Doggie flu shots

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Postby pitbullmamaliz » September 16th, 2009, 5:14 pm

Just saw a blurb for the upcoming 6:00 news and it was saying dogs should get flu shots too. How valid is this?
"Remember - every time your dog gets somewhere on a tight leash *a fairy dies and it's all your fault.* Think of the fairies." http://www.positivepetzine.com"

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Postby call2arms » September 16th, 2009, 11:56 pm

I don't think it's valid.

From the AVMA site:
Q:Can my pet get the 2009 H1N1 virus?
A:To date, there is no evidence that pets are susceptible to this new strain of influenza; it appears to be transmitted only from person to person or from human to swine. There still is not enough information yet for us to know for sure if the virus can be transmitted to other animals. The best advice is to always follow common sense guidelines when dealing with animals (eg, washing your hands). In addition, it's more important than ever that pet owners keep a good eye on their pet's health and consult a veterinarian if their pet is showing any signs of illness. Keeping your pets healthy reduces their risk of becoming ill.

I think pigs and humans are quite similar genetically, so this may be why H1N1 is spreadable between both species? Pigs have all sorts of flu, all the time anyway, for having spent a day in a pig farm, holy sh*t are they boosted with supplements and vaccinated multiple times from day one... I remember vaccinating pigs 3 vaccines COMBOS (so how many diseases total?) at once, as they got weaned.

Anyways... I'm not worried about H1N1, for my dog or me.
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Postby pitbullmamaliz » September 17th, 2009, 7:08 am

How about the regular flu?
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Postby Marinepits » September 17th, 2009, 8:15 am

I think they're talking about the canine influenza virus (CIV or H3N8) that is closing shelters all over the place. A new vaccine was approved for CIV over the summer.

I don't know much about it except that it usually isn't fatal unless the infected dog has other health issues -- then CIV can turn into a pneumonia that is very difficult to treat. Virtually ALL dogs who come into contact with CIV get infected and become carriers, but not all will become sick. Some boarding facilities are now requiring the CIV vaccine before they'll board your dog.

This is the same disease that killed 30+ greyhounds at a racetrack in Florida a couple of years ago and has wiped out some shelters in Virginia (I think it was) recently. Too early for me to google much, LOL.
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Postby pitbullmamaliz » September 17th, 2009, 9:17 am

Yuck, I didn't hear about that. I have to board Inara in December for a week. She stays at the vet...she always gets the bordatella vaccine, but I'll have to ask them if she should get that CIV vaccine.

Thanks!
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Postby plebayo » October 19th, 2009, 4:08 pm

So we ordered a small batch of the vaccine at our clinic.

Basically the media has hyped up the canine flu. It's been around for a long time and they are just trying to freak people out. It is contagious and often appears like kennel cough. It is rare for a dog to die from the flu, but like anything else it can happen. Dogs can die from kennel cough, dogs can die from parvo, dogs can die from distemper. However with the treatments out there for all of these things death is becoming more rare. If your dog gets sick, take it to the vet, period.

Also a bit off topic I guess a Ferret contracted H1N1 from its owner. That's a little interesting.
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Postby maberi » October 19th, 2009, 4:24 pm

I had to take Earl into the vet this weekend and there were flu vaccination posters all over the place

I'm going pass
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Postby mnp13 » October 19th, 2009, 4:32 pm

One of my students asked about getting her dog vaccinated against dog flu before starting classes.

I look at dog flu the same way I look at bird flu, swine flu, SARS and all the other pandemic BS that the media screams about every year. It's just a way for them to sell papers and MERC labs to sell medical supplies.

More people die from asprin overdoses than die from most of the stuff that they put in 3 inch type headlines on the front page of the news paper. The death rate for healthy children for chicken pox is 0.00 14% (that's 1.4 out of 100,000) but let's get vaccinations! argh!

sorry...

anyway... no, I don't think it's something to get all that concerned about.
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Postby Malli » October 20th, 2009, 4:02 am

plebayo wrote:Also a bit off topic I guess a Ferret contracted H1N1 from its owner. That's a little interesting.


