[will_and_jamie]

For those of you that give vaccines at home and buy them other places, where do you get them? Is it cheaper than going to the veterinarian? How do you provide "proof" of the vaccine when taking the dogs to places like doggy daycares, hotels, etc? I know most vets want to see them to do a health assessment prior to giving the vaccines. I'm not sure if that's something I want to miss out on though even if it saves money...

Harley is up for his three year Rabies vaccine this January, so I'm curious...

 

[onyx'girl]

tractor supply carries vaccines, but the storage of them may make them compromised. Most have peel off labels that you attach to health records includes the lot # of the manufacturer. Personally, I'd rather spend the extra with the vet giving the injections if you only have one dog...
BTW rabies vaccines in most states have to be administered by a licensed vet or won't be recognized as legit.

 

[Konotashi]

I get mine at Walgreens. It's $12, plus my discount (I work there), and there's a number on the package that you either write down, or it's a sticker. We have little vaccine booklets for each of our dogs with their shot records.

It's much cheaper than the vet.

 

[will_and_jamie]

No, we have two dogs. It used to be very cheap to go to the base vet to get all shots there, but this one at Carson is terrible. Also, no veterinarian I know of here gives a discount off of office visit fees even if bringing in the two dogs at once. With one dog, I had no idea rabies had to be done by a licensed vet. Makes sense though. How else would we get the county rabies tag?

126 bucks for distemper/parvo, 3 years rabies, and bordatella vaccines here at the local vet which is the cheapest around. Doesn't seem so cheap to me. Is this about what you all pay when getting these vaccines?

 

[Salem]

Unless someone knows how to properly administer a vaccination, I would not suggest doing it. Even if they knew how, I would still suggest going to a veterinarian.

No doubt it is probably cheaper than going to a veterinarian, but I wouldn't want to risk my pet's health because of improper injection or not getting a properly-made vaccine. If there is any doubt I would personally still consult in a veterinarian.

I know that a veterinarian is required to administer a rabies vaccination (there are no rabies vaccinations available for retail), so there is no way of getting around that.

I am in undergraduate studies in order to go onto veterinary school so I have researched vaccinating my pets at home when I receive my DVM. I have only searched a little bit, but I found the following article with advantages/disadvantages:

Is it Safe to Vaccinate Your Dog at Home? - Associated Content from Yahoo! - associatedcontent.com

Hope it helps!

 

[Heagler870]

I know that a veterinarian is required to administer a rabies vaccination (there are no rabies vaccinations available for retail), so there is no way of getting around that.

There are actually rabies vaccinations available other than the vets office. Here in Arkansas you can buy rabies vaccines at the farmers coop, the local vet supply store, and tractor supply. They have the 1 year dose and 3 year dose. However, if you give the rabies and the dog bites someone or something happens where you are taken to court over your dog that vaccine will not hold up in court since a licensed DVM did not administer it.




The only vaccine I give my dog is bordetella vaccine. It saves me 4 bucks at the vets office. Yeah, I know, not very much but it's 4 bucks. Other than that I take my dog to the vet for everything. I find that yearly worming is not even cheaper buying from the local vet supply store.

 

[Salem]

There are actually rabies vaccinations available other than the vets office. Here in Arkansas you can buy rabies vaccines at the farmers coop, the local vet supply store, and tractor supply. They have the 1 year dose and 3 year dose. However, if you give the rabies and the dog bites someone or something happens where you are taken to court over your dog that vaccine will not hold up in court since a licensed DVM did not administer it.

Ah! I did not know that. I'm not sure if it's the same in Michigan or not, but I've always heard that they aren't sold in retail. Very interesting

 

[Heagler870]

Yep. I worked at Petco in the grooming section and one time this lady called and wanted to make an appointment for her Golden to be bathed. The dogs rabies expired the day before. We told her the vet that took walk in for rabies and she said "Okay, I'll just take her to the vet really quick so they can give her a shot." She comes in about an hour later and says "I wasn't able to get to the vet because they closed right before we got there but I went and got this rabies shot to give to her right in front of you." The manager explained to her the policy of why we couldn't bathe the dog even if she did give the dog the rabies. She was like "I'm a nurse I should be able to give it to him! I know how to give shots" we once again explained to her why a licensed DVM had to do it and she still continued and threw an epic b!tch fit for a good 10 minutes. The main manager had to come in and calm her down.

Okay, sorry that got off subject, back to point! lol

 

[Jax08]

First, look for a rabies clinic. They probably hold them near you somewhere. If there is a low cost spay/neuter clinic they probably give rabies shots as well.

You are only required by law to have a rabies shot. The core vaccines, please look up the recommendations on the AAHA website. After the 1 year booster, they are recommended every 3 years. If you give them yourselves, just tape the label to a record stating what date they were given on.

However, you still should take your dogs in for HW/Lyme's/fecal testing every year so you'll still have to go to the vet. The vaccines aren't that expensive. It's usually the office call that jacks the price up.

 

[Konotashi]

At Petco (Vetco), they offer rabies shots for $12 here. Is everything here $12? LOL

 

[will_and_jamie]

The vaccines aren't that expensive. It's usually the office call that jacks the price up.

Our office visit is 27 bucks.

 

[Jax08]

How old are your dogs? if over 9, no way would I vac with distemper/parvo anymore.

In that $126, is HW/Lyme's and fecal included? Or just the vaccines?

 

[will_and_jamie]

They're young. Hannah is almost 3 and Harley is almost 2. No Lyme's, no HW, and no fecal.

 

[Jax08]

That does seem pricy then. Ask them for a break down on the fees.

I give the core vaccines every 3 years as recommended by the AAHA. Harley shouldn't be due for them until she is 4 if she had the one year booster. Same with Hannah.

 

[Verivus]

Wow, your vet is expensive! I paid only about $50 total for my dog's puppy vaccinations, including rabies. Her second rabies shot (the 3 year one) a year later at a new vet (I moved) cost only 14 bucks, administered by a DVM. They never charged me an office visit fee for it either.

 

[will_and_jamie]

Wow, your vet is expensive! I paid only about $50 total for my dog's puppy vaccinations, including rabies. Her second rabies shot (the 3 year one) a year later at a new vet (I moved) cost only 14 bucks, administered by a DVM. They never charged me an office visit fee for it either.

Lucky. There's plenty more expensive veterinarians around here.

 

[vicky2200]

You can get them at stores as mentioned, but I would never do that. I want to know its being done 100% correctly and 100% legit. I would also want my dog examined before it gets the vaccines. I don't think vaccines are that expensive anyway, save yourself the worry and take your dog to a vet.

 

[Rerun]

Our office visit is 27 bucks.

That must be nice! The standard price here is $50

 

[Rerun]

It's usually the office call that jacks the price up.

At both of my regular clinics, it's unfortunately not just the office call that makes the price go up. Both clinics charge over $150 for a healthy adult to get annual vaccines and pull blood for HW. Many vets overcharge for all the little things. For example, both my vets charge $40 for a HW test.

It's $15 - $20 at every clinic I've ever gone to.

Moose and Dante both received all their puppy shots at only $15/visit. Rabies when Moose is a bit older causes the last set to be about $25.

Just an example. It's been so long since I've had my dogs receive vaccinations at a regular clinic that I can't even tell you how much it is anymore for the actual vaccines. But I did call one of them when Akira was due this yr and it was $160 for exam, vaccines, and HW blood draw. Absolutely ridiculous IMHO!

 

[Jax's Mom]

That must be nice! The standard price here is $50

our last "annual" came to $390 for Sadie. I wonder if that's at all related to the fact that vaccines aren't available in stores here?