Epi4Dogs

Hi All, Sassy's Dad here. It's coming up on time for her shots and I was wondering if that is a problem? Also, I've been giving them NexGard Chewables for flea and tick control that I just gave to the male but not Sassy yet.
About 10 years ago when I had a male GSD with Anal Fistulas, vaccinations were not advised since his immune system was compromised. Wondering what the thoughts are on this for EPI?
My dogs are house dogs that shouldn't be exposed to those things the shots protect against, but we do get the occasional possum, feral cats and raccoons in the back yard from time to time.

Thanks,
Richard

Hi. Vaccinations have never been an issue for Nate who has EPI and Typical Addison's disease. I do spread them out and only give 1 at a time. He gets the core vaccines and rabies every 3 years and lepto 4 yearly because of where we live. I don't use oral flea medicines because of his history of seizures but I am sure other will pop in and share their experiences.

Hi. Mine aren't EPI but get rabies and vaccines every 3urs. Like Judith I stagger them. Mine get leptospirosis yearly as we have elk here in our yard who carry it.
I use Frontline Plus.

Hi there. This is such a hot button topic. Ultimately it's a personal decision between you and your vet. I can tell you I have heard of some people having bad side effects from Nexguard and others swear by it. I personally recommend any vaccinations and flea/tick and heartworm meds be given a few weeks apart. I give heartworm meds on the 1st of the month and flea/tick on the 15th. I use Frontline for flea/tick - a lot of vets say its no longer effective but I guess that depends on your level of exposure. As for vaccines, I get the the titer test for vaccines and have a medical waiver from my vet for rabies as my EPI dog has bad reactions. I highly recommend researching the laws in your city, county and state and then discuss with your vet as to what the best options are for you and your dog.

wer have always vaccinated

1/ because of PARVO

2/our insurance would have been invalid without

3/ our dog have immune issues, so thhey pick up things more than other dogs, mine in particular

but only one at a time just to see if there are reactions, and keep records

jEAN

It is a hot button topic, but I think like Madelon said ultimately it is a decision for you to make with your vet.
I vaccinate Riley. I also feel that they are compromised already and I don't want any opportunistic infection to gain hold. But we haven't had any reactions to the shots, so I don't have to factor that in.
I just don't give that Bordetella, and my groomer gives me a pass because of her EPI.
As far as heart worm and flea prevention, I would also suggest to stagger them. Try what has already been working for her and watch for reactions. Chances are she will still be fine.
Let us know how it goes!

Thanks All, for your experiences and suggestions. Sorry to say I respect the opinions and experiences of all of you over what a vet says, even one I personally like but now have questions about. Through all of you I get the advice of many vets! The wealth of knowledge and experience here in reference to EPI is probably far more than 95% of the vets could offer. My vets office said they see maybe 2 cases of EPI a year. The real experts are here, I'm sure and thankful!

Thanks,
Richard

Hi Richard,

We just had Kolby's yearly. We do the titre tests and so far he has kept his immunity so we have not had to vaccinate.....except for the Rabies, which is every 3 years here in NJ.

For the past three years we have been getting away without Flea meds, but when we were using them, we used Advantix and did not have any issues. As everyone has said, a lot depends on where you live and your pup's exposure.

Thank you for your kind words. Everyone who posts, asks questions, gives suggestions, or shares their experiences helps to make the Forum a place that helps everyone. It takes a village......

Barb

wonderful statement Barb

Richard, Barb and i have been EPI, and soul mates for probably 9 years

amazing community

Jeanx

Well, Jean and Barb, Thanks!!! Sassy's only 15 months and I hope I'll be part of your group at least as long as you two have!!! According to my daughter when she was in kindergarten: My Daddy's a fix it kinda Daddy! Well, she's 36 now and a doctor while I still try to be a "fix it kind of Daddy" for my new 2 babies. I was a very blue collar electronics tech and hobbyist auto mechanic, so I do like to try to fix things and understand how they work and why they don't. Thank You All for being there for all of us!!! You're kinda like my Youtube teachers when I need to look something up, but more like family!

Thanks,
Richard