# Dog hasn't been to vet in a LONG time?



## Damon'sMom (Aug 2, 2011)

So I have a few questions.

I recently "adopted" a 1 year old 3 legged dog from my friend and her grandmother. Today I asked for any vet records that she has on file. 
They told me they would get them to me Saturday when I come to visit Lassie. Well I just got a text message that my new dog Lassie has only been to the vet ONCE since she had her leg amputated! And I got some more news that I was not happy about. She has never gotten ANY of her puppy shots!
The first time she had ever been to the vet was when she had to have surgery and the last time was when she had to come in a month after it happened.

When I take her to my vet next month what do I need to have them check for?
Anything special?


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## kali shey (Jan 11, 2012)

..............


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## juliemule (Dec 10, 2011)

Ditto the Heartworm test, also a fecal and her vaccinations. After the initial puppy visitation, my dogs only go on annually unless there is a problem. Good luck with your new addition!


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

kali shey said:


> Edited to add: Also, who did her surgery without her having had her vaccinations? Most vets won't do that.


^^yeah that. Most vets won't let an animal out of their office without at least updating the rabies vaccine. Was she spayed when she had the leg amputated, or before, or is she not spayed yet at all? Most vets will do the vaccines at the same time as the spay if they weren't done before. Has she ever had ANY vaccines? What was the visit after the amputation for?

If she has never had anything done besides the amputation: do a heartworm test, maybe a tick-borne illness panel if ticks are a big problem where you live. Distemper/parvo combo and rabies vaccines, and have the vet make sure her leg is looking good. A general check-up; heart check, abdominal palpation, etc. Decide if you want to give her a de-wormer just in case or have the vet do a fecal exam.


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## Damon'sMom (Aug 2, 2011)

Willowy said:


> ^^yeah that. Most vets won't let an animal out of their office without at least updating the rabies vaccine. Was she spayed when she had the leg amputated, or before, or is she not spayed yet at all? Most vets will do the vaccines at the same time as the spay if they weren't done before. Has she ever had ANY vaccines? What was the visit after the amputation for?
> 
> If she has never had anything done besides the amputation: do a heartworm test, maybe a tick-borne illness panel if ticks are a big problem where you live. Distemper/parvo combo and rabies vaccines, and have the vet make sure her leg is looking good. A general check-up; heart check, abdominal palpation, etc. Decide if you want to give her a de-wormer just in case or have the vet do a fecal exam.


She is not Spayed yet but will be shortly after coming to live with me. She has not had ANY Vaccines as far as her records show. The vet visit after the amputation was for check up to see how the leg was doing (That is what I was told).

Thank you for the list I will make sure to have everything ran. I just want her to be happy and healthy now. 



kali shey said:


> Get a heartworm test, for sure, since I assume no vet care = no preventative, at home care, either.
> 
> Poor girl  Thankfully, she's on her way to a better situation with you!
> 
> Edited to add: Also, who did her surgery without her having had her vaccinations? Most vets won't do that.


Thank you I will make sure to do that. And thank you I hope she will have a better home with me then she did before. 

As for the vet that did the surgery without her having her vaccinations, I was appalled. When I looked on the records and seen that I called the vets office and asked to speak to the vet about it. He told me that "It was an emergency situation and we did what we could. How is she doing now?". Other than that he didn't, or would not say anything else about it.



juliemule said:


> Ditto the Heartworm test, also a fecal and her vaccinations. After the initial puppy visitation, my dogs only go on annually unless there is a problem. Good luck with your new addition!


Thank you I will make sure to do that.  My dogs also just go for an annual check up after the initial puppy visits. And thank you.


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## InkedMarie (Mar 11, 2009)

I can't believe any vet would do surgery on a dog without vaccines. Please tell me you're using a different vet!


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

I guess I can understand the vet not doing the vaccines at the same time as the amputation, if it was an emergency situation. But they really should have at least suggested doing them at the follow-up visit. And, who knows, maybe they did suggest doing the vaccines and the owners refused. We don't like vets to be pushy about vaccines either. . .


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## Damon'sMom (Aug 2, 2011)

InkedMarie said:


> I can't believe any vet would do surgery on a dog without vaccines. Please tell me you're using a different vet!


