I'm self-employed (organizing/personal assistant to clients in the wealthy part of Nashville) and I've lost several clients recently due, in large part, to economic woes. While I'm slowly building back up, still it's had its effect on my life across the boards, and that includes my dogs.

They're late on their shots. They are both overdue for dentals, Tango more than Jazz, and they missed their bi-yearly well dog visits. This sucks.

It's going to be a while before I'll be back up to my original income level, and meantime am trying to come up with solutions to make sure my dogs don't get impacted too much. The one thing I'm stretching my budget to continue to do is to keep them on the superior quality food and treats they're used to having. At least that's one thing I can do to contribute to their overall health.

Meanwhile, I've made an appointment for a dental for Tango at my Vet's, though I made sure to wait for their 20% special discount month in February. Honestly, he needs that dental more than he needs his shots. His teeth are BAD, major plaque buildup, they always have been trouble, and I don't want him losing any more (he's had 3 pulled already, the first time I took him for a dental.) Jazz's dental will have to wait....I can't afford another expensive visit for a while, plus her teeth aren't anywhere NEAR as bad as Tango's. Hers have hardly any buildup on them.

I'm keeping an eye out for the Rabies clinics in my area that usually pop up in March. They offer very discounted rabies shots which I will take advantage of.

As far as their shots and other services, I'm not sure what to do. My daughter was a Vet Tech for years, so she can administer the shots/whatever medications they need, but is there even a way for me to purchase the medicines inexpensively online or somewhere, so that she can give them? Or do I just need to save my pennies and get them shots from the Vet.

And also, regardless of where they get them, what are the priorities? Can I not get some, or should I be sure to get all of them? They currently get yearly Bordatella, DA2PL-CPV, rabies, a fecal exam and a heartworm test.

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You do NOT need to give any more shots! EVER! They are definitely, most defintely immune already. Giving shots yearly will depress their immune systems. There's lots of vaccination threads on here. But that would be something you can definitely NOT do!

Keep them on the best food you can. That will help keep them healthy.

Do you brush their teeth?

If you are in a high incidence of heartworm area, keep them on their heartworm meds but give them every 45 days, not every 30 days.

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"Having heard all of this, you may choose to look the other way.....
but you can never say again that you did not know." William Wilberforce 1759-1833

Thanks, Trace, for getting back so quickly. I guess you can tell this has me stressed some.

Yeah, I brush their teeth regularly, plus I've had Tango on probably every product (including gimmicks) out there, in an effort to reduce his plaque buildup. The latest thing I've tried is Plaque Blast. I haven't converted to raw which I think would help, for a variety of reasons ... not gonna get into it in this thread because I don't want to pull it off topic. But they get chicken parts regularly.

I already do the every 45 day heartworm schedule. I have that heartworm calendar, and dose according to it.....6 months out of the year iirc. Because I don't keep them on heardworm meds year round, I've wondered if I then SHOULD be getting those heartworm tests? I'm back and forth, because I know the heartworm meds don't actually PREVENT heartworms, they just kill any that have taken up shop. And my research indicates that the schedule I have them on + the incidence in my area + life cycle of the heartworms = they're protected so a test is unnecessary. But I tend to second guess myself. I'd have a hard time forgiving myself if they got sick from heartworms. And especially with chis, they're so small that the treatment would be particularly hard on their little systems....not to mention the cost!

And as regards the shots? I'm in the same quandry with shots for them that I was in with my kids. There is SO much conflicting information out there that my head spins when I try and evaluate it all. I've thought about just doing the blood titers, but that's expensive too, and if it turns out they DO need shots based on the results, then it's even MORE expense.

Can you tell I'm pretty flustered about all this?

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I understand and I'd be flustered too. Take a deep breath. The good thing is that you have two healthy dogs. Shots can wait. Dentals can wait. All they REALLY need is good food. Throw in some bony chicken parts (wings, necks, backs) for dental health and you are really doing OK.

