Lymes vaccine? Get or dont get?

[Shmee]

Peety's annual is tomorrow late AM. He's upto date on rabies but needs his other shots. Lymes is prevalent in the area that I live in, but from what i've heard and read, the lymes vaccine is only about 70% effective and the last time he had it (2yrs ago) he had a bad reaction to it and wasn't himself for the next couple of days...

Is this worth it???

-Shmee

[Dangels]

I've never gotten given any of my dogs the Lyme's vaccine.... probably because it's not a very common problem in my area, and my vet doesn't recommend it. I don't know anyone who's gotten their dogs vaccinated for that before, so.... i'm really not sure. It would probably be a good idea to talk to your vet about it.

[GSD]

If he had a bad reaction once, it won't be better the next time. It will probably be worse. Any vet worth a crap will recommend you NOT get it after complications from the first time around. Far as I can tell, the vaccine has not only proven itself worthless in dogs and humans, but very dangerous as well. I can't believe it's still on the market.

[Shmee]

That's where i'm leaning GSD, thanks. It's really sad how theses pharmacuetical companies create these vaccines that don't work and not only kill our pets with them, but kill our wallets as well.

I never understood, when it came to the Lymes vaccine, how a "70% success rate" was considered successful. When I was in school, a "70" was a C-minus. How can you charge someone for something that does a "less than average" job??

Boggling the mind,
-Shmee

[Shmee]

Ok just got back from being "rectally probed" by my veterinarian's office for Peet's annual...
My bill as follows:
Comprehensive Wellness Exam - 43.00
DHLPP-3 - 34.00
INTRA TRAC III - 21.00
HEARTWORM L. E CANIS ANAP TEST - 49.00
INTERCEPTOR (11-25lbs) GREEN - 72.80 (12-pack)
FECAL O/P w/GIARDIA PENDING - 30.00
REGOP - DEP/OSHA/DEA REG FEE - 6.72
-------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL $261.62

I know these exams are only good for my dogs, but is it me, or is that abit steep?

I'm wondering if you guys see any unreasonable charges or are these things like everything else and the prices just keep going up?

Boiling the water for the TopRamen i'll be eating for the next couple of weeks,
-Shmee

[smkie]

Since i have Chronic lyme and have had for the last 9 years and caught it in an area that was not known for lyme i couldn't get my dogs done fast enough. Even 70 percent is better then nothing. Nobody needs this. Believing that it isn't prevelent in this area is the very reason doctors missed it on me and now after finishing 2 years of oral antibiotics (and they didn't work) i am having to face iv drugs. 70 percent sounds better then nothing.

My dogs had no problem with the shot.

[Shmee]

Sorry you got sick smkie. I know Lymes is a terrible disease and it's been said that the treatment for it can be even worse then the disease. I think the problem with it is primarily that the doc's don't really know what it is or how to treat it. So simply based on your quote of;

"after finishing 2 years of oral antibiotics (and they didn't work) i am having to face iv drugs. 70 percent sounds better then nothing."

I still say "no thanks" to the vaccine. I'm sure you already know that lymes vaccines (and many others) are derivatives of the actual illness. To me, it's still abit too new to be testing it on my dogs.
Furthermore, I dont know if you've heard about the new strain of lymes that's also circulating, but it's so diverse that once a first occurrence of lymes is diagnosed and then successfully treated, 6 months or so down the road, some dogs are exhibitng signs of exteme aggression and when tested for lymes a 2nd time, they're finding a 2nd strain of it that was unaffected by the initial treatment of antibiotics. This is so new of an illness they dont even know what to call it yet. It's an advanced strain that noone is familiar with.

I know an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but, until it is known for sure how it is prevented, i'll take a pass, thanks..


-Shmee

[DogLover8]

My vet gives Kenya the Lyme Vaccine. The ticks are terrible here, so my vet recommended it. Kenya has never had any problems with the vaccine.

[KatzNK9]

My dogs both get the lyme vac ... but they also have exposure to areas where lots of deer roam.

[smkie]

THat is very interesting. I would love to know more about the new lyme. IF you have any sources i could learn about it could you please pass them my way so i can share this with my lyme board. Mine was missed by everyone, until it was too late. NO one should go through this. I attended a seminar tonight sponsered by Victor's Pets for Life THerapy org that was with a vet that specialized in holistic medicine. THe topic was calming anxious pets but she went into so much more. INcluding how they are beginning to think that routine vaccines are not a good idea and how it can possibly harm down the road. Lots to learn.