Dr. Epler needs to be re-educated about vaccinations. His views and vaccine schedule are way outdated and harmful to pets. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) changed their vaccine guideli... Read More
Dr. Epler needs to be re-educated about vaccinations. His views and vaccine schedule are way outdated and harmful to pets. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) changed their vaccine guidelines in 2011 with the main change being that core vaccines which are Canine Distemper (CDV), Canine Parvo (CPV-2), and Canine Adenovirus (CAV-2) be administered at 3-year or greater intervals, with exception of the 1-year rabies. Also, initial vaccination for puppies should occur at 6 weeks of age and end around the 16th week. His puppy schedule starts at 6 weeks and ends at 18 and he gives a big combination shot of DHLPAP-C (Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza, Adenovirus, Parvo-Virus, Corona-Virus). Only 3 are core vaccines with the other 4 being non-core. His vaccination schedule also puts the rabies vaccine at 12 weeks along with the big combo shot. There are several articles available to read about the dangers of giving rabies alongside other vaccines. I desired to titer my puppy after her third round of shots to determine immunity and prevent the unnecessary administration of another round. When I talked to Dr. Epler on the phone his tone of voice was rude and indicated he felt I was attacking his beliefs. When I mentioned core and non-core vaccines he said he didn't know "what the hell those are" and he said a titer is "useless" and only recommended if you travel out of country to somewhere like China. All I desired was a simple quote on cost for a distemper and parvo titer but I got an earful of an old man's opinions. He reluctantly did say a titer for all the vaccines would cost $700, a rabies $200 and a distemper would be $110. Further, his schedule for spaying/castrating dogs is outdated and harmful. His medical care sheet says "Any time between 4-6 months is the proper age for spaying/castrating your dog." There are studies and articles written about the dangers of removing the sex organs too early in dogs and the repercussions such as deformed hip development. A pet owner really needs to do their homework and not blindly trust vet's recommendations. I encourage pet owners to do the research and determine for themselves their own dog's vaccine schedule. Dr. Epler clearly is not up to date with vaccine protocols and really unwilling to work with a caring owner. He is totally unprofessional, as he used profanity when talking to me and ended the call with "I gotta go to work." 'click' Any professional caring vet would have made sure they answered everything and asked if I had anymore questions.Read Less