Don't Over Vaccinate or Under Vaccinate Your Dog
There are so many articles, videos, and podcasts that argue for more, or less vaccinations for dogs. How can you be sure you don't over-vaccinate OR under-vaccinate your dog?
To alleviate my own worry about whether or not my dogs are getting too many or too few vaccinations, I rely on my Veterinarian to advise me on what "core" vaccinations dogs should receive, and we have a discussion about non-core vaccinations like the Bordetella vaccine, which is usually recommended if you board dogs at a kennel or if the dog attends doggy daycamp.
If you have a Veterinarian you trust and can have an honest conversation with, you should feel confident your pet is getting the proper amount and type of vaccines to stay healthy and happy. I wanted to share a disturbing conversation we witnessed while at PetSmart with our dogs.
The Dog Vaccination Debate
While shopping in PetSmart I overheard a woman at the Banfield Pet Hospital desk. She was asking if one of the staff would trim her Chihuahua's nails. The dog's nails had gotten extremely long and were starting to grow into the dog's paw pads.
I trust our Vet to ensure Phoebe and Icy get the right amount and type of vaccinations |
Since the dog wasn't a patient of theirs, the dutiful staff member asked for proof of Rabies vaccination. That's when something happened that shocked me!