SO I talked to my vet because I need to get our male fixed in order to compete in AKC events. They require a rabies and a distemper vaccine, of which I would need the distemper. So I called to make sure that it wasnt a combo vaccine and it was. So I asked to speak to the veterinarian to see if we could work something out. I told her I wasnt comfortable giving a combo vaccine and didnt feel my dog needed the Lepto shot (among others) she conceded that the Lepto wasnt necessary and then said that she wasnt really concerned with Distemper either- she said she hadnt even seen one for years but said she "heard it happens", she said she was more worried about the parvo vaccine that was included in the combo shot. I took this opportunity to ask about this discrepancy (the fact that I was only required to get the distemper vacc. but that she had just told me that she wasnt even really worried about that one, and maybe there was some way we could work around it- like not having it at all before the neuter) and she responded with "maybe Im not the best vet for you, I dont think we are a good match".
I feel a little victorious because she wasnt able to give me any good reasons for more vaccines but Im still stuck getting the combo if I want my dog fixed
I was wondering if anyone else has had any luck getting their vet to buy a whole case of the plain distemper vaccine, even if it means paying for it themselves?
The vet told me she didnt think they even made one but I looked it up and found they do- its by Merck and called Galaxy D.

I would say your Vet is right, you aren't a good match, in that you seemingly have posed questions to her that she might have been put off by. Hard to say on that judgment, but I would have the neuter surgery completely separate from any vaccinations for sure.

I would also try to get a hold of a single dose vaccine rather than any combos too. I would make sure that they were spaced apart from one another too.

A while back, there was a thread about where to get single dose vaccines. I will see if I can locate it for you Mary.

Good for you for being informed!
Let's see if I can locate that thread, I will post back if I can find it.

Here's the thread,

http://leerburg.com/webboard/thread.php?topic_id=31467&page=1#356517

http://www.revivalanimal.com/


Here is one :
http://www.revivalanimal.com/NeoVac-D.html

Perhaps you could show this to a new vet, someone who wants to work with you. I think it is definitely worth it even if I had to spend the extra money to have the vaccines given separate.
JMO.

ETA; I would search for a vet who will work with you and you tell the vet what you want to do. If it is a good vet, they should respect your wishes and do for you what you want to do.
I would do the neuter first and wait for complete and total healing has completed and wait for the dog to be completely healthy and give one vaccine and wait again for several weeks to a month or two before giving the other vaccine.
This way, the dogs body was given time to recover from each of those separately.
Also, I after having viewed Dr Ron Schultz's youtube video, he says to do a titer two weeks after that vaccine to prove there was active immunity. It's up to you, but that is what he suggested.

Good for you for not 'folding' to the vet.

Find a NEW vet that has your dogs' best interest in mind.

I would not give another penny to that vet..let alone let her do surgery of ANY kind on my dog.

If you have to postpone you hubby's dog's show time until you can find the proper vet to work with...so be it.

Call around & take the time to interview your new vet before taking your dog in. Offer to pay for the phone introduction & consult if needed. My present 'regular' vet ( I have a holistic chiro vet also) spent 45 min on the phone with me discussing my dogs, what I do with them & my feelings about treatment, vaccines,office policy etc. She never even charged me, although I offered to pay. Good conscientious vets are out there.

Thanks for the Moral support guys, I will definitly start asking around. I have talked to all the vets in the area to see if they would let me get a neuter without extra vaccines but none would. This is the first time Ive actually tried to really talk to them about why I am not comfortable with it though.
I have been a believer in BARF and minimal vaccines for awhile but wasnt really sure of myself till recently. a couple of months ago my little dog got a UTI. I took her to the vet and they gave me the predictable antibiotics spiel. I had told them she had a yeast problem but didnt realize how interconnected the problems were. despite the yeast problem they gave me a bunch of antibiotics and didnt even mention the yeast. I went home, did alot of research and found out, to my anger, that the antibiotics probably just made it worse. I was mostly angry because I had a Shepherd previously who had "corn chip" feet and bad uncontrollable doggy odor and hot spots so bad she couldnt regrow hair.A bad systemic yeast problem. I took her to the vet often and she would get a shot of steroids, I believe, which stopped working after the second hot spot anyways.
I am mad because she lived her whole life like that, with people asking me to put her outside because she smelled and I asked vets about this specifically and they only ever shrugged their shoulders and told me to bathe her with antibacterial shampoos!
There, the rant happened anyways...sorry guys.
Its my fault for not finding out more but my dogs health care professional made it sound like no big deal so I didnt pursue it. Never again.

Good for you Mary I hope you find a vet like Anne's

who I think is the exception to the norm.

Just make sure the new vet doesn't insist on vacs' ing the dog the same day as the neuter surgery. Many vets like to insist this is ok to do, but that is seriously irresponsible, and in my opinion would be really hard on the pup's whole immune system.
Be really firm and be demanding, and remember you are your dogs advocate. If they can't comply, move on until you find one that will.
Anne has a great idea by doing the phone interviews, and it saves time and money in the long run.

I have been there too Mary, I have made some mistakes along the way, but as you said ' never again!! Keep us updated about how things turn out.
Best of luck finding a new vet!