Tuesday 8 November 2016

The Vaccination Debate


















Kyle, Kito
& Kaiah
Before selling my pups I take them to the vets for a health check, vaccination and to get there microchip. As of last year something that is required by law for a breeder to do - For their safety I've been tattooing or Chipping pups for 20 years! For the same reason I vaccinate my pups, but now vaccinating is becoming quite a mine field!
I refuse to use Lepto 4 - end of. Anyone who is not aware of the danger of this vaccine please click on the link and read this ...  Is Lepto 4 Killing Our Dogs?
This is just one article on the dangers of this vaccine. I'm just not willing to take the chance of using it but I want the protection for my pups. I opted to post on Facebook and see if any vets in the area still used Lepto 2, the safer earlier edition of the vacs. I found three, Holyhead, Llandudno and Tywyn; so a bit of travelling would be necessary. I then rang Cibyn and got to talk to the lovely vet, Rachel. Though she was aware of concerns about the vacs she and the practice had not had any issues with it. Still with all the info online, that's not good enough for me!  I asked how common it was for an animal to be affected by leptospirosis? She said is not something they see often, but they do see it. Mainly dogs come into contact with it through rat urine in standing water .. water is something my dogs tend to like! But Rachel then went on to explain that unlike the other compounds of the puppy vaccine the lepto part only lasts a year .. we'll hell none of my dogs are protected then! It was interesting to hear her say that she now feels that with the other compounds (Parvo etc) only puppy vacs and one booster covers the dogs for approximately 3 years. I only do these puppy vacs and one booster, and haven't given further boosters for 15+ years. So far no problems!
So the decision is made, the three are booked in with Rachel on the 5th of December. The will get their Microchip, health checks and 1st Vacs ... not including Lepto 4. The two boys will then go to their new homes and I will strongly recommend their new owners do not use this vaccine. I will then reassess the situation and I may then take Kaiah to Holyhead or Llandudno for a Lepto 2.
God the pups are almost 4 weeks old, the weeks are flying buy ... half my time with the delightful trio has almost gone. :(