# Lepto vaccine



## garrettsmom (May 15, 2006)

Winnie got her second round of shots today and I informed him my breeder said "no Lepto". The Vet agreed not to give it as she's only 3.1 lbs but he thinks it's a good idea for her to receive it when she's 5 lbs. He says that Lepto is on the rise and the devastating effects of the disease on both the dog and humans who are in contact with their urine far out weigh the little risk associated with adverse reactions. He says in all his yrs of practice he's never had a Maltese have a reaction worse than hives. My breeder was not happy with his thinking.







Has anyone's vets given this vaccine to your Malts?


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## Scoobydoo (May 26, 2005)

I think it depends on your area, I am not sure but our vet has never even mentioned it to us for the boys. She is supposed to be calling me later today so I may ask her what she recommends just out of curiosity


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## bbry (Feb 17, 2007)

The vets here really recommend the lepto as well. We live in a rural area with lots of birds, squirrels, raccoons & other wildlife and he says he's lost many animals to lepto and has never lost one to the vaccine.


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## MickeysMom (Jun 16, 2006)

There is a current thread where I posted all about lepto and the vaccine. I give it to my malt and he has never had a reaction.

Here is the link to the thread

Lepto vax


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## ClaBec Maltese (Feb 19, 2007)

Well I disagree with the vets about the Lepto not having bad reactions. I almost lost my Ezekiel because the vet gave it to him. By the time that I got him home which is only 5 min. from the vet,went and picked up a girl from the groomer and returned home, about an hour later he was going down fast. If I would not have rushed him back to the vet within the 1 1/2 hour time frame I would have lost him. They had to administer an antidote plus he was hospitalized with IV fluids. I have also had one of my puppies which is from totally different bloodlines than Ezekiel have a bad reaction. Her mom took her in for her final booster and the vet did not head my warnings and gave it anyway. Thank goodness I am in such constant contact with my families, because as soon as her mom got home she called me because Sophi was not acting normal. She was having the same bad reaction. So I will never ever let my vet or any vet give my babies Lepto. Sorry if I am coming of a little harsh here it is just that I have seen 2 Maltese almost loose there lives because of it.


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## garrettsmom (May 15, 2006)

> There is a current thread where I posted all about lepto and the vaccine. I give it to my malt and he has never had a reaction.
> 
> Here is the link to the thread
> 
> Lepto vax[/B]


Thanks you for that thread Mickeysmom-very informative. My gut reaction tells me to allow Winnie to receive it, even though my breeder tells me to "keep in mind, it will void our contract" if she gets it.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

I have not discussed Lepto with my vet in almost seven years, when I adopted Lady, but at that time their office did not recommended the vaccine for any of their patients, not just toy breeds.

I follow the protocol recommended by Dr. Jean Dodds which is in the process of being adopted by twenty-seven vet schools. Dr. Dodd's does not recommend the lepto vaccine.

I do not use Bordetella, corona virus, leptospirosis, or Lyme vaccines unless these diseases are endemic in the local area or specific kennel. Furthermore, the currently licensed leptospira bacteria do not contain the serovars causing the majority of clinical leptospirosis today.  

Dr. Jean Dodds

More:

Leptospirosis vaccine is a common cause of adverse reactions in dogs. Most of the clinical cases of Lepto reported in dogs in the US are caused by serovaars (or types) grippotyphosa and bratsilvia. But the vaccines contain different serovaars, eanicola and ictohemorrhagica. Cross protection is not provided and protection is short lived. Lepto vaccine is immuno-supressive to puppies less than 16 weeks.  

http://www.bostonterriertn.org/Fannie%20Ma...20protocol.html

Here's some information based on Australian research suggesting that the limited immunity the vaccine may provide is not worth the risk:

Lepto is a bacterin, not a virus, and you can't get permanent immunity to a bacterin. However, the vaccine has been described as 'useless' and there have been many calls for it to be withdrawn from the market. There are hundreds of strains of leptospirosis, but only two in the vaccine, AND it provides immunity (if at all) for only between three and six months. This means that your dog is probably unprotected against the two strains for around nine months of the year, and against all the other hundreds of strains for ever. Australian research shows that the lepto component of vaccines can cause horrendous side-effects, so top veterinary immunologists, microbiologists and pathobiologists have advised we don't use it.

