a 3-yr vaccination. I have personally not experienced anyone giving a 3-yr Rabies to a puppy, only the 1-yr. So for certain, I would make sure the dog is up to date on the Rabies (required by law in most municipalities).

Additionally, there are vaccinations that are highly recommended & others that are optional.

Recommended: Parvo, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Distemper. There is a combo vaccine (DHLPP, includes Parainfluenza) that many vets give as a 3-yr booster. Since you do not know if this dog has ANY vaccinations, I would recommend that one also.

Optional vaccines: Corona virus, Lyme's & Bordetella (kennel cough). I personally do not give these, nor do I recommend them to my puppy owners. There is some evidence that giving Lyme's vaccines may cause a more severe case of Lyme's if the dog contracts it despite the vaccine. Corona & Kennel Cough are rarely life-threatening. Just like the flu for humans, dogs can still get different strains of Kennel Cough, & the vaccination doesn't cover all strains.

Once you have given the vaccines for this year (Rabies & the DHLPP), you can either repeat them every 3 years, or opt to only give the Rabies & do titers for the others. A titer is a blood culture to check for antibody immunty against those diseases; if it is low, then the vaccine is given, if it is high, the dog still has protection. The plus of doing a titer is the dog is not over-vaccinated (which can cause issues in some breeds & with some conditions) but the negative is that if the titer comes back low, the vaccine must be given, at an additional cost.

Check with your local humane society, animal control & pet stores. Often you can find vaccination clinics or low-cost clinics for such things.

T.
I've been a breeder & breed-enthusiast of Rhodesian Ridgebacks since 2000.This is information I give my puppy owners, through my research & recommendations of my personal vets.

Get him checked out at a veterinarian and with no prior vaccine records, they will likely vaccinate him for rabies (required by law) and distemper-parvo (DHPP). If he's had them previously and it's a little soon to booster to them, it won't hurt for him to get them, but at least you will know they have been done. Titers are not reliable (and sometimes more money then just vaccinating) and tags mean nothing - a tag could be given for 1 dog but then put on the collar of another dog. They can also talk to you about other vaccines such as kennel cough, etc. depending on what his lifestyle will be like - exposure to other dogs, outdoor activity, etc. They can also check a stool sample for intestinal parasites (which are microscopic so it's not obvious just looking at it if he's okay or not) and have him tested for heartworm. Then they can get him started on some preventative care, such as heartworm prevention and flea/tick protection. They can also schedule him to be neutered, if it has not already been done.

There are low-cost vaccine clinics available sometimes at Petco and other pet supply stores, but they are usually just vaccinating them without an actual vet exam/check-up. Fecal and heartworm testing may not be available either.

Blood test. They check the titers.

You should see a vet. You received a dog with no medical history and for whom you have no record of vaccinations. We once got a dog that seemed healthy - til the vet saw him. Vet told us he had heartworms (no wonder they were getting rid of him) and we had to then quarantine him from our other dog, get him treated, etc. Any new pet we get goes to the vet's office. You might ask the SPCA for a list of local vets that do vaccination clinics (or ask them when theirs are - rabies clinics are common) and who provides affordable vet care.

Well, the evident thing to do is to find a vet. Talk to those Petco people and ask for a veterinary recommendation. You might mention that money is tight, and, while you want to do the best thing for the new pup, you need to watch your pennies. You won't be the first person to ask such questions! There may be options you don't know about. Your vet will be your dog's best friend, next to you; go ahead and find a good one.

Maybe the Petco can steer you towards a vet who will allow for a payment plan. The only way to know what vaccinations he's already had/needs to get would be a blood test.

Since the previous owner did not get any certificates with him and she did not vaccinate, I would vaccinate him. Talk to your vet. In Reality, you should take him in for an overall check, just like you would for a newborn or adopted baby.

A vet cannot tell you if he has already been vaccinated. What they can tell you is what vaccines a dog his age should have, and then set up a schedule for you.