May I ask for everybody's input on this please.

[yola]

Dawn - I get a postcard reminder and if I happen to have a vet visit around the time vaccinations are due they will mention it. However, they have never pushed it.

I keep them vaccinated due to the insurance requirements. It's not a must-have but it makes it easier for them to wriggle out of a claim if up to date jabs aren't in place.

What kind if undue pressure are your vets putting you under (if you don't mind me asking)?

[borderdawn]

Thanks Diddy dawn and Yola.

Yola, it seems that some Vets are pressurising owners to vaccinate in light of more not wanting to. We have had a couple of people really upset by being told by Vets that they are not doing the right thing by not vaccinating. It seemed at first more the dogs than Cats, but Cat people are commenting too now. Vets are still charging dog people the same each year for about 6 vaccines as they are the two following years for 2 vaccines!! They dont like it being pointed out either!!

Thanks for your input.
Dawn.

p.s Sorry, forgot, mine have kitten/puppy vaccs then no more.

[Kazz]

Hello An interesting post.

Cleo and Oscar had their kitten jabs then the next 2 years (approx) because I was going on holiday and they were to go into a cattery but in the end stayed home and people came into them but the main reason for the boosters was to go into cattery. Not had one since so thats been about 20-21 years vaccination free. They have never been in catteries though.

The dogs Sal and Tess had their puppy jabs and so far have been been given booster ever since, but this year Sal will be 4 Tess is already 2 I have decided not to continue with the boosters. But the vets I'm with now have never pressurized at all - but my previous vets did.

I would vaccinate if they were going into kennels or catteries.

[borderdawn]

Thanks Kazz. May I ask which Vets you use, being local?
Dawn.

[Elaine]

Winston was never vaccinated in all his 21 years. Eva has been vaccinated and had her booster last year and this. Bernie was vacinated last year and will have his booster this year. Am undecided at this point if I will continue to get them their boosters next year.

[DiddyDawn]

I usually have my cats vaccinated with me doing rescue but must admit, with all the info about over vaccinating, it does concern me. There are certain vaccines my vet only gives 3 yearly and others, can't remember which every two years. The dogs are fully vaccinated but they aren't having any more as I've had no end of problems with my shepherd.

[borderdawn]

Immune meditated diseases are on a massive increase Dawn, my friend lost a 5yr old Cocker to a disease directly related to over vaccinating, it was a real shame. Sorry about your Shepherd.
Dawn.

[MrsH]

Like several others, my vets don't push the vaccinations but because we'll be using a cattery when we go away we'll have to keep up the annual shots with our 2 cats.

A previous cat that we had used to have a terrible time with flea allergies, tearing her skin and scratching until it bled. She ended up with a couple of permanent bald patches and had to be given steroids whenever she had a reaction. Following advice from a friend with a similar situation but a different vet we stopped having annual booster shots and after that there was no extreme reaction when fleas struck. Cause and effect or just coincidence?

[Kim]

I have always got my cats vaccinated as kittens and then their annual booster. However, I hae having serious doubts about this after the publicity of over-vaccinating (and Penel's experience Dawn). I have just had a reminder card for Sasha, but so far not taken her and am not sure sure I will. They rarely go into catteries these days, as my son looks after them if we go away. Rosie and Misty are usually off colour for a couple of days following vaccination. Misty was quite poorly as a kitten after his vaccs. I do wonder if we are doing more harm than good. Quite a dilemma.

Interesting thread Dawn.

[Kazz]

Originally Posted by borderdawn

Thanks Kazz. May I ask which Vets you use, being local?
Dawn.

I will Pm you the vets names.

Can I add when I took Cleo to the vets the weekend I mentioned I would not be bringing Tess in for a booster - so for them not to waste the postage sending me a reminder and the vet himself said "the choice is yours if you don't use boarding kennels who need the "certificate" then the choice is yours".

Karen