http://www.wellpet.org/vaccines/vaccines.htm


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## MySugarBaby (Jun 28, 2006)

My vet does not recommend giving Lepto to small dogs. There are very few cases of lepto here so I guess it is not something we worry about too much. And he believes getting the lepto shot is more risky than getting the disease. But that could be because of the area I live in as there have been very few if any cases of lepto here within years. 
Is your malt around a lot of wildlife such as deer or rodents? They get the lepto from the urine of wildlife like deer, rodents, raccoons. There isn't much wildlife here so I guess that is also another reason why there has been very few cases of lepto.
It is a big decision. I know there has been alot of cases of severe reactions with yorkies, maltese, and other small breeds.
The lepto vaccine is also said to be not very effective an it only protects them for 6 to 8 months meaning they would have to get the shot quite frequently and the vaccine only protects against a few strains of lepto while there are still other strains of lepto you dog can get.
I personally do not give any of mine lepto shots.
You can do a search on any search engine on lepto risks or lepto reactions.
Good luck with your decision!!


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

This is from the 2006 report from the American Animal Hospital Association Canine Task Force:

Annual boosters are not routinely recommended for all dogs. Vacination should be restricted to use in areas where a reasonable risk of exposure has been established. Veterinarians are advised of anecdotal reports of acute anaphylaxis in toy breeds following administration of leptospirosis vaccines. Routine vaccinations of toy breeds should only be considered in dogs know to have a high exposure risk.

http://www.aahanet.org/About_aaha/vaccine_guidelines06.pdf

This information is on page 8 of the report. It might be worth printing out and showing to your vet as a talking point for any of you trying to make the difficult decison whether or not to vaccinate your puppy against Lepto.


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## garrettsmom (May 15, 2006)

I see deer, squirrels, possums and rabbits in my yard on a regular basis. My Vet has a toy breed himself and highly recommends the vaccine. I can totally understand the strong feelings of those who's dogs have suffered a reaction, but I'm sure the people who've lost a Malt to the disease feel just as strongly (if not more) the other way. Personally, I don't think I'll ever be comfortable allowing Winnie in our backyard until she gets it.


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## mom2molly (Jan 26, 2007)

Molly had her Lepto shot at her last appointment before she was spayed. I talked to the vet about it and told him my concerns and what I had learned on this site and after our talk I felt it was best for Molly to have it. I live in Texas about 10 minutes from the city but it's a rural area. Thank God she did ok with it, cause it was a tough decision. Molly was just over 4 pounds at the time.


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## ClaBec Maltese (Feb 19, 2007)

The only thing that I can say is please please stay with your baby and rush her back to the vet immediately if she starts acting funny. It is a feeling that I will never forget when I found Ezekiel unable to stand. And then as I held my him in my arms while watching him go down so quickly.







Best of luck to you and your baby.







Watch her closely, and if you live any distance at all from your vet try to stay as close to them as you can for at least 2 hours. Thank God I only live 5 minutes from mine.


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## dr.jaimie (Mar 23, 2004)

we vaccinate all dogs for lepto here...if i have any small dog that i give it to i always tell them what to look for and make sure they will be home with their baby for a couple hours. my two get it with no probs..lepto is too bad of a disease to risk and the new vaccine vaccinates for most of the serovars (strains) now. if ur vet is recommending it, then it is probably prevalent in ur area. andy dog that touches the ground outside in a prevalent area should be vaccinated against it. and technically u can walk through contaminated grass and track it in, but im sure thats rare. one malt on this forum has had lepto and another at the moment is suspected of having lepto, so it does happen in malts and lepto is not a disease to mess around with...

here is a link to the post on the member's dog who had lepto


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## vjw (Dec 20, 2006)

My Vet. suggested Karli get the Lepto because we live on a farm. Other than soreness, she didn't have a reaction. 




