Kerrigan at the Vet

 Kerri went to the vet yesterday and did such a good job.  The vet we go to now is great too.  They have adorable pictures of baby African animals in the waiting room, lots of paraphernalia about environmentalism (right up my alley) and they don't try to sell me a bunch of useless stuff.  On top of that after they drew blood they put that bandage on her leg and the tech picked purple because it complemented her fur the best.  These people are so sweet and kind I just love them.  Kerri responded to their kindness by being "the sweetest chihuahua they have seen in a long time."  That's my girl- so well behaved an social.  

Why was Kerrigan at the vet you ask?  She had to get her rabies vaccine- now she is on a 3 year vaccine so that is great.  I know getting the vaccine is "controversial" in some circles and a lot of people think dog owners should BREAK THE LAW and not give it.  Here is my feeling- yes the rabies vaccine can cause issues- particularly in tiny dogs- but those vaccine damage issues are totally overblown on the internet.  We vaccinate for rabies as a way to protect human public health.  Before domestic animals were routinely vaccinated people died from rabies all the time in this country.  Many of those people were children.  With that said I would not vaccinate a sick dog (the label on the vaccine even says not to do that), I will give the longest vaccine I can (right now that is 3 years) and I will support more research to extend the length a rabies vaccine is approved for to 7 years.  I will not lie about rabies vaccines and endanger the life of my dog who would be killed if I could not prove they were current and anyone even pretended my dog may have bit or scratched them.  As far as parvo/distemper goes Kerri was not even "due" according to my old vet and my new vet feels that immunity last for life for those vaccines so that's that.  Some research shows those vaccines last for life, a lot of the research shows they last for at least seven years so I will be doing more research on those in 6 years when I have to decide about re-vaccination.  I am pretty sure half the dog community will think I was paid millions of dollars by pfizer to write that paragraph and consider me "brainwashed by major pharmaceutical companies" in an effort to perpetuate dangerous vaccines that are killing us all.  Luckily I don't really care what those people think.

Now that I opened that can of worms let me say Kerri got a totally clean bill of health.  I just got the call that her heartworm test was negative so we are all good for another year!  Also see that picture and all the stuff that the rain has washed into my yard?  Looks like a pigeon died back there but all I can find is feathers- plus all the rocks that belong to my neighbors.  It has been raining for like 2 days straight here and as far as this city is concerned that means the world is coming to an end.  It is DogInTheDESERT after all.  I am also glad I spent the day leaf blowing and fertilizing the trees Monday.  Have a great week everyone!!!