pboae Posted January 22, 2008 Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 (edited) Sully is way overdue his regular vaccinations, and his rabies has to be done by the end of Feb. We've been trying to wait till he had a clear 2 weeks healthy before getting him vax'd, but he has had one thing after another for months and months now. He was due to have them done on Monday if he stayed well till then. And now he's hurt his paw, I think he has probably sprained it this time (rather than being an abscess again). So we are off the to the vets (again!) tomorrow. I guess I'll find out tomorrow off the vet anyway, but if it is just a sprain, will he still be able to have his vaccinations? Obviously if it's an abscess he won't, but I thought maybe he could with a sprain, because that shouldn't be affecting his immune system. I'm not too bothered if we have to start his regular vax programme again, but if I can't get his rabies done soon, we won't be able to take him on holiday in May. What's the main risks of vaccinating a dog that is poorly? Is it that they are more likely to have a bad reaction, or that the vaccine is less likely to 'take', or that it could make them more sick? Maybe a combination of all 3? Edited January 22, 2008 by pboae Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pboae Posted January 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Doesn't matter, it looks like one of his toes is infected anyway. Here we go again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redditchlady Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Doesn't matter, it looks like one of his toes is infected anyway. Here we go again. Oh hell Helen. Sorry no one has replied. Just saw you had posted and I was going to say if it was a sprain it would be ok. But if Sully has an infection, well you know the rigmerole hun. Sorry, please give Sully a gentle stroke from me. Kazz xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pboae Posted January 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Thanks Kazz, He's been on antibiotics or other meds for about 12 out of the last 16 weeks. It's only 10 days since he finally shook off a stomach virus which flattened him at Christmas. The vet thinks he got run down when he had those abscesses in his paw, and he's still struggling to recover. I feel so sorry for him, it's just been one thing after another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyMalc Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Awww poor Sully! :wub: Lots of love sent the gorgeous man's way. As for vaccinating, I didn't think that you should vaccinate a dog who isn't completely healthy. Injuries wouldn't count as such, but bacterial as well as viral infections would. If anything I'd presume that having been on AB's for quite a while will have affected his immune system, but I'm not veterinary qualified by any stretch of the imagination! Best ask the vet methinks Hope everything will be okay and Sully will be able to enjoy his holibobs in May Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendbert Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 For the last couple of years that I had Gdog I didn't vaccinate him. He had LP and various other health problems and after having had a reaction to the vaccine when he was 13, I didn't vaccinate him again. He had been vaccinated every year prior to that though, but the vet agreed that he wasn't healthy enough. Gdog's reaction was vomitting and gastro problems (although having said that, he did have digestive problems anyway). Similarly, Poppy wasn't vaccinated last year when her booster was due in May as I felt that with her heart problems, her body wasn't strong enough to cope if she had a reaction because of her heart problems. Lots of good thoughts for Sully Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
safneo Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Could you not give him some kind of supplements to boost his immune system? I'm sure that the vet could recommend something, even something homeapathic? to Sully and his poorly toe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nettie Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 I wonder if you can give dogs ecchinacia to help boost him immune system, I don't know if its ok for dogs or not though, you'd need to do a bit of research. I can sympathise over the rabies vaccination, one day late and you have to go through the whole passport performance again. I hope he's well enough for him to at least have his rabies vaccination in time. Indy is rising 14 now and he due for his next whole set of vaccinations but I'm going to pass on that now. Does your vet use the 3 year protocol for vaccinations? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pboae Posted January 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 He's on supplements to improve his immune system, and some pro-biotic type gunk as well, it's over the counter stuff, but the vet prescribed them so we could get it through the insurance. It is assumed that he wasn't vaccinated before he went into rescue (on the grounds that if they didn't bother feeding him, they wouldn't have bothered vaccinating him), so he's only had two lots of boosters. If he was older and had had a few in his lifetime I wouldn't worry so much. I know the vet won't vaccinate him while he is on antibiotics though. Although stupidly I've never asked them why. I will ask them today though. We'll have to take our chances on leaving his regular vaccinations for now, but if I could just get his rabies done soon. Oh well, nothing I can do about it now. He's feeling very sorry for himself today and he's running quite a temperature. His paw is still very tender and now he's got that smell about him that he gets when he get an infection. He tore a claw and exposed the quick a few days ago, and although it looked like the tip was healing over, I wonder if that might have been the start of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACKYSIAN Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Gentle hugs to Sully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSDFan Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 to poor Sully, he really has been in the wars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddyboy Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 I've used echinacea on my dogs for various things and none of them has had any problems with it. Em was found to have gunge coming out round a tooth while we were on holiday one year - gave her echinacea to tide her over till we got home - but by the time we got home the infection had gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louisebt Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 I believe vets wont vaccinate when a dog is poorly as the vaccine contains some of the things the dog is being vaccinated for, i.e parvo and kennel cough and the chances of them catching it are raised if said dog is poorly. Diesel suffered awful vaccine damage tho he wasnt poorly when he had his jabs re done, hes 6 now and hasnt been done since he was 2, tho he has homeopathic nosodes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pboae Posted January 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Vet confirmed his toe is infected, so 10 more days on antibiotics, but she seemed hopeful that we had caught it pretty early this time. But the good news is, I can stop stressing about his vaccinations. He has got another 12 months before his rabies runs out, we have a 2 year protocol in the UK, but I have him done yearly because we usually take him to France, and that's the protocol there (it can cause problems if your dog gets ill in France and he is not vaccinated according to their regulations, even if he is still classed as vaccinated for his UK passport, it's all a bit daft really, but not worth the risk). So even if I don't get him redone for another 12 months his passport with still be valid. So hopefully he'll have a run of good health once he's recovered from this, and then we can look at his vaccinations again then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Hoping your boy is soon on the mend & enjoying a better run of luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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