Joy-


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

> I see deer, squirrels, possums and rabbits in my yard on a regular basis. My Vet has a toy breed himself and highly recommends the vaccine. I can totally understand the strong feelings of those who's dogs have suffered a reaction, but I'm sure the people who've lost a Malt to the disease feel just as strongly (if not more) the other way. Personally, I don't think I'll ever be comfortable allowing Winnie in our backyard until she gets it. [/B]


The problem is that studies suggest that the Lepto vaccine is only effective on two of the more than one hundred strains of the bacteria and it's effectiveness on those may only last a couple of months. So even if you decide to take the risk and vaccinate a toy dog, are they really protected?

If the new vaccine is really more effective, why did the American Animal Hospital Association Canine Task Force still recommend in 2006 that the vaccine not be given to toy breeds unless they are at a high risk of exposure to the disease?

Such a tough decision. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.


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## dr.jaimie (Mar 23, 2004)

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the new one covers 4 strains of lepto....the most common are _grippotyphosa_, _pomona_, and _bratislava_ ..the leptovax 4 covers 3 of these 4 so yes your pet is protected by the vaccine.

there is a lot of old information on the internet on lepto that states it only covers two strains but this is incorrect information now.


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## MickeysMom (Jun 16, 2006)

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Well, you also wouldn't need to give the Lepto vax to a big dog if there wasn't exposure. 

I agree with Jaime that there is a lot of old and useless info out there. You really can't believe everything you read on the internet. Stories do become exaggerated, and some people post their opinions as facts. Also, people post completely wrong information as facts. 
( I say "you" meaning people in general, not directed at anyone in particular)


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

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So the new vaccine is more effective, but still just as risky?

The 2006 report by American Animal Hospital Association Canine Task Force is certainly current and still doesn't recommend vaccinating toy breeds unless they are at high risk of exposure, so I assume the risk of reaction is just as great.

Since the disease is transmitted by drinking contaminated water or food, unless you kept food or water outside, wouldn't a leash walked and supervised Maltese be considered low risk? 

How in the world does someone trying to make and educated decison about whether or not to give the vaccine define "high risk"?









Jaimie, from what I have read, since the disease is caused by a bacteria, not a virus, a reaction usually doesn't occur with the first, second or even third vaccination, that the risk of anaphylactic shock increases with repeated exposure. Is that true?


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## dr.jaimie (Mar 23, 2004)

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the new one covers 4 strains of lepto....the most common are _grippotyphosa_, _pomona_, and _bratislava_ ..the leptovax 4 covers 3 of these 4 so yes your pet is protected by the vaccine.

there is a lot of old information on the internet on lepto that states it only covers two strains but this is incorrect information now.
[/B][/QUOTE]

So the new vaccine is more effective, but still just as risky?

The 2006 report by American Animal Hospital Association Canine Task Force is certainly current and still doesn't recommend vaccinating toy breeds unless they are at high risk of exposure, so I assume the risk of reaction is just as great.

Since the disease is transmitted by drinking contaminated water or food, unless you kept food or water outside, wouldn't a leash walked and supervised Maltese be considered low risk? 

How in the world does someone trying to make and educated decison about whether or not to give the vaccine define "high risk"?









Jaimie, from what I have read, since the disease is caused by a bacteria, not a virus, a reaction usually doesn't occur with the first, second or even third vaccination, that the risk of anaphylactic shock increases with repeated exposure. Is that true? 
[/B][/QUOTE] 

i usually see them have a reaction with the second shot...and if that is the case we try pretreating them with benadryl b4 the shots and that works 99% of the time...if it doesnt work then they dont get the vaccine.



they can get it from walking through the grass that a rodent has urinated on.,..then they come in and lick their feet. they dont have to drink standing water. the best way to know if there is increased risk is by ur vet. they know if they have seen cases and if it is prevalent in the area. i tried searching for a map but couldnt find an accurate recent one..they r all old and out of the US.



but we dont see that many vaccine reactions..and benadryl is pretty benign and works great for preventing them.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

Jaimie, this is sort of off subject, but while I'm thinking of it, what about rabies shot reactions? Does Benadryl help with that?

