Dear Dr. Baum —
Have just recently relocated to CA from TX and am in search of a vet for my Airedale Terrier. I was just curious as to what your philosophy/stance is on the issues of raw feeding/BARF diet, and vaccinations.
Thanks,
Shannon
Playa del Rey, CA
Dear Shannon:
About your question on BARF, is the raw food diet OK for dogs, please click below to read more in the articles on our site:
What are the best foods for pets?
Table_Scraps_To_Feed_Or_Not
Livin’ Large…Overweight Pets’ Secrets
As to what shots are right for pets, vaccinations are generally good things, but the tendency in the past has been for too many vaccinations to be given more often than is necessary. In general, I advise vaccinations for diseases that have a significant lethal potential, that is where there is significant risk of exposure. DHLPP vaccines for dogs are good to give for all puppies starting at eight weeks of age and continuing at monthly intervals until 4 months of age. Yearly boosters should be given annually for the next three years and then every two to three years. Rabies vaccines are mandatory at four months with a booster a year later followed by boosters every third year.
Cats should be vaccinated in a similar fashion to the dog DHLPP vaccine, but with the FVRCP vaccine. Cats that go out should also receive vaccines against FeLV and in some cases for Rabies also.
Dog vaccines like Corona virus and Bordatella in dogs are superfluous as are FIV and ringworm vaccines in cats. For more information, visit our website and read the article about the principles of vaccination:
Article: When do I get vaccines for my pet?
Good Luck!!
Dr. B