What vaccines should I require as a sitter?
What vaccines should I require
4 Answers
EXCELLENT QUESTION
Rabies and Distemper should be standard protocol for any dog. It is illegal in most places for a dog not to be current on Rabies.
I personally like to see that Bordatella(kennel cough) and a fecal exam(for parasites) have also been done. These two things become crucially important if the dog(s) are taken off the property and ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE EXPOSING YOUR OWN OR OTHER DOGS!
There is a huge variation on the expiration period of the bordatella vaccines depending on which one the vet uses. To be safe, I get my own dogs boostered every 6 months because of their level of exposure. They also get fecal exams at least every 4-6 months along with their monthly heartguard medication to keep them parasite free.
Things like Lyme and Lepto vaccines I believe should be at the owners discretion. People who bring their dogs to a cabin or Hunting dogs really should be vaccinated for lyme but it is also not advisable to over vaccinate an elderly dog who maybe lives in an apartment and literally steps off the sidewalk to do their business before returning inside.
Most owners do heartguard and frontline automatically(I hope) but it never hurts to mention that you highly recommend staying current with these(even though it would be hard to require since its difficult to "officially track" when such things are done)
In summary, I recommend :
- RABIES
- Distemper
- Bordatella(if around other dogs)
- a Negative Fecal exam(within a year)
- encourage owners to keep current with heartguard & frontline treatments
All of the above and I always ask if pets are on flea/heartworm and tick meds. Super impotant if you have dogs of your own or will be caring for another dog at the same time.
Rabies, Distemper and Bordetella are a must. As a vet tech with over 10 years exp, I can tell you there is absolutely no reason any dog should be getting Bordetella vaccines every six months. It is not necessary, once annually is all that is needed. If your dog will tolerate the intra-nasal option, always get it that way. Provides protection much faster than the injectable.
My bare minimum is what is legally required in your city/county. Beyond that, I base our activities on what other vaccinations they have. If they don't have their combo shot (DHP/DHPP/DAP/DAPP/etc etc) or bordatella, we'll avoid activities with strange dogs, such as parks or play dates; if they don't have their lepto shot I'll be more vigilant about keeping them from drinking from puddles or creeks.
Hi Lorrie. Could you add some additional details? I assume you are asking as a sitter? Thanks!