Lepto and Chows

[applebear]

My breeder specifically and repeatedly told me to make sure NOT to give my pup Lepto in his vaccination routine. She expressed over and over that she has seen cases where people have lost their pups to it.

When telling my vet this, she got snarky about it. Rolling her eyes as I said the breeder told me to assure not to do this, and said, "Figured it was a breeder...." All the tone was missing was the *snort* at the end. I said I'd rather be safe than sorry and she's like, "They can still get it if they drink from a puddle of water a wild animal urinated in...." I looked it up...personally it didn't seem to be something for me to be concerned about being my dogs are inside dogs, supervised only outside.

Regardless, is Lepto bad for chows or not? Because I still have to do one more shot and I'm guessing I'm going to have to go through the same routine and need to know if I am insisting this for nothing or not.

[SirDooFuss]

Personally I'd go with the advice of my vet over a breeder, but that's just me.
Your inside dog probably wont spend ALL it's time inside.
Yes, I'd go with the advice of the vet.

[Victory]

I found this information on the vac and the virus.

http://www.vetstreet.com/care/leptospir ... e-for-dogs

My two have never had it, I'm more worried about anti-freeze being in any standing water they come across, so they are not allowed to drink from such. And they don't swim in lakes. They do dig, but I do think the squirels and other critters come that close to the building to contaminate the soil.

I'd say if your chow might be at risk of contracting this disease, maybe wait until he is older before giving him the vaccine, if he's never going to be at risk, then skip it and tell your vet, "he doesn't need it, I'm not paying for it, so this discussion is over."

[Crumpet]

My breeder said she had never had any problems with Lepto. I asked her because my vet asked me what my preference was. Last time I had a puppy was 12 years ago so I could not remember. We are outdoor people so my dog will be around rivers, lakes, and other dogs. I got the Lepto and we had no issues at all.

[applebear]

My breeder may be wrong, maybe her info is outdated?...I don't know, but I do think she believed every word she was saying. She said if I decided on the shot, to make sure I had something done beforehand...but for life of me I can't recall [as I had decided to just skip it]. It's not really that I'm saying the vet doesn't know anything, but I can say chows are extremely rare in this area and I didn't like how she talked down to me. As a professional, I thought she handled it very poorly by belittling my concern.

http://forum.chowchow.org/viewtopic.php ... ZK5l7XrzjN

This is only link I could find on it, that specifically spoke of chows and the vacc.

Is this a vaccine that is safer in adult dogs? Maybe it would be something to consider more when he's older, such as Victory suggested. I do hope more speak up on this subject.

[chowpups]

Applebear thats odd that you ask this question, cause I have had some questions myself. My Vet asked me if I wanted Bella to have it and they had never asked before.. I was taken by surprise and didn't think fast enough and the Vet tech just said when I questioned her, if you think she will swim in a lake or creek or you have alot of wild life around you , you might want to get it..(okay shes a golden retriever and loves water areas). Well we have fox and deer ( and every other type of critter in the wild) right at our doors so I opted to get it.. but now I will look into whether I really want or need it. The reasons might not be just chow related if they asked me about it.. ????

[kitten1426]

All 4 of our dogs get it...Both chows have had the shots there fine....no problems here...

[Sirchow]

Over here the drug companies are finally coming round to what I have been saying for years....that we are over vaccinating our dogs. So from this year forward all the other vaccines are to be once in three years...thats distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and parainfluenza. The only one that is still required every year is infact lepto. I found to my cost that our dogs and cats are not properly insured if they are not fully up to date with what the drug companies say is neccessary in the way of injections. So finally I can cut back on the various chemicals that I wish I did not have to inject my dogs with at all. These injections do have side effects and the drug companies know that but they also make them many millions of dollars. So the scare tactics used agains pet owners is used to keep them in line and make them buy the drugs where sometimes they are not neccessary.

Anyway climbing down from my soap box I guess I would say from that perhaps Lepto is neccessary if it is the only one they are saying needs to be annual. Who knows they may well move the goal posts on that too in a few years!

[Caryl Myers]

Unless you have lepto in your area, DO NOT vaccinate for lepto until your Chow is over two, and if they have to in your area, make sure they give a bendryl injection at least half hour before the vaccine. Chows, especially puppies can go into shock and die from lepto vaccine. It happens, trust me...........
Obviously your vet is not familiar with Chows, find another one!

