Vaccinations are important to protect your dog from diseases. Dogs/puppies that have NOT competed all of their vaccinations should not be walked in public places or be exposed to dogs with an unknown vaccination status. 

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What Vaccines are Provided by Take Paws Rescue?

• Take Paws Rescue covers the costs of all "core" vaccinations at our partner facilities. Based on the AAHA Core Vaccine and risks of exposure for dogs with Take Paws Rescue, these vaccinations include:

  • DAPPv or other core combination shot (Covers: canine distemper, adenovirus, parainfluenza, and parvovirus)

  • Oral Bordetella (Kennel Cough)

  •  Rabies

    • Cost of the vaccination is included; however, any applicable government licensing or tag fees for registering the animal's ownership and rabies proof with the government is not covered by Take Paws. Registration of your pet might be required and is typically $10-$25 depending on location and the responsibility of the adopter/owner. Although paid to the vet, it is remitted to the parish/county/city of jurisdiction. 

 

How many doses of the vaccines are provided or needed?

• Dogs adopted from Take Paws Rescue will either be up to date on core vaccines before adoption or be in process of obtaining any remaining vaccinations or boosters.

• Depending  onthe age of the dog adopted, your dog may require more than one dosage of a vaccine:​

  • Oral Bordetella (Kennel Cough) - one dosage at 8 weeks or older in the past year.

  • Rabies - one dosage at 12 weeks or older within the past year, or within the last 3 years if given a 3-year dosage.

  • DAPPv - number of doses based on age​​

    • Adults - at least 1 dosage​ in the past year if annual dose

    • Puppies - May require 2 - 3 dosages depending on date of initial vaccination (boosters typically 3-4 weeks apart)

      • Age 6 -10 weeks at initial vaccination will need 2 boosters with final dosage recommended at 16 weeks old.​

      • Age 11-14 weeks at initial vaccination will need at least 1 boosters recommended at 16 weeks old.

      • Age 15-17 weeks at initial vaccination may need 1 booster for additional immunity.

• Pay attention to the dates of your adopted dog's vaccinations. Future boosters and any optional non-core vaccinations should be discussed with your vet and are the adopter's responsibility. 

 

My dog park, dog daycare, boarding facility, or groomer is asking for records of a vaccine I don't see on my dog's records? Why doesn't the dog have this vaccine?

• Take Paws Rescue covers "core" vaccinations and Bordetella due to exposure risk. There are other vaccinations outside of the "core" vaccinations that some facilities, like dog parks, may require dogs to have based on exposure risk for those facilities.

• Take Paws Rescue does not administer or cover the cost of non-core vaccines, such a Leptospirosis, since they are only recommended for dogs at an increased risk of exposure.  If a facility or your vet is recommending an optional vaccination, that decision should be made by the adopter and their vet. 

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How do I get records of the vaccinations?

• At the time of adoption, the foster or adoption coordinator should provide you with copies of the dog's vaccination and vetting records. If the foster or adoption coordinator didn't provide a copy, first reach out to them directly for the records. It may have been an oversight during the excitement of their foster dog being adopted. 

• If you are still missing records or unsure if the dog has obtained all necessary vaccinations, please email a request to vetrecords@takepawsrescue.org. Our vetting partners send us records periodically, so we might be waiting on a file at the time of the adoption.

• For vaccinations AFTER adoption, obtain a copy at the time of service from the facility administering the vaccination. 

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How and where do I schedule my dog's vaccinations?

• If your adopted dog or puppy is missing a vaccination or in the process of their puppy shot series, you will need to schedule an appointment with the rescue or our vet partner. Dates/timeframes for these vaccinations should be on the dog's medical records provided. 

• Dappv and Bordetella should be scheduled as outlined on the vet record provided at the Stray Café. 

  • To make an Appointment Online, visit the Stray Cafe's appointment request HERE. ​

    • Please use the dog's Rescue Name on the appointment and in the comments provide the dog's age/date of birth and what vaccination is needed. ​

• Rabies can be given any time after 12 weeks of age.  The Stray Cafe does NOT administer Rabies.

  • IF your adopted dog/puppy needs to be spayed/neutered still, this vaccination can be given at that same appointment. See Spay/Neuter Information Page for more information on scheduling. 

  • If the dog is already spayed/neutered or if you need the puppy's rabies shot before the 6-month mark in order to attend doggy daycare, or the groomer, you may contact Low Cost Animal Medical Center directly to schedule this vaccination.

    • Provide them with the dog's name when adopted from Take Paws Rescue when making the appointment. 

 

What if I want to use my own vet for vaccinations or do not live close to the veterinarian used by Take Paws Rescue? 

• Take Paws Rescue has adopters all over the United States and even in Canada. Our adoption fees include the costs associated with the negotiated discounted cost of veterinary care provided by our local veterinarian partners.

• To accommodate out-of-area adopters that will need to obtain some of these services at their own expense, we offer a rebate to Take Paws Rescue adopters that use their own vet at their own expense for some of the eligible services.

  • More information regarding this can be found on our Self-Pay Vetting Rebate Form.

    • Take Paws Rescue will not pay a non-partner vet directly and the rebate may not cover the entire out-of-pocket cost of using a vet outside of our partner vets.

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Is my puppy safe to go on walks or to the dog park if they got some vaccinations but not all of them? 

• To provide sufficient protection against deadly diseases like Parvo, puppies need multiple doses in order to build immunity. This is due to the "immunity gap" that occurs between 4-12 weeks of age for puppies.

• Even a puppy given 2 dosages of DAPPv at 7 weeks and 11 weeks of age might not have built up sufficient immunity to certain viruses.  No one wants to hear that their puppy has tested positive for Parvo. 

• We recommend that adopters follow the "No Paws on the Ground" approach until FULLY vaccinated.  What exactly does this mean?

  • Don't allow your puppy's paws to touch the ground in public places. This includes anywhere that an unknown dog could have access to including: the sidewalk, any unfenced area of your yard, vet's office, pet store, dog friendly bars/restaurants, and especially parks and dog parks. ​

  • More info on puppy safety and vaccinations can be found HERE. 

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My adopted dog already has all vaccinations, so what is next? Is there any further vetting needed or medications? 

• If your adopted dog still needs to be spayed/neutered, information related to that procedure can be found HERE. 

• If your adopted dog is heartworm positive, information related to that treatment can be found HERE.

• After adding a new dog to your home, we recommend establishing a relationship between your dog and a veterinarian that you plan to use for annual wellness exams, whether you have an existing vet you use, or you'll be new to using a vet. This is recommended for a few important reasons:

  • Your adopted dog will need to obtain heartworm prevention or a prescription for heartworm prevention in order to buy medication. Making an appointment for your new dog to see your vet in a timely manner will eliminate the risk of a gap in this important medication.​

  • Bringing your newly adopted dog to your vet allows you to ask questions and establish a relationship, so if you have a sudden medical issue with your dog in the future, you will have a trusted contact to reach out to.

  • As outlined on the adoption contract, we expect adopters to have a heartworm test performed 6 months after adoption on any dog that tested negative for heartworms when under the care of Take Paws Rescue or was too young to have a test performed at the time of adoption (dogs under 8 months of age cannot have a heartworm test due to the 6-month incubation period for heartworms). 

  • Your dog's vaccinations are only good for so long before a booster is needed. You will want to establish a vet relationship to schedule annual wellness exams. Your vet will be able to advise on what vaccinations might need boosters in the future, advise on heartworm prevention, and the general wellness of your pet. We require ALL adopters bring their adopted dog to the vet no less than once a year for annual wellness care. 

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