Is it harmful to vaccinate senior dogs? Should I still get them shots?

No, he isn't too old to be vaccinated. A rabies vaccine can be given and boosted in 1 year, then every 3 years. The distemper/parvovirus combination (DHPP) can be given, then boosted in 4 weeks. After that, it can be yearly or every 3 years depending on the vaccine. Other vaccines, given based on risk of exposure, include Bordatella, Leptospirosis, Lyme and Canine Influenza. Discuss these as well as monthly heartworm, parasite, flea and tick preventatives. Consider having Fatty neutered as well.

That is a great question. Vaccinations and the benefits and risks should be discussed with your veterinarian. This is best because your veterinarian knows your pets medical history and whether all the vaccinations are still ok to do based on your pets immune system and current health. Another thing to take into account is your pets exposure to certain diseases. Most pets at least go outside to potty, so that scenario can expose your pet to certain diseases like leptospirosis (found in rainwater and the soil) and distemper (mimics rabies symptoms). And if your pet gets groomed periodically or goes to doggy daycamps or parks, then the Bordetella vaccination would be recommended to protect them from upper airway infections. Rabies however is the only legally required vaccination by law for pets to get. I hope that this information is helpful. Best of luck moving forward.

I do recommend keeping up with a dog's vaccines as long as their healthy. They could live for another couple of years, and it's important to make sure they are fully vaccinated so they do not get ill. As I said, as long as they are both healthy, I would get those vaccines done. I hope this helps!

Good questions. After your vet examines your pet and deems them healthy for vaccines, then its ok to proceed. There is no way to predict if a pet is going to have a reaction, and the fact that the pet never had vaccines before does not increase their chances of having a reaction. The best thing to do is to monitor Princess accordingly for 24 hrs after her vaccines for signs of a reaction, which include: vomiting, diarrhea and facial swelling. A heart murmur is detected with a stethoscope used by your veterinarian in certain locations on the chest. I am unsure of what was going on with the other pet that received vaccines. However if it took several months for the pet to perish, then this certainly was not caused by the vaccinations and likely was an unrelated underlying condition. Vaccine complications occur within 1-7 days at the most, if they are going to occur. Therefore if my pet were unvaccinated at the age of 6, I would proceed with going forward with the necessary vaccinations based on his/her exposure, so discuss with your vet to determine which vaccines are absolutely necessary for your pet Princess. I hope this helps!

Great question! Definitely definitely vaccinate. The articles you have read are an owner's opinion, and not based on any scientific evidence. The scientific evidence shows that vaccinated dogs are much healthier than dogs who are not vaccinated. This is because it keeps them from developing deadly diseases such as parvovirus, distemper, and rabies. None of these have cures, rabies is always fatal, while parvo and distemper are highly fatal. The truth is that vaccine reactions are rare, and benefits of vaccinating your dog and protecting them from deadly diseases that will cause them to suffer far outweighs anything else. A puppy or dog suffering from parvo is a ghastly sight, and it hurts my heart when I see a dog suffering from this when it could have been prevented by a vaccine. Your dog's health is so important, and that's why you should vaccinate. In my opinion, as well as 99% of veterinarians, vaccination should be done. I hope this helps answer your question :-)

At Ozzy's age I recommend the rabies vaccine, distemper and bordetella. If you live in an area with high rates of lyme disease or leptospirosis then you would still want to continue those as well. If rates are low however, you may be able to discontinue these. Its best to discuss risk vs benefits with your veterinarian. Please post again if you have any further questions.

It is OK for him to receive both vaccinations at the same time as long as he has had no previous vaccine reactions. That being said, it is up to you. If you want to split them up there is no harm in doing it that way.