Ferrets can also get colds and respiratory infections from people or pass them on to people. When I worked at an animal ER we always gloved up for ferrets where the cause of sickness wasn't known.
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Postby LMM » October 20th, 2009, 7:47 am

maberi wrote:I had to take Earl into the vet this weekend and there were flu vaccination posters all over the place

I'm going pass


Yea I saw the same thing and thought the same thing.
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Postby amazincc » October 21st, 2009, 6:50 pm

I got a postcard from the vet today... they suggest I get Faust vaccinated because he has a compromised immune system. :?

Where is Dr. Blabs??? :|
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Postby Marinepits » October 21st, 2009, 6:53 pm

amazincc wrote:Where is Dr. Blabs??? :|


She's working like crazy and it's Dock Diving season -- she's doing a ton of travelling and competing.
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Postby blabsforbullies » October 23rd, 2009, 10:57 am

Marinepits wrote:
amazincc wrote:Where is Dr. Blabs??? :|


She's working like crazy and it's Dock Diving season -- she's doing a ton of travelling and competing.



Hi guys.... :wave2:

I'm here! :D And I have.... the FLU!!!! :thumbsdown: :prescription: UUGGGHH!!!! :bs: :rain:

No, I don't recommend the flu vaccine. I can't even bring myself to recommend it for those that board and are "highly exposed" (dog shows, dog sports). I just don't think the vaccine is all that protective and it will not prevent your dog from getting it. It's also an adjuvented vaccine, which no one needs unless it is absolutely necesasary. :neutral:

I think in Faust's case, I still woudn't do it. He is older now, and his immune system has likely strengthened and shouldn't be anymore at risk than others. :wink:
We have a Mastiff... does that count??? :)
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Postby amazincc » October 23rd, 2009, 2:17 pm

Hey, Dr. Blabs... :wave2:

Sorry to hear that you have the flu - feel better soon! :sad2: :hug3:

Thanks for the info... I was very on-the-fence about getting Faust vaccinated, and after reading your post - I won't. :)
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Postby Pit♥bull » October 23rd, 2009, 2:42 pm

:goodthoughts: For Dr. Blabs :)
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Postby fenella » October 29th, 2009, 8:37 pm

My vet's office actually CALLED me today to recommend the canine flu vaccine (they haven't called to tell me that one of my dogs is overdue for a physical (which I actually got at another vet, but they don't know that yet))...the tech said that many dogs get ill and can even die from it. Don't I want to protect my dogs??? blah, blah, blah. Oh yeah, $32 for the shot, $40 for the pre-shot tech exam. No thanks.
I want my guys to be healthy, but I am annoyed that the vet seems to be capitalizing on the flu news to try to make me feel like a bad owner for opting out. New vet, please.
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Postby maberi » October 30th, 2009, 3:06 pm

That is ridiculous

fenella wrote:My vet's office actually CALLED me today to recommend the canine flu vaccine (they haven't called to tell me that one of my dogs is overdue for a physical (which I actually got at another vet, but they don't know that yet))...the tech said that many dogs get ill and can even die from it. Don't I want to protect my dogs??? blah, blah, blah. Oh yeah, $32 for the shot, $40 for the pre-shot tech exam. No thanks.
I want my guys to be healthy, but I am annoyed that the vet seems to be capitalizing on the flu news to try to make me feel like a bad owner for opting out. New vet, please.
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Postby Malli » October 30th, 2009, 3:08 pm

I've never had that experience, thats pretty crazy! If anything the vet will recommend it during the physical, wich IME, is normal
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Postby mnp13 » October 30th, 2009, 3:27 pm

I'm sorry, but that is outrageous. And it is scamming people based on bull crap media hype related to the human flu... which is bull crap in and of itself. I'd be giving them a call back and finding out exactly why they are trying to pressure you into a $75 procedure. That's VERY unethical in my book.

And my sister's kid's school nurse just did the same crap and she FLIPPED OUT on them. lol
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Postby furever_pit » November 8th, 2009, 7:03 pm

We got a few cases of this vaccine in at the clinic about 2 weeks ago. I have to bring it up to people in the rooms but definitely don't push it. IMHO it is nothing more than the drug companies capitalizing on the influenza fear that is going on right now.

Neither of my dogs will be getting it.
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