My Lady had a terrible reaction to her last rabies shot. She was really, really sick for five days aftrewards and her blood sugar was up in the 400's. Before she got it, my vet seemed to think the low dose of dexemethasone she is on for her arthritis would help with any reaction, but it didn't. She also takes Zyrtec and that didn't help either.

I just got the card in the mail today that she is due again and I have dreaded this for three years! Do I ask for a cortisone shot along with it? Or give her Benedryl before this time? Or do both?

Or violate the law and not give her the shot? North Carolina law doesn't have a provsion for a veterinarian's certification for waivering the vaccine based on health.

I am a wreck about this!


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## dr.jaimie (Mar 23, 2004)

> Jaimie, this is sort of off subject, but while I'm thinking of it, what about rabies shot reactions? Does Benadryl help with that?
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> My Lady had a terrible reaction to her last rabies shot. She was really, really sick for five days aftrewards and her blood sugar was up in the 400's. Before she got it, my vet seemed to think the low dose of dexemethasone she is on for her arthritis would help with any reaction, but it didn't. She also takes Zyrtec and that didn't help either.
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yes the benadryl works too for rabies...steroids are also good, but maybe b/c it was oral it was less effective. she takes dex everyday? we usually save the steroid shot to counteract the reaction. ive only seen one that was pretreated with benadryl have a reaction to any vaccine...that dog we no longer will vaccinate.


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## PreciousPrince (Feb 27, 2006)

Perri has to have the vac--he is definately high risk. We're in the country on a horse farm, and it's not uncommon to see all kinds of animals, including deer on the land. The other day I counted 11 deer in one of the pastures. When Perri had his booster, I had to go to another clinic so that he could get the lepto alone and not in the combo. That was the only shot he got that day, and luckily he did fine.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

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Thanks!

Lady has been getting Dex every other day for her arthritis, since Deramaxx no longer worked. Without it, she can barely walk. It was a quality of life decision.

It's been three years and she's done really well on it. No one can believe a diabetic can take steriods! Her blood sugar goes up from the inflamation when I take her off it and drops immediately as soon as I give her a dose!

I'll ask my vet about Benadryl when I call to make the appointment. We stopped doing vaccinations when she was dx with diabetes, but rabies is the one you can't get out of.


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

Regarding reations.... My first Malt, Rosebud, had a very serious reaction. The first time it happened within 10 minutes of the shot and she had welts on her head and was rubbing her head and was agitated. That occurred with her first one-year booster or 2nd year... not sure which.

From then on he would pre-medicate her. If I recall correctly he gave her pred and benedryl in an IV. Even with all that she had a mild reaction. We finally quit shots all together a couple years before she went to the bridge. My vet said he had never seen a dog have such a bad reaction to shots.


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## dr.jaimie (Mar 23, 2004)

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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

Thanks! I'll ask! We also discussed accupunture.


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## bbry (Feb 17, 2007)

Our vet has given benadryl before every vaccination and sometimes sends me home with a little in a syringe to give later in the day. So far, no problems but I am very careful to give them one at a time with a couple of weeks in between and I don't give the heartworm or flea medicine at the same time either. 

Another question for Jaimie, my vet said it was okay to split the flea medicine between the 2 dogs (since they are both very small) but the interceptor needed to be a whole dose for each. Would that be your opinion as well?


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## dr.jaimie (Mar 23, 2004)

> Our vet has given benadryl before every vaccination and sometimes sends me home with a little in a syringe to give later in the day. So far, no problems but I am very careful to give them one at a time with a couple of weeks in between and I don't give the heartworm or flea medicine at the same time either.
> 
> Another question for Jaimie, my vet said it was okay to split the flea medicine between the 2 dogs (since they are both very small) but the interceptor needed to be a whole dose for each. Would that be your opinion as well?[/B]


 

yes i agree some flea meds can be split among dogs..depends on the product...as far as heartworm meds they cannot be split b/c the active ingredient is not mixed evenly throughout


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## beckybc03 (Jul 6, 2006)

This just goes along with what Jamie said but I guess it really depends where you live and what your vet recommends. I live right in downtown Boston and my vet told me that unless I took Lilly hiking or if she spent a lot of time in woodsy areas there was no reason for me to vaccinate her and said that it would not be worth the risk. I'm guessing this is because the likelihood of deer within a few miles of me is not very good.