I understand where you're coming from on the heartworm stuff. I would probably go ahead and do a test and then keep them on the every 45 day cycle once the temperatures get up to the risky level. So many things have to align perfectly for an infected mosquito to bite and infect the dog, but prevention is certainly easier and less costly than treatment. Use your own judgement on that.

But I'd definitely skip the shots. Their little bodies have had them over and over again. I can just about 99.9% guarantee you that they are NOT going to contract distemper or parvo. Bordetella? Just a cold to a healthy dog and you would treat symptomatically. Hedge your bets on that one and save your money.

I think you're actually pretty far ahead of the game. Your kids will do fine until you get back on your feet.

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"Having heard all of this, you may choose to look the other way.....
but you can never say again that you did not know." William Wilberforce 1759-1833

It's just a sign of the times--we have to do better with the $ we have
I don't do fecal tests on my dogs unless I see signs of something wrong--not happened
so far...
I'm stopping Bordatella vacs since I read more that Tracy said about them as unnecessary.
I don't get vaccines myself; so, why give them to my dogs! The only time they are in around
a bunch of other dogs is at the groomer. And they are picky about sick dogs coming in to the shop.
I have gone to my Vet and negotiated prices on things like Dental. Jerry is
going in Feb because it's less expensive too. Instead of every 12 months, they
are going about every 16 months for dental. Any way to cut expenses and still
provide all they need

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"My little dog - a heartbeat at my feet." - Edith Wharton

My dogs are all on raw and I brush their teeth every night, but Emma's mouth is SO small and plaque builds up easily.

I started using the Petzlife dental spray a few days ago, and her teeth already look better.

There's something called Leba III which is supposed to work really well. It's $45 a bottle on Amazon.

I don't do any vaccines after puppy vaccines. I believe in limited vaccines.

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Sorry you've been hit so hard by the downturn of the economy. I hope it bounces back soon for you. I am another one here for limited vacinations. I get puppy shots, one year check-up shots and then they never see an vet again unless they are sick or hurt. I don't do dentals, I give chew bones. Though, I must say, Tico needs one, his teeth are terrible. They are a lot better than when I got him, but I've done all I could. I don't know if they will risk putting him under to do them, I am asking the next time I take any dogs in. We are lucky, we do not have heartworms here. So the only thing they get is their rabies. At a low cost clinic at a park, it's $15 for a three year shot. And unless I see worms in their stool, I do not get a fecal done.

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Thank you Jan for the wonderful siggy!

Sorry to hear about the financial situation, it's hit us too the last few months. My furkid's licenses are late, one needs her big girl vaccinations, and the heartworm preventative has lapsed, although my vet said that we are in a very low risk area. I just wanted to say a few things. First of all, the vet's office can't legally dispense meds to you unless they have had some sort of exam with them within a year. Taking them in for something else DOES count as the vet having seen them, so don't fall for the "yearly exam" thing if they try to say that. My vet's office tried to pull that, but having been a vet tech for years, I know better. If the dog is mature, over a couple of years and has had vaccines as a pup, I too believe you don't need to worry about the vaccines for now. And skip the Bordatella, it's not that effective. The problem with skipping these tho is if you need to board them or take them for training, etc., proof of having these vaccines will be required, hence the problem with doing them yourself. Having said that, I do all my puppy series myself, but have the last one done with the rabies at the vet's or a vaccination clinic for the documentation. However, about the dental, if the gums are red and inflammed, and especially if he has a foul smell, a dental is warranted. The bacteria from an infection can go to the heart, or be in the bloodstream and cause problems later on in life. I'd save up for that if you can, it's by no means really urgent. Also, with the Heartworm preventative, it is also required to do a HW test periodically because giving the preventative to a HW positive dog can be deadly. I'm just trying to give you a little insight, I hope it helps. Good luck and God willing things will turn around soon!