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Archived Message

ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
by sally warner

Hello fellow Maltese lovers. I am trying to collect some information about Maltese and Lepto for my vet. She is a very receptive vet who has ask me for info on this subject, and would like the owner/breeder's experience on the subject of vaccines (especially Lepto). I have copied most everything from the archives that I could find, but it wasn't much in the way of info. Some of you may remember me from previous posts. Our baby almost died from her first vaccination (with lepto)-and we lost her 5 months later because her liver cells were dying off. Which very well could have been from the vaccine.( this is not the vet who admin. the vaccine, this is the one we swiched to after the incident).So please lend us your experiance, both pro and con, so I can copy if and send it to her. thank you in advance for your help.

DISCUSSION:

Sally, I take it the new vet believes the lepto innoculation may have been the problem rather than a liver shunt?? Of course, I only know what I have read in posts here, so can be of no help. But wanted to let you know how tragic it seems to lose your baby over something you are supposed to do for it. I hope you will let us know how this turns out. Hang in there. It is good to see you here. I've missed you.
-cathy brown

I like a Vet like you describe who tries to continually learn from the real world rather than relying only on text books. I have heard rumors that lepto could be connected with liver damage although I personally cannot document any cases of my own. I would guess that close to half or more the Maltese breeders that I talk with no longer use lepto vaccine. I do, however, continue to use it as I live in a rural area and my dogs enjoy a lot of time playing outdoor in the yard where they could be exposed to field mice contamination. Most breeders I know claim to have problems with lepto vaccine, yet I cannot recall any problem with my own Maltese.
-Beverly B. Passe

With my first 2 white childred we had no problem with the L part of the vaccine. However with my babies my vet does not include it in the baby series, with the third shot he and all the other vets taking care of the other 3 did. Both girls had reactions and had to be given benadryl to conteract it, neither of the girls had it in their last shots. I don't know if this helps but my vet says it is not a Maltese thing it is a small dog thing.
-Carol A

My vet does not routinely give the Lepto vaccine. He says that some breeds are sensitive. He also said, that dogs who come in contact with rats or mice or drink contaminated water(like from rivers and lakes) should have the vaccine. He also said that they don't see many cases of Lepto any more. I did not get the vaccine for my Maltese. He is strictly an indoor pet and when he is out, he is on a leash. We bring our own water, if needed. My vet does not recommend the vaccine for my Maltese.
-April B.

My Wiggles also had a bad reaction to her first Lepto shot but she was over a year old. She never had it again. I can't say that that Lepto vaccination led to liver disease because she was 15 when she was euthanized because of liver CA.
-Debbie

My Maltese is now 4 1/2 years, however, she almost died with the first Lepto as a puppy. I was also told that some dogs are just sensitive to this and the current vet makes a point of not giving her the Lepto when her shots are due. She has done great since.
-Janet of St. Louis