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## amber (Jan 30, 2004)

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I myself have personally experience a puppy with a severe reaction to the vaccine. It is very scary because it can cause serious respiratory problems. The thing that you have to beware of is that a lot of time there will not be a reaction with the first vaccination of Lepto. So when the puppy get the second vaccination with the Lepto that is when they will most likely experience the reaction. I do not give any of my pups the Lepto vaccine and I advice everyone who get a puppy from me to do the same. I understand if your vet fells strongly about the vaccine being administered, just be educated on what can happen and what signs to look for, have benadryl on hand, and make sure that you can get your puppy back to the vet quickly if needed. It is very dependent on where you live, I live in the city so my dogs do not come in contact with wild animals, so the decision is much easier for me to make, and I have witness the reaction first hand. Good luck on your decision.


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## Tina (Aug 6, 2006)

I myself have personally experience a puppy with a severe reaction to the vaccine. It is very scary because it can cause serious respiratory problems. The thing that you have to beware of is that a lot of time there will not be a reaction with the first vaccination of Lepto. So when the puppy get the second vaccination with the Lepto that is when they will most likely experience the reaction. I do not give any of my pups the Lepto vaccine and I advice everyone who get a puppy from me to do the same. I understand if your vet fells strongly about the vaccine being administered, just be educated on what can happen and what signs to look for, have benadryl on hand, and make sure that you can get your puppy back to the vet quickly if needed. It is very dependent on where you live, I live in the city so my dogs do not come in contact with wild animals, so the decision is much easier for me to make, and I have witness the reaction first hand. Good luck on your decision. 


[/QUOTE] 



I think I would want to get epinepherine on hand before giving it. Rather it be the first shot or the second. I have had one puppy react to her first puppy shots, its rare but it can happen on first shots. If I hadn't had epi on hand with this puppy, she would have been dead. 

Tina


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## mom2bijou (Oct 19, 2006)

I am really happy this thread is here. I brought Benny to doggy daycare over the weekend for his evaluation. I had to show him that he had his rabies and boratella shots. However, they told me I had to also get a the lepto vaccine. I haven't called the vet yet, but now this has got me thinking that I dont' want to have to get this vaccine for Benny. 

And when I first went to the daycare they told me I only had to get rabies and boratella...now all of a sudden I have to add lepto to the list? Ugh! Now what do I do??


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## CrystalAndZoe (Jul 11, 2006)

<span style="font-family:Comic Sans Ms">Speaking as someone who's baby may actually have Lepto., if your *vet* is recommending the Lepto vaccine that tells me you're in a high risk area so I would definetly do it. It is very contagious so I can understand the doggy day care requiring it as well. I think it is good to know the risks involved with past vaccines and signs to watch for but I'm trusting my vet & Dr. Jamie to know what they are talking about with the new Lepto vacinne and things that can be done to minimize any reaction. I'm so thankful that we caught Zoe's elevated liver enzymes *prior* to her showing any symptoms. From my understanding, usually a dog can be asymptomatic until the disease has progressed to the point of kidney damage, and may even be too late to save them. We still don't know if Lepto is what Zoe has, since her first titer showed negative, but my vet is thinking maybe it was caught so early that it was a false negative. She is scheduled for another titer & to recheck her liver enzymes on 5/16. Believe me, it is the worst feeling in the world to think that maybe you were the reason your baby is sick by not having a vaccine done. It is awful whenever your baby is sick, but the guilt you feel by thinking it was something that could have been prevented is nothing in comparison. Believe me, I understand the fear involved with vaccines. I had chosen to titer Zoe last year instead of doing her boosters. I still feel there is enough vet. research to titer yearly & vaccinate every 3 yrs. in most cases & with some vaccines. My vet doesn't routinely do the Lepto vaccine on toy dogs...or didn't 2 yrs ago at her last vaccination. Even at that I'm know finding the Lepto vaccine to be good for only 6-8 months. So as scary as it is, Zoe will be vaccinated for Lepto, taking all necessary precautions, probably every 6-8 months or whatever my vet recommends. I think for me what it boils down to is the number of deaths/permanant organ damage due to reactions from vaccines is *far* less than the number of deaths/permanant organ damage due to the actual disease. I wish I had an actual percentage but haven't been able to find one. So I'm trusting my vet (and the others in her practice) and Dr. Jamie when they tell us that the risk of the actual disease far out weigh the risk of a reaction to the vaccine. Please remember this is just my opinion & personal decision for my baby due to this scare that I am still currently in. The one thing that I think will be my personal "soapbox" from now on is to get a full blood panel done yearly. If Zoe didn't have a sensitive tummy and didn't throw up/diariah every 3-4 months for a day, I probably wouldn't have had a full blood panel done. So what started out to be the reason for the blood panel turned out to be nothing, but found something else that if not caught so early, could be very serious.</span>


