Can I give my dog a 9-in-1 vaccine at home and what's the dose?

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If at all possible you would want to take Chevy to a veterinarian so they can discuss the best vaccines and vaccination schedule for your area. She also needs a rabies shot and that has to be given by a licensed veterinarian or licensed technician. Vaccines given by your vet are tracked, handled and stored properly, and the manufacturer will stand behind the product if there is an adverse reaction or event. The problem with just buying the vaccine from a feed store or catalog raises the questions of shipping, storage conditions, quality of the product, and lack of back up from the manufacturer if something did happen. Vaccinations are vitally important to Chevy's health so they should be done by a professional so you can have piece of mind. I wish you the best.

Good on you for wanting to get Buster's vaccines! While you can get the vaccines he needs from a tractor supply store, I never recommend it. Tractor supply stores are notorious for handling and storing vaccines improperly, and I have colleagues with numerous stories of dogs coming down with parvo and distemper who had been vaccinated with vaccines from stores. It's too much of a risk, and if he did come down with something serious like parvo, it would cost you so much more to treat than the cost of having a vet give the vaccine. In addition, diseases like parvo and distemper have no cure, and are very often fatal. It's best to take him into your vet to get the DHPPi combination vaccine (distemper, hepatitis, parvo, parainfluenza). I hope this helps!

I never recommend giving vaccines at home. First off, vets and places like boarding facilities typically do not recognize vaccines given at home, so Jasper would be considered unvaccinated. Places that sell vaccines such at Tractor Supply often store the vaccines wrong, rendering them ineffective. In addition, owners can and do give them wrong. I can't tell you how many cases I've seen of dogs coming down with Parvo and distemper who have been vaccinated at home. Take him into the vet to get it done correctly. Plus, by law he needs rabies, and that can only be given by a vet. I hope this helps.

You can purchase certain vaccines at farm supply stores. This, however, is not recommended because shipping, handling and storage under prior conditions cannot be guaranteed. Improper storage can decrease efficacy. Additionally, a pet should be examined first before any vaccine to confirm good health. It is never recommended to vaccinate a sick pet. Lastly, vaccine administration should be done properly to ensure efficacy. The only vaccine that cannot be purchased OTC is the rabies vaccine.

I personally do not recommend giving vaccines yourself at home. Owners frequently give them wrong, and places where you buy them, like Tractor Supply, often store the vaccine incorrectly, rendering them ineffective. I cannot tell you how many pets I've seen come down with parvo and distemper who have been vaccinated at home. Bandit's health is up most importance, so I would have him vaccinated by a vet. Best of luck.

I do not trust the vaccines sold at feed stores or pet stores. We cannot ensure that they have been handled appropriately or kept at the correct temperatures to be able to work. I would recommend that you take Iroh to a vet clinic or even shot clinic to be vaccinated. At his age, two vaccines for distemper/parvo/adenovirus/parainfluenze at 1 month apart is sufficient for 1 year's protection. He is also required to be vaccinated for rabies by a vet. Depending on your lifestyle, the vet or clinic may recommend additional vaccinations to keep him protected.

Hello, and thanks for your question about Jack. What a handsome pup! The "core" vaccines that all dogs should get as puppies would be the distemper/parvovirus combination, and rabies. Beyond that, there are a number of vaccinations that can be given depending on what's prevalent in your area and what Jack's exposure risk is likely to be. These include bordetella (kennel cough), canine influenza, lyme, and leptospirosis. Jack is old enough for all of these vaccines, so I recommend discussing these vaccines with your vet to decide what makes the most sense to keep Jack well protected. The oral flea & tick preventative pills (Nexgard, Bravecto, Simparica) are prescription medications, and in my opinion are the best options available for good flea & tick control! Hope this helps