Feed Store/ Pet Shop Vaccinations?

Hello everyone. I am not looking to get bashed for my post, I just want some honest opinions.

I have read on a post that people who vaccinate their pets at feed stores/ pet shops are being irresponsible. Why is this?

I have had both my girls vaccinated at my friends pet shop and they are fine (except for Nana's hair loss thing). I dont see anything but a good deal, they only charge 3 dollars, and I bought Laika's vaccinations and he only charged me 40 something cents for the syringe. I got her vaccinations for free,so I only paid to 40 cents to get her vaccinated when I would have had to pay 40 something dollars to get her vaccinated at the vets.

But maybe I am missing something, if anyone knows why so many people are against vaccinating outside a vets office I would love to know. I wouldnt want to put my girls at risk because I want to save a few bucks. Thanks!

 

I've never taken my dogs to the feed stores to be vaccinated, but I've bought my vaccinations from the feed stores and given them to my dogs myself. Also, you can get them at some regular pharmacies. It's a whole lot inexpensive than making a Vet appointment. The only thing you can't get is the rabies vaccine. That can only be given by a D.V.M. The feed store will provides a syringe with the vaccines. They will instruct you where to give the shots. It's easy, it's a sub-que shot. Only thing is when you go to purchase your vaccines, take a small cooler with an ice pack in it to keep the vaccines cool. These are a live-kill vaccine and if they get warm, are rendered ineffective.

 

I think wellness exams are important so thats one of the reasons I would go to my vet over a feedstore for vaccinations. My dogs get their vaccinations at the time of their wellness exam.

 

Nern: I do the same thing now, too, with my wellness plan through Banfield. But if someone isn't sign up with a plan, it's another alternative to make sure pets have their vaccinatons.

 

I used to vaccinate my dogs but my vet wont believe me and will not give my dogs the rabies shot if I dont have vaccination paperwork from a vet. I am currently looking for a new vet but for the time being my vet is giving the shots. Now last year I was a little strapped for cash and took my girls to a rabies clinic where they give rabies shots for like 5 bucks. My vet was actually hosting it and wasnt too happy to see me there instead of in the office.

Overall though I think as long as your dog is still getting checkups from a vet there is no problem with vaccinating yourself. The onlything negative I have heard is that the shots at feed stores are not as good as the ones from the vet. But that was told to me by my vet.

 

vets, boarding kennels, training schools etc dont exactly want a possible unvaccinated dog on their premises. boarding kennels and schools here will not allow any dog onto their premises without a vaccination certificate from a vet. anyone can say 'yeah i vaccinated them myself'. there is nothing wrong with vaccinating yourself, but things get a little tricky when people want vet paperwork blah blah. oh, and THANK YOU for vaccinating your pets.

 

Well most grommers and good vets will not reconize feed store ,self given shots ..Not so much as they are not any good at all (although I would never use one for any reason ) but that if a shot gets warm ,stays out too long ,it isn't any good ...And in feed stores you never know how long that shot has been in transport ,in what condidtion ,what condidtions was it left in before you bought it etc .also they are cheap shots and usually not as recomended by vets .
I have a friend that used them and her dog got parvo ...go figure .
Anyway ,I would rather use a vet to do that ,yes I can give shots but i had rather have the correct paperwork and have the best in care .Just my opinion ...

 

I think exams are as important as vaccinations. Nothing like preventative maintenace for a pet. Catch any potential problems early will save lots of money and heartache later on...and these feedstores and other cheap clinics are not going to do that. But, on the upside, if they weren't offered many animals would go without vaccines due to people just not willing (or unable) to afford the vet check. But I think doing it once a year isn't going to send someone into bankruptcy.

 

You are correct there mary ,as I see it ...
if you cannot afford the shots ,the right ones ,don't get the dog or cat or horse or cow .you as a potential owner should be aware ,research and be able to afford a once a year shot .
even if in the state ,county ,or country where you live does not have that particular problem ,all it takes is one to have it and it is then a dangerous situation .Always better to be safe than sorry .

 

Here is what I do...

we get our pets shots at the spay and neuter clinic... as they are about half the price of our vet. the boarding place we go to allows it as the spay and neuter clinic is run by a vet.

for check ups and emergancies we go to our regular vet.