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## Guest (May 3, 2007)

My breeder didn't give Lepto to my puppy in her first shots and has had dogs have a severe reaction. I talked to my vet last night and she said due to the rise in lepto in animals and humans she will not give lepto free shots. She also said that they can't prove that Lepto is what causes the reaction because it is never given alone but with other vacc. that could also cause a reaction. Since my puppy's Mommy is one that had a bad reaction she is going to give the shot when I can stick around for about an hour to make sure Lily is ok. A good compromise for both of us. She told me that if contracted by humans it causes kidney failure and can be very dangerous. I guess you just have to consider the risk to you and your dog and then go from there.

Lily's adoring Mommy


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## maltsmom (Feb 10, 2005)

I insist on no lepto for my babies and my vet tells me that they do not like to give it to small dogs. I would not get it if I were you.









I also don't allow my vet to give them the coronavirus either. I have just read too many bad things about it.


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## MalteseMum (Apr 25, 2007)

Well, after speaking to the breeder about the vaccine, I learned my Chloe's uncle passed from the lepto vaccine.
Which makes me not want it more.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

I vaccinated Soda for Lepto with the separate Ft Dodge lepto vacc. He did fine. He is currently being treated just in case he actually has another strain of lepto...its on the rise big time where I am. I would not hesitate to vaccinate any of my other dogs. Do it separately from other vaccines. I pretreat my dogs with benadryl just to be on the safe side. If you don't catch it early, lepto is deadly and transmittable to people. Just know the facts about the incidence where you live and your dog's exposure - talk to your vet and make a decision for your situation. 

BTW, I would never use a DHLPP vaccine. Only a SEPARATE lepto vaccine given apart from all other vaccines.


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## rpcvkatherine (Mar 23, 2004)

I just moved to VA about 6 months ago. I had to board sophie this weekend as I was going out of town for a girls weekend with my mom and sister. The vet tech asked me if she had ever had a reaction to lepto. I told her I had never even heard of it. the vet tech advised me it would be helpful since she was staying at the kennel. I made the executive decision and said, she has cancer and I don't want to give her some vaccine I've never heard of until I speak to the vet. 

After reading these posts, I am very appaled that they even suggested this for her. She has terminal mammary cancer and we debated even giving her the kennel cough vaccine, but in the end I decided it would be best for her to have that since I knew she had never had a reaction and her little body couldn't take getting kennel cough.


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## jadey (Nov 2, 2006)

Why is it that i drop off daerong to the vet for an annual checkup bloodwork etc.
and they call me and tell me he had the bendryl shot, and had the distemper and lepto?
can they just do that? or do you think they feel comfortable with me so they just went ahead
i never gave them permission to give him anything...


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## Lacie's Mom (Oct 11, 2006)

I once had a Shih Tzu that went into antiphlatic (sp?) shock from the lepto vaccine. I've never had to use it in Arizona or NM and the Maltese are seldom out where they would get any exposure to lepto.

