Just been turned down by a rescue centre, need some advice.

[Callisto]

Hi everyone,

I'm currently after a recue terrier/toy/cross breed puppy to go with my existing jrt and rescue greyhound, and this morning I found what looked like the perfect pup who was within an hours drive and filled out an application form.

One of the questions was whether my current dogs are innoculated. I wrote that they had been as pups (the jrt certainly, I assume the greyhound as she is an ex-racer) but that I don't keep up with jabs as my dogs are never kenneled and I don't see the need. I have read a bit around this subject and it is a decision I have made, rather than a can't be arsed/afford the vet bill thing.

The rescue rang me and told me everything was fine apart from the lack of innoculations. The lady told me they wouldn't home with me because of the risk the pup posed to my other dogs and that as I didn't get mine done I would be unlikely to keep up with the pups jabs. Fair enough, though very disappointed.

Anyway, I wasn't asked about innoculations when I homed my first mongrel rescue, my first greyhound (both now dead) or my current greyhound. I'm wondering if this is going to be a problem with other rescue centres? It isn't a question that has come up in the other couple of applications that I have filled in.

I'm a vet. Two points to raise.

Firstly, vaccination for the majority of canine diseases need only be given every three years. Those who have vaccinated dogs need only check their certificates to see that different vaccines are given in the two interim years. Leptospirosis requires annual boosters, and can be contracted from waterways, farm areas, and anywhere rats are to be found. So even dogs who never socialise are at risk. In addition, a dog seeing a vet annually is like you seeing your GP every 7 years, except your dog can't tell you if they have a health problem. So I think at the very least an annual examination is important even if you don't vaccinate.

Secondly, "vets have a vested interest in pushing treatments of any kind" is a concept I take issue with. If you were a vet, would you honestly consider income over the welfare of the animal in front of you? Of course there are bad apples in every walk of life, but if money is a person's primary concern then I fail to see why they'd devote 5 years of their life to studying, only to enter a career with incredibly long hours, a stressful and demanding workload and a high suicide rate, not to mention the lowest remuneration of all the professions. My income isn't meagre but is less than half what a dentist or GP makes. If you have animals then you need a good relationship of trust with your vet and this will never be achieved if you're convinced the profession is populated by cash hungry cowboys. So if you think your vet is ripping you off, challenge them and/or move practice, don't just decide your animals are better of without healthcare. This tightfisted attitude makes me incredibly angry.

Thank you for you great advice, our pup has had his first vaccinations but we are having problems as our vet is saying he had the vaccine too early so will now need 3 lots (i have started a thread).

We are ment to be picking the pup up on mondeay but as far as i know the 'vet check' has not been done (as i spoke to the vet yesterday). They usualy do a home check before dogs are homed and then they check up on them a few weeks later, for some reason they felt a 'vet check' would be ok as i already have pets (including a dog). I'm hoping all will be ok and i can bring the pup home on monday and vet check will be sorted. I am happy to get my other dog vaccinated but was told by the vet that most dogs hold imunity after the 3rd lot of jabs (not sure how true this is?).

As others have said herd immunity is an important factor and those who don't vaccinate are only protected by the responsible majority. If a large enough pool of people who have read its not safe/can't be bothered/purchased the puppy for £800 but think paying another £35 annually to keep it healthy is a rip off are together in one place then the whole thing breaks down. So really, IMO it shouldn't be a personal choice, as your action affects the overall incidence and indeed very survival of these viruses. The eradication of smallpox shows what can be done if blanket vaccination policies are followed.

Another thing - no-one whose primary interest is money chooses to work with animals.

Marne, I would get your other dog done if I was you. My own vet said she felt the risk of parvo was low in our area as she hadn't seen a case for 5 months (it's medivet, so they cover a large area) but she still felt it was best to be up to date. We also discussed advocate and lungworm as I have been using frontline but again she said wrong time of year not to worry about that. Also they gave her a check up and 10 years old she is apparently perfect apart from a bit de-scaling work to be done on her teeth :) It is reassuring to have them checked over I find and to know everything is up to date

I also think the other thing to consider is if they are not up to date and need to be admitted to the vet hospital for any reason then they are more at risk of contracting one of these diseases if their is another dog in with it iykwim. i recently had to have my older dog admitted to hospital with severe gastritis which came on very quickly and was bloody awful tbh but again we knew she was vaccinated to go into the vet hospital so hopefully wouldn't pick up anything else whilst in there, which she didn't. I love my dogs but it's a very big responsibility having one and I do in a way feel more responsible for them than that of my children, because at least with a child a dr will take over and make a decision if they ill, with a dog i always feel it's your call as a owner. It might just be me though

there not their, sorry!

Sorry, I appreciate this is slightly 'off topic' but we have a monthly scheme going on with our vet practice. I pay £13 a month (think!), which covers ALL vaccinations, worming, fleas, screening, health checks, reminders, 3 x consultations at no charge, nails clipped etc, as many phone calls for advice etc. This included our first two injections for our puppy.

Appraciate also it's 'another' expense, but for a new dog owner like me who feels like I did when I had DC1, it's great.

We have midr ange cover, there's lesser and greater cover available, cost depends on dog size too.

Just takes all the faff out of the situation for me personally.

that sounds good