Quote Originally Posted by k9krazee
We took the rest of the crew in today and they all got thier Lepto shot. It came as part of the Distemper...I found out that they just normally give the shot without Lepto unless you specifically ask for it. Weird.
Glad to hear your dog is doing better.

As for the Lepto vaccine, not all vets use the same combinations of vaccines or for all strains (depends on area and vet preference each vet does things a little differently).

At our hosp. we use the DHLP-PC (distemper, hepetitis, lepto(including newer strains), parvo, parva, and corona). This is standard at our hospital, the only exception being if an animal has had a reaction to either the lepto or corona vaccines in the past, then we just use the DHP-P, but those are rare.

Lepto vacines need to be done yearly as a booster beyond the 'puppy shots'. The other vaccines DHPPC can be done with less frequency IF the dog is 3-4 years old or older, AND had recieved the entire series of 'puppy shots' at a young age, AND has been given it's boosters yearly since that time. There are more studies indicating some of the vaccines last longer than 1 year, but only tested under those conditions, and does NOT include the Lepto vaccine.

It's always important to know which vaccines your pet is getting. If you are unsure, or don't know what those vaccines are for, just ask. Most vets or their staff will be happy to provide you with an explanation and/or literature on what your pet is getting and why.