dog booster vaccination question

alanhiggyno1

hi got my dogs the kennel cough there yesterday and just wondering can u get the booster in the chemists without a prescription as its cheaper than the vet.would be nice if there was a chemist in clare or limerick that does it.thanks for the help

Themadhouse

AFAIK only vets can administer vaccinations as they are prescription. A chemist wont stock them and I dont think vets will give them out over the counter. Most animals that get home vaxed will be treated as not fully covered by a vet.

andreac

Some chemists sell the booster vaccines over the counter but you cnat get the kennel cough ones as ive searched myself.

DBB

I'm not sure if you got the kennel cough vaccine for your dog because he's going into kennels?
If you need to have a vaccination record for kennels, training classes or whatever, most establishments will insist the vaccines must have been given by a vet.
I'm not sure you can get the KC vaccine over the counter, but some chemists will supply the DHPPi and P vaccines (Distemper, Parvo, Hepatitis etc) for owners to administer themselves. However, these chemists are few and far between now since regulations tightened a few years ago, vets are supposed to be the only ones who can vaccinate animals, but some chemists have resisted this!

Themadhouse

If kennels ask to see a vax cert they wont accept home vaccination incase the vax has not been administered correctly.

Out of interest, is it much cheaper to get it yourself? My dog is 60 for kennel cough, booster and a full check up. Just curious.

andreac

Yes, the boosters are only 12euro, so a lot cheaper.

I give mine their boosters myself as im experienced giving injections from working with horses and taking blood samples etc. If i could get the kennel cough ones i would do them myself too but im yet to find them.

boomerang

OP try Widdess' chemist on Roches Street in Limerick City.

Themadhouse

andreac wrote: »

Yes, the boosters are only 12euro, so a lot cheaper.

I give mine their boosters myself as im experienced giving injections from working with horses and taking blood samples etc. If i could get the kennel cough ones i would do them myself too but im yet to find them.

Are the vet signed certs not needed at dog shows?

I think myself tho I like to have a yearly check up and get it all done then as she does mix with other dogs and goes to kennels and I would be afraid of not doing it right!:o

andreac

No, not as far as i know.

My dogs are usually at the vets at least once a year for something so they do get checked regularly and im very clued in on their health so i wouldnt hesitate bringing them to the vets if there was something wrong with them.

Asphyxia

You should be able to get the booster in most chemists just go in and ask, I've never bought them myself as I like to have the vet check them over so when they need their yearly booster their been checked as well I'd be afraid incase I do it wrong.

Themadhouse

andreac wrote: »

No, not as far as i know.

My dogs are usually at the vets at least once a year for something so they do get checked regularly and im very clued in on their health so i wouldnt hesitate bringing them to the vets if there was something wrong with them.

Ah, I know nothing about the do show scene, i was assuming its the same as the cat shows where cats are vet checked and vax card must be signed by a vet. it's all a learning curve!

I didnt mean to suggest that you wouldnt bring your dogs to the vets, i know you would, I can see how much you love them. I was just saying me personally i would prefer to give her a once over and get it all done then as i would be afraid of not administering it correctly.

DBB

I've vaccinated many a dog in my time, but I've had a bit of a change of practice in recent years.
Whilst a healthy pet dog may be an exception, it can be risky to vaccinate a dog until he's had a vet check to make sure his temperature isn't up or that there's no infection lurking. If you vaccinate a dog who is on the brink of a bug, you could really overload the immune system and make the dog a lot sicker.
I've even seen dogs dying from such complications, though generally we're talking rescue dogs who had a higher chance of being exposed to various diseases in pounds etc.
So, just a caveat about vaccinating without veterinary supervision.

Wisco

There are places that sell KC vaccines over the counter, but you obviously don't get a cert. Also, because it goes up the nose, it can be harder to administer (depending on your dog) and if you don't give it properly, it's useless. I'm not saying people are incapable of doing it properly, but in my opinion, as the previous poster said, it's always a good idea to make sure the animal is 100% healthy before giving any vaccine, and that's tough to do unless you're a vet.
As a side note, although vaccines are technically prescription meds, most chemists I've ever been to will sell the 7 in 1s over the counter, although I'm in a rural area so I'm not sure if it's the same in places like Dublin.

andreac

Wisco wrote: »

There are places that sell KC vaccines over the counter, but you obviously don't get a cert. Also, because it goes up the nose, it can be harder to administer (depending on your dog) and if you don't give it properly, it's useless. I'm not saying people are incapable of doing it properly, but in my opinion, as the previous poster said, it's always a good idea to make sure the animal is 100% healthy before giving any vaccine, and that's tough to do unless you're a vet.
As a side note, although vaccines are technically prescription meds, most chemists I've ever been to will sell the 7 in 1s over the counter, although I'm in a rural area so I'm not sure if it's the same in places like Dublin.

Do you know of anywhere in the Dublin/kildare/Meath area that sells the KC over the counter as id be relaly interested in trying to find a place, thanks Wisco:)

@DBB Regarding the temperature thing, my male rottie refuses point blank to have his temperature taken so that has never been taken while hes at the vets, hes impossible to do.

portgirl123

andreac wrote: »

Do you know of anywhere in the Dublin/kildare/Meath area that sells the KC over the counter as id be relaly interested in trying to find a place, thanks Wisco:)

@DBB Regarding the temperature thing, my male rottie refuses point blank to have his temperature taken so that has never been taken while hes at the vets, hes impossible to do.

the chemist in newbridge sell it, not sure of the name but on main street

Wisco

Sorry andreac, I'm not in those areas!

DBB

andreac wrote: »

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@DBB Regarding the temperature thing, my male rottie refuses point blank to have his temperature taken so that has never been taken while hes at the vets, hes impossible to do.

Andrea, I don't know whether to laugh or cry at the thought of a large male rottie refusing to have his temp taken... Probably a bit of both!
I feel your pain though, my terrier here gets most put out when the vet has to go near his butt... Long story... But I was really referring to dogs whose health history is not really well known, as yours would be. I vaccinate my own dogs too, but stopped vaxing any rescue/foster dogs myself because they're at risk of carrying a nasty, or have compromised immunity

andreac

Oh DBB hes the worst patient ever!! We have never managed to take his temp, ever. He just hates it and the vet said its quite an insult to an entire male dog to have something stuck up their bums, lol:D

Lucky im not at the vets with him too often and its usually for stuff that doesnt require his temperature, phew, lol.