No we will not be using that vet. I will be taking her to the vet my other animals go to.


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## Damon'sMom (Aug 2, 2011)

Willowy said:


> I guess I can understand the vet not doing the vaccines at the same time as the amputation, if it was an emergency situation. But they really should have at least suggested doing them at the follow-up visit. And, who knows, maybe they did suggest doing the vaccines and the owners refused. We don't like vets to be pushy about vaccines either. . .


I have a feeling you are right. The owners are kind of strange people. I would not be surprised if they did refuse to get the shots done.


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## CrazyDogLady (Dec 9, 2011)

Ugh! I'm so sorry that this is the situation, although, given the way you've described how she's been living, I'm not surprised in the slightest. The more I hear, the happier I am for Lassie that you've come into her life! How much longer until she can come home and live with you 24/7?


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## Bordermom (Apr 28, 2010)

I would question any vet who vaccinated at the time of surgery, unless it's a specific reason (low cost clinic etc...). Same goes for dog is sick so let's vaccinate them up the wazzoo, there's better and safer ways to do things.

For your new dog, I would suggest just rabies, unless there's a specific disease concern in your area. She's old enough to have likely been exposed to parvo etc. so rabies if you have to for law, but other than that.....

Storee has never had a vaccination in her life, has been very healthy and had no issues even when we had a litter of parvo puppies here (I didn't know they had it till they got sick, but still).


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## Damon'sMom (Aug 2, 2011)

CrazyDogLady said:


> Ugh! I'm so sorry that this is the situation, although, given the way you've described how she's been living, I'm not surprised in the slightest. The more I hear, the happier I am for Lassie that you've come into her life! How much longer until she can come home and live with you 24/7?


Lassie will not being coming to live with _ me _ until the start of June when I move out of the house. She was suppose to come home with me today but I have introduced her to Damon and Sophie 8 different times and they end up in a full on fight each time. With Sophie starting it all. Sophie is not good with other female dogs. Which is very common in the Basenji breed. I have talked to my sister that lives nearby and she has agreed to let Lassie stay with her after she is checked over by the vet.



Bordermom said:


> I would question any vet who vaccinated at the time of surgery, unless it's a specific reason (low cost clinic etc...). Same goes for dog is sick so let's vaccinate them up the wazzoo, there's better and safer ways to do things.
> 
> For your new dog, I would suggest just rabies, unless there's a specific disease concern in your area. She's old enough to have likely been exposed to parvo etc. so rabies if you have to for law, but other than that.....
> 
> Storee has never had a vaccination in her life, has been very healthy and had no issues even when we had a litter of parvo puppies here (I didn't know they had it till they got sick, but still).


Thank you I will make sure to have the rabies shot done.


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## lulusmom (Nov 12, 2008)

Bordermom said:


> I would question any vet who vaccinated at the time of surgery, unless it's a specific reason (low cost clinic etc...). Same goes for dog is sick so let's vaccinate them up the wazzoo, there's better and safer ways to do things.
> 
> For your new dog, I would suggest just rabies, unless there's a specific disease concern in your area. She's old enough to have likely been exposed to parvo etc. so rabies if you have to for law, but other than that.....
> 
> Storee has never had a vaccination in her life, has been very healthy and had no issues even when we had a litter of parvo puppies here (I didn't know they had it till they got sick, but still).


I have chronically ill dogs and they haven't gotten vaccines for a number of years now. I too would question any vet who would insist on giving vaccines to a dog who is about to undergo surgery. My old gp vet flat out told me that if I brought my dog in for an emergency they would not admit any of them without being current on "annual" shots due to liability situations. I've done lots of research on vaccines so I asked her why her office has not following the three year vaccine protocol which has been adopted by all 27 veterinary teaching hospitals in North America and if she has ever read the label on a vaccine, which says to only give to a healthy dog and if she understood that even if she gave my dog a shot immediately before surgery, immunity would not be immediate nor would any bug my dog may be carrying die on the spot. I was livid and not quiet in my protest in the hopes that others in the waiting room would get a clue. I am a rescuer and must tell you that puppies, as well as adult dogs, die every day from Parvo and Distemper so I am not anti vaccine nor would I suggest anybody allow their dog to go unprotected without doing titers to check their levels of immunity.


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