Veterinarians or Vet Techs: Question on shots.

[Clarence Martin]

With this new Lab I got, the trainer I got him from had gotten him from the other owner that needed tp find a home for him, They said they would try to get the vaccine report on the Dog. But, because the prior owner is in the Hospital dealing with Cancer, if they can't get the list of shots he has had; what is the best way to handle this , from a healthcare standpoint ? If I can't verify when certain shots were given, when can they be given again? Concerned mostly with RABIES, PARVO , DISTEMPER ,LEPTO .

[Tom M King]

Get Titers taken. It's a blood test that shows immunities for the different diseases that the shots are for. If he shows immunity, he doesn't need that shot. For the puppies we keep, we only give shots at 10 and 16 weeks. We've had Titers taken on these dogs yearly, and all those that we started on this protocol eleven years ago still show immunity for all of those shots just having had those two sets of shots. I wish they would accept Titers for Rabies, but the law required they get the shots anyway here.

We don't give Lepto here, but it is prevalent in other places.

I did a Google search for you, but didn't read this page. It's the first on the long list of websites that google turned up: http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/titer_test.htm

[Brian Henderson]

Just get the shots done over, it doesn't matter. I've personally given shots to plenty of dogs that I had no clue about their vaccination records, they just get a new set and they're fine. The vaccinations all use a dead strain anyhow, it isn't like you're going to give them anything by repeating it.

[Mike Chance in Iowa]

Any way you can find out what vet the dog had been going to? If he lived in a smaller town, it wouldn't be that hard to call around to the local vet offices and explain your situation that you have the dog now and would like to keep him up-to-date and ask if they have vaccine records for this dog.

Talk with a vet that you are comfortable with and trust and ask their opinion on vaccinations for your area. There are many veterinary professionals who believe that over-vaccinating a dog will lead to health problems in the dog's later years.

[Robert Engel]

With this new Lab I got, the trainer I got him from had gotten him from the other owner that needed tp find a home for him, They said they would try to get the vaccine report on the Dog. But, because the prior owner is in the Hospital dealing with Cancer, if they can't get the list of shots he has had; what is the best way to handle this , from a healthcare standpoint ? If I can't verify when certain shots were given, when can they be given again? Concerned mostly with RABIES, PARVO , DISTEMPER ,LEPTO .
Your vet can guide you on this, but when in doubt, I just vaccinate.
It won't hurt him even he had his shots recently.
If you are in heartworm territory, make sure he gets tested and on preventive.