 

I for one think that there is nothing wrong with administering shots yourself. The important thing with shots is to keep the dog healthy. I dont take my dogs to groomers so I don't need to worry about that and my vet knows that I do my shots myself and he is fine with that. It sounds like your vet is a money grubber if he doesnt approve or doesnt believe you. MANY MANY vets are only in the job for the money and try to take their clients for as many dollars as they can. As you can see...shots are extremely cheap and they charge often up to 100 dollars just to give a round of shots. Sure I like to ask questions when I am at the vet....but I dont think that the information they give me is ever worth that much money. I think a price tag of 20 to 30 dollars is reasonable...anything more and theyd better be grooming / nail clipping / ear cleaning / anal gland expressing as well!

 

Well ,my vet just says feed store shots are not worth it and can be bad more often than not ...
As far as costs ...mine charges 24.00 for the last round of shots ..
Parvo /rabies /kennel cough etc .I had rather pay that than to buy a shot that may or may not be good .
I have seen some that use the feed store shots and they have knots on their necks .My vet says it is something in the shots and sometimes those have to be cut out .He has seen alot in his 30 plus years and I trust his judgement .
as far as vets believing a person ,that comes with trust on both sides .I would say a vet has to earn your trust and you have to earn his /hers.
Can't just walk in every few months and say ..."I gave this shot and that one and wormed here and there ' and have a vet to believe it ,espically if you have had parvo or they had found worms where you said you wormed .Believing someone is how long you are together ,trust issues to begin with and what has or has not occured in that period of time .
Same as going to a doctor ,can't trust one and they sure don't trust you until you have been going there awhile ..
Also ,the cheap shots are live virus shots ,very dangerous most of the time ..I had rather use a vet ,that way I am sure the health and welfare of mine is the very best it can be .

 

I order all my pets vaccinations from Doctors Fosters & Smith catalog the shelter I volunteer at also orders their pharmaceuticals from them.
They arrive in dry ice to assure they stay refrigerated.

 

I can understand you ordering from a company like that .My problem with feed stores is they don't take the care a shelter or humane society would And they order the cheap ones too and not from a reputable company like you order from ....Just my 2 cents .

 

It just depends on the feed store. You cant generalize and say that all feed stores are evil just like you cant say that all animal shelters have their animals best interest at heart. You just have to be careful.

 

I didn't mean it that way ,but most feed stores have the same shots .I have lived in several states and all I went into had the same ones .And you are right ,just because one shelter is a good one does not mean they all are .We have a few here I would shut down if i could .

 

I understand where people would rather take their dogs to the vet to get all vaccinations and shots and meds. But in my situation. All have an initial check up, then I administer all vaccinations other than rabies. I'm sorry but as many dogs that I come across I just flat out can't afford to have every one vaccinated by the vet. They charge every time a $25 initial fee, plus the $10 per vac. When I've got a huge litter like I do now. Theres no way I'm paying $595.00 to have 17 pups done. WHen I can order a pack of vaccinations from Valley Vet, or Dr. Forester and Smiths for $80.00.

But I do agree. Every dog needs to have a thourough check up with a vet, before giving any shots.

 

I believe that one way people who do their own vaccinations certify that they have been done is to include the packaging from the vaccines along with paperwork telling when the shots were given.

3dogsihave, am I correct in reading that your vet won't give the rabies shot unless you have proof that the other shots were given? What reason is there for that?! That sounds fishy to me.


Jamiya

 

I agree with this. Before our friend opened up his pet shop we used to buy our supplies (not vaccinations) at feed store. I saw they had their vaccines behind the counter! They werent in a fridge or anythin, just sitting there. When I asked the store they told me not to worry that these were vitamins an stuff for the fighting roosters, but i still turned me off, I dont know how much of that is actually true.

But I truly trust my friend, he is so gentle with my dogs, Laika didnt even make a peep when she was vaccinated. And Nana loves him.

 

Oh All the puppies and dogs have a health paper and chart sent home with all of them. Their pkg's and vac records and wormings are all attached and noted.

This new litter I "aquired" not one puppy flinched. Of course they were munching on doggie cookies while they got the shot, so I doubt they even knoticed!