[jayden]

I took Bailey in for shots at 10 weeks and the vet wouldn't give them to her due to her weight. She was at the low end of 9lbs.  We had only had her for 1 week at that point. The breeder had started her on 2 meals/day, 3/4 cup each meal when we bought her.  We tried this for 2 days and she was eating her food so fast and still acting hungry, so we went to three meals. When Bailey saw the vet, she said Bailey needed to seriously beef up, keep the 3 meals but increase the amounts. We went to 1 cup in the morning, 3/4 in the afternoon and another 3/4 at night. She seems satisfied w/ this amount, she doesnt act like its the last meal she will eat. She is now 11 lbs. but it look like a healthy 11 lbs. It has been 2 weeks since the last visit and she will go back this week.  We'll have to see what happens.

 

[Chatito]

Man, that is a beautiful pup! By that pic, she does not look underweight whatsoever!

 

[Highdrama]

She's a cutie.  I'm curious about this because I'm not sure what vaccinations you mean.  We have 3, one at new born, the second being at 8 weeks and then the next at 10-12 weeks, then it's all systems go with the choice of annual booster after that.  Weight was never a question.

 

[BurningRiver]

I think that you'll likely get a thousand different answers to the question "how early is too early to vaccinate". Some breeders in the US do the first round as early as 6 weeks, others do it at 7 weeks, others at 8 weeks, and others not until 12 - 14 weeks.

I've severely backed off on my vaccination schedules since I've had so many problems with my first girl's immune system (she was vaccinated 7 times in the first year of her life, which is grossly overvaccinated).

My current puppy bitch was vaccinated for the first time at 7 weeks, and then once again at 14 weeks and then I titered at 16 weeks to check to see if she showed immunity toward the booster. Her titers showed that she was protected, so I didn't revaccinate. She is currently a year and a half old, and she will go in for another round of titers next month. If her titers come back low, I will revaccinate, but ONLY for whichever virus that titers low.

Some don't vaccinate at all, but this is outside of my comfort level. I prefer to vaccinate on a limited basis and measure immunity with titers prior to vaccinating. (Which, certainly is the more expensive way to go, however, it works well for my piece of mind.)

I do have to admit that I give props to your vet for refusing to vaccinate if he/she doesn't feel that your puppy was 100% healthy. MANY vets, including the vet that overvaccinated my first bitch, will vaccinate under every and any circumstance (she was vaccinated while under for her spay surgery!!) even though it clearly states on the manufacturer's vaccine insert ONLY to vaccinate healthy animals.

Good luck at your next appointment - let us know how you make out!

 

[jayden]

Bailey received the 6 way distemper before we bought her from the breeder ( breeder said it was 8wk vaccine, however the date on the paperwork would have put her at 6wks).  I called a local vet, told them her birthdate, the date of the last vaccine and they had me schedule a 10 week.  That was the visit she couldn't get shots at.

 

[samsonsmom]

Now that is a cutie for sure..She looks about right to me, but hard to tell in that picture...Kudos to your vet tho, for wanting to hold of on shots til her weight up some. Sounds to me that she wasn't getting enuf food from the breeder, which is odd...

I also believe that we tend to over vaccinate our pups,,like Jess was talking about. You may not want to have the testing done that she does, but maybe just stretch out the times in between shots. The only shots that Samson gets currently is rabies and parvo, the rest like kennel cough are worthless....

Keep us posted on how the next visit goes....