Looking For A Good Vet - Frankston Vic Area

[Baby Dragon]

Can anybody recommend a good vet in the Frankston/Penninsula Vic area who follows the new AVA vaccination policy?

The vets phoned up in that area so far have said they recommend annual vaccinations for all dogs and cats.

Is the area an unsually bad area for dog and cat diseases or something?

Edited December 14, 2010 by Baby Dragon

[Erny]

Ask the Vets why they advocate something that is contrary to what the Australian Veterinary Assocation advocate (ie vaccination no less than 3 years apart).

I may be able to get the name for one ..... if no one can answer you here. It'll just take a phone call.

Edited December 14, 2010 by Erny

[Baby Dragon]

Ask the Vets why they advocate something that is contrary to what the Australian Veterinary Assocation advocate (ie vaccination no less than 3 years apart).

I may be able to get the name for one ..... if no one can answer you here. It'll just take a phone call.

They said it's only trials and they're not really conclusive, there is no danger of over vaccination, etc etc etc, best to vaccinate annually

I was really surprised.

If you could get us one Erny that would be really appreciated...

ETA Frankston/Mornington/Penninsula area.. anywhere around there would be fine....

Edited December 14, 2010 by Baby Dragon

[Baby Dragon]

This gets stranger and stranger.

We contacted the AVA to confirm their policy after being really confused after talking to the vets.

AVA put us on to another clinic where they said we can get more info.

The clinic they put us on to said the same thing... annual vaccination is best

Edited December 14, 2010 by Baby Dragon

[Guest Tess32]

My normal vet is in Sandringham, but when I have to pop in for something quick, I go to Carrum Downs Vet Clinic and they appear to be fine with the three year.

[Erny]

The clinic they put us on to said the same thing... annual vaccination is best

I'd ring AVA back and let them know.

I've placed a call - couldn't get hold of person straight away but have left a message for a call back.

[Erny]

My normal vet is in Sandringham, but when I have to pop in for something quick, I go to Carrum Downs Vet Clinic and they appear to be fine with the three year.

Clarify, please Tess32 ..... do you mean they are fine with the "3 year vaccine" or with giving the normal vaccine once every 3 years ??? There's a difference and not everyone seems to realise/understand that.

[Baby Dragon]

The clinic they put us on to said the same thing... annual vaccination is best

I'd ring AVA back and let them know.

I've placed a call - couldn't get hold of person straight away but have left a message for a call back.

Thanks Erny, really appreciate it!

Thanks Tess

Edited December 14, 2010 by Baby Dragon

[claireybell]

BabyDragon see Jan (male vet) at Beach Street Vet Clinic. My cocker has just been in for her vaccination and we did the 3 yearly one.

Their phone number is 9781 4499, just make a booking with Jan for a vaccination and when you actually see him tell him you want the 3 yearly. he's the best vet ever!!!!

Edited to add that when I spoke with Jan I mentioned that the receptionist said all vacc's are yearly and he said its so that owners bring their animals in for a yearly check up. thats why they say the vacc needs to be done yearly

Edited December 14, 2010 by claireybell

[Erny]

BabyDragon see Jan (male vet) at Beach Street Vet Clinic. My cocker has just been in for her vaccination and we did the 3 yearly one.

Their phone number is 9781 4499, just make a booking with Jan for a vaccination and when you actually see him tell him you want the 3 yearly. he's the best vet ever!!!!

"3 yearly" .... or the normal vaccine once every 3 years?

I wouldn't do the 3 yearly. Mind you, I don't routinely vaccinate. Rather do a titre test to confirm immunity.

[jensgreys]

My normal vet is in Sandringham, but when I have to pop in for something quick, I go to Carrum Downs Vet Clinic and they appear to be fine with the three year.

How can you stand the cigarette smoke in that place?

I popped in once to get a roll of vet wrap for my greyhound who was being treated for a bruised pad by our regular vet and had to have it sock padded for 6 weeks and they kept me 3/4 of an hour ringing my vet and getting permission before they would sell me a roll of vet wrap

[megan_]

A lot of vets are still vaccinating annually because the manufacturer will only guaruntee it for 1 year. What if a dog gets vaccinated every 3 years and then gets parvo in year 2. The vet is exposed.

You'll also find that Frankston has a very low immunisation rate. Vaccination rates need to be above 70% (I think) to get herd immunity (ie prevent an epedemic). So I think many vets in the area would want to vaccinate often.

I think the AVA did a bit of a bad thing changing the recommendations without getting all the ducks in a row first...

Having said that, my vet agreed to vaccinate every 3 years with the 1 year vaccine and provide me with a vaccination certificate. This is because he knows me and the standard of care that my dogs recieve. They still get annual checks and annual CC vaccinations.

[Erny]

BabyDragon see Jan (male vet) at Beach Street Vet Clinic. My cocker has just been in for her vaccination and we did the 3 yearly one.

Their phone number is 9781 4499, just make a booking with Jan for a vaccination and when you actually see him tell him you want the 3 yearly. he's the best vet ever!!!!

Edited to add that when I spoke with Jan I mentioned that the receptionist said all vacc's are yearly and he said its so that owners bring their animals in for a yearly check up. thats why they say the vacc needs to be done yearly

This is the same Vet that my friend mentioned (just received SMS). I rang them and spoke with the receptionist. They talk about the "3 yearly" vaccination (stronger - has more particles of whatever it is in the vaccine). She didn't know the consensus of opinion regards the normal vaccine once every 3 years. I need to speak with one of the Vets there (fair enough) but they are all too busy to ring me back at this time of the year.