I did vaccinate 2 of my Lhasas when they were older for lepto as they were going to a lot of dog shows and many were held in livestock facilitates at fairgrounds.

I don't give either of the Maltese lepto nor have I given the majority of the dogs I bred lepto.


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## wooflife (Aug 8, 2007)

> I'll ask my vet about Benadryl when I call to make the appointment. We stopped doing vaccinations when she was dx with diabetes, but *rabies is the one you can't get out of*.[/B]



You can get out of Rabies with doctors note. When it becomes more life threatening for the animal to have the vacination than it is for the animal not to have the vacination your vet can send a letter to the county explaining that. I have a 5 year old indoor cat that does not receive rabies shots and my neighbor has a 15 year old maltese who no longer receives them. These are extreme cases but it is possible and it's up to your vet to make the decision with you. 

This may vary by county and state.

Leslie


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## wooflife (Aug 8, 2007)

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Just saw Marj's edit that NC won't tak the waiver so I guess it does vary. I'm so sorry to hear that. Poor Lady having to go through that. 

Leslie


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Yep, we vaccinated in the D.C. area. Seeing lots more of it.


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## Desiree (May 29, 2007)

> I myself have personally experience a puppy with a severe reaction to the vaccine. It is very scary because it can cause serious respiratory problems. The thing that you have to beware of is that a lot of time there will not be a reaction with the first vaccination of Lepto. So when the puppy get the second vaccination with the Lepto that is when they will most likely experience the reaction. I do not give any of my pups the Lepto vaccine and I advice everyone who get a puppy from me to do the same. I understand if your vet fells strongly about the vaccine being administered, just be educated on what can happen and what signs to look for, have benadryl on hand, and make sure that you can get your puppy back to the vet quickly if needed. It is very dependent on where you live, I live in the city so my dogs do not come in contact with wild animals, so the decision is much easier for me to make, and I have witness the reaction first hand. Good luck on your decision.
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I have one of Tina's babies and have never had him vaccinated against lepto or coronavirus. Several vets have tried telling me he should have the other two vaccines done because they vaccinate Maltese against them all the time & haven't had any problems. Considering how few Maltese I've even seen in my area...I doubt they've done this as often as they make it sound. I had to call several veterinarians and found only 2 that have the vaccine without lepto and corona. The ones that don't have it are usually the ones to insist that it's ok to give this vaccine to toy breeds and they've done it often to Maltese.... Anyway, I'm not yet convinced this is something that my baby needs and that it will do more good than harm to him, so he will not be getting lepto/corona vaccines until a veterinarian is able to show me some facts to convince me otherwise.

<div align="center">Desiree & Eros


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## kjarels (Aug 21, 2007)

A lot of it depends on the Vet. I will not allow my little one to receive the Lepto in her shots and the Vet I had used for years said that was silly that they needed it. So I changed Vets right down the road and he agreed with me saying the Lepto was dangerous to these little dogs and that he never includes them in his vaccine. 







> Winnie got her second round of shots today and I informed him my breeder said "no Lepto". The Vet agreed not to give it as she's only 3.1 lbs but he thinks it's a good idea for her to receive it when she's 5 lbs. He says that Lepto is on the rise and the devastating effects of the disease on both the dog and humans who are in contact with their urine far out weigh the little risk associated with adverse reactions. He says in all his yrs of practice he's never had a Maltese have a reaction worse than hives. My breeder was not happy with his thinking. :blink: Has anyone's vets given this vaccine to your Malts?[/B]


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## wooflife (Aug 8, 2007)

Apparently Izzy had the Lepto vaccine in her standard puppy vaccinations when she was less than 2lbs. I now know that the L in DHLPP stands for Leptospirosis. All of my dogs have had it and none have had any problems. I have a small fish pond in my backyard that they love to drink from... I try to discourage it but they do it anyway. So as I long I don't have any problems I will continue to vaccinate them for the virus. I never make plans the day of their vaccinations anyway, I always stay at home so if they have a reaction I can deal with it quickly.

Leslie


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