Caryl Myers
www.cejamchows.com
AKC Breeder of Merit

[applebear]

Applebear thats odd that you ask this question, cause I have had some questions myself. My Vet asked me if I wanted Bella to have it and they had never asked before.. I was taken by surprise and didn't think fast enough and the Vet tech just said when I questioned her, if you think she will swim in a lake or creek or you have alot of wild life around you , you might want to get it..(okay shes a golden retriever and loves water areas). Well we have fox and deer ( and every other type of critter in the wild) right at our doors so I opted to get it.. but now I will look into whether I really want or need it. The reasons might not be just chow related if they asked me about it.. ????

My friends vet said he doesn't even vaccinate for it unless they are hunting dogs that are in the field being exposed to drinking or running across water sources. He said otherwise, they usually never see it. I've had my little dog for nearly 15 years and he has yet to drink, swim or be near a lake, stream, river etc.. I have always been super strict on any water source that isn't from a bowl I supply, but I admit I didn't really think about swimming or wading in lakes. It's just something we didn't do anyway.

Over here the drug companies are finally coming round to what I have been saying for years....that we are over vaccinating our dogs. So from this year forward all the other vaccines are to be once in three years...thats distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and parainfluenza. The only one that is still required every year is infact lepto. I found to my cost that our dogs and cats are not properly insured if they are not fully up to date with what the drug companies say is neccessary in the way of injections. So finally I can cut back on the various chemicals that I wish I did not have to inject my dogs with at all. These injections do have side effects and the drug companies know that but they also make them many millions of dollars. So the scare tactics used agains pet owners is used to keep them in line and make them buy the drugs where sometimes they are not neccessary

This, I agree with a lot. My friend turned me onto a Dr Dodds [I *THINK* that was name] study explaining how much we are over vaccinating. I know many people who have admitted they let vaccinating slide for years without a problem....whether it was luck or not, I can't say. But I have since decided, I will most likely be decreasing them. Though in this study, it stated it's only needed every 7 years...I may do every three, since that is the requirement for rabies anyhow. As for Lepto being yearly, I am going to sit on it at least until my pup is much older and then decide.

Unless you have lepto in your area, DO NOT vaccinate for lepto until your Chow is over two, and if they have to in your area, make sure they give a bendryl injection at least half hour before the vaccine. Chows, especially puppies can go into shock and die from lepto vaccine. It happens, trust me...........

I am not hearing it is in our area, not from fellow dog friends or the vets. Even my current vet didn't express it as a problem, only that he can get it from puddles of water effected. If I am understanding what you are saying correctly, if I wait until he is over two, there should be no need to do the bendryl injection before hand?

Thanks for the replies everyone.

[Fozzbear]

I dont know anything about Lepto - although I will say that Fozzchops breeder told me all sorts of rubbish. I always go with vets advice - do my own research too and ask for second opinion if necessary.

[Victory]

From what I read, there are many, many different variations of this virus and the vacc only protects against some of them. The real reason so many vets are jumping on this band wagon is the disease is transferable from pets to people through the same vectors as from animal to animal, (urine and blood mostly, not salvia)

Still if your dog isn't going to be around water and soil where wild animals urinate or bleed, then your pet, (and therefore you) aren't in any danger. The animals that carry it the most are rats, so if there are few or no rats around, then you really don't have many chances of your pet or you getting it.

I am so glad that where I now live there are no rules about gettin vacines for my two...I think we'll be skipping a lot of things this year. They might get the Lymes one...if I see the deer in the woods again, but so far she's not been around.

[applebear]

I don't think anyone should follow their vet OR breeder blindly and never question things. But to ignore breeder because vet says so is a little naive. I don't believe every vet knows every single thing there is, especially when it comes to particular breeds. I had two conflicting things being said on one subject, I choose to question it and now I have a answer that I am satisfied with.

I think for my situation, Lepto is overkill [for others it may not depending on area]. I am not seeing where it is needed to vaccinate puppy or even my adult dogs...though I will not insist on it with them [my adults] because I'm not seeing where it's not a big deal if they have it either. But for my pup, I am seeing risks and until he is much older, I do not see a reason to rush or push it.

[Sarahloo]

This
http://www.wsava.org/sites/default/file ... 2013_0.pdf
was sent to me on Facebook. It might make matters clearer for you.

[sara]

Just read this thread quickly, Don't think its already been mentioned so here goes...
Lepto vaccine only lasts about six months, so the vets say if you have a working/hunting dog you need to have it done twice a year.

My insurance is only valid if my chow has the vaccines advised by vets, I can't find a different good "life long insurance" with anyone else so i have to get it done, but its a remarkable fact that it only lasts 5 to six months.