Sorry - not much help, I'm afraid.

I think you'll find the Vets can't "sign off" on the normal vaccine being administered once every 3 years, because the drug manufacturers don't label the vaccine that way. Of course you don't have to have your dog vaccinated every year - that choice is yours. But no, you wouldn't have any recourse to a Vet if you're not using the vaccine according to label. And of course this wouldn't satisfy a kennel either.

[Baby Dragon]

Thanks Erny, clairybell, megan, everyone. Much appreciated.

I'm a little confused now, I didn't realise there were 2 different vaccs.

The cat was given the annual/old style F3 a year ago. Does that mean she should be ok for another 2 years, or does she need the new '3 yearly' vacc and then she will be ok for 3 years?

Indoor only, elderly cat.

Edited December 29, 2010 by Baby Dragon

[Erny]

Thanks everyone, much appreciated.

I'm a little confused now, I didn't realise there were 2 different vaccs.

The cat was given the annual/old style c3 a year ago. Does that mean she should be ok for another 2 years, or does she need the new '3 yearly' vacc and then she will be ok for 3 years?

Lol .... depends on who you want to believe. I will speak for dogs only as I haven't got a clue about cats.

Vets will tell you (ie "sign off") on the "3 year" vaccination. They do and can because that's what the Manufacturers of the drugs label them for use for. IE Once every 3 years. These vaccinations are 'stronger', so to speak.

Vets won't "sign off" on a 1 year vaccination being given every 3 years, because that is NOT what the Manufacturers of the drugs label these standard ones for.

So for Vets, there is the legal responsibility as well as it being more lucrative for them to have people visit them once a year - so I'd suggest for some Vets that's why there is not a big push mounted for drug manufacturers to change their label.

But all of this doesn't mean your dog doesn't have immunity. And s/he will either have immunity or not. A titre test might reveal this, but even a negative or low titre test result doesn't mean there is no immunity - it might mean that the immunity has gone to Cell Memory (which would trigger the necessary anti-bodies if triggered by the disease). So even though the Vets don't/won't/can't support the yearly vaccine being given once every 3 years, it doesn't mean you're not over-vaccinating your dog by agreeing to the drugs being administered every year.

If it were me, I'd definitely be satisfied with a positive titre test result and prefer that idea rather than the idea of filling my dog's body with unnecessary drugs.

[jensgreys]

A lot of vets are still vaccinating annually because the manufacturer will only guaruntee it for 1 year. What if a dog gets vaccinated every 3 years and then gets parvo in year 2. The vet is exposed.

Having said that, my vet agreed to vaccinate every 3 years with the 1 year vaccine and provide me with a vaccination certificate. This is because he knows me and the standard of care that my dogs recieve. They still get annual checks and annual CC vaccinations.

Our dogs have always been vaccinated annually mainly because they do a lot of promo's like RMS and mix with a lot of other dogs, but this year I made a decision not to vacc my 2 old girls because the 13yr old is way too frail to be pumping chemicals into and they don't mix with other dogs much these days. My vet was happy with this until I told him that our son's friend's dog had recently had parvo and we take our dogs to his place to stay the weekend frequently. He said the trouble with parvo is that it lives in the enviroment for a long time but having said that he said our dogs were done last year so they will need to be done next year which is every 2nd year and this is with the 1 year vaccine. But he normally just vaccinates them all every year so I will be discussing the young ones when they are due.

And CC is a real worry for me as I know people that are getting dogs out of shelters and not quarantining them before mixing them with some of our friends dogs.

[karly101]

You may also find even in places that are following 3 year (I'm talking about the 3 year vacc as unfortunately vets are in a tricky situation using a 'yearly' vacc every 3 years) are still recommending annual vaccination as the kennel cough component of the vaccination does need to be done yearly, for those that do put their animals in a kennel or attend training places they do need an up to date C5 vacc.

[animalia]

I would recommend seaford vet especially doctor Ross (he can be a little straight forward, but who cares as he's a great vet) he is the owner I think of this practice and carrum downs. When my old dog was diagnosed with cancer he gave me free medication, they are there for the animals not to sell you things and test your animal for everything under the sun. I don't go anywhere else. ;) ;) ;) ;)

[Tassie]

Thanks Erny, clairybell, megan, everyone. Much appreciated.

I'm a little confused now, I didn't realise there were 2 different vaccs.

The cat was given the annual/old style c3 a year ago. Does that mean she should be ok for another 2 years, or does she need the new '3 yearly' vacc and then she will be ok for 3 years?

Indoor only, elderly cat.

Hi Baby Dragon - FWIW, my vet would have been happy not to re-vacc my 14 year old cat, who never goes more than about 20metres from my house on a 1 acre block if she hadn't needed to be vacc'd for boarding. She goes for annual check ups anyway.

[Sonic]

I had the same problem when I did a ring around of the vets in Frankston. The receptionists didn't even seem to understand what I was talking about when I mentioned titre testing.

Can't say I've found any vet in Frankston that I'm too happy with so I travel to Monash but that can be quite inconvenient at times. Animalia, is the Seaford vet you're talking about in Seaford Road? Can you give me the name of the practice please.