My cousin passed away and I took her dog because no one wanted to take care of them. I found out that the girl who is 5 was last vaccinated June or July of 2004. The boy who was born in 2005 was never vaccinated I can't afford to pay the price to make up for all that they missed. Someone gave me a safter way. Just buy them from a vet & give it to them. Which ones do I give the boy, the 5way, 6way, or the 7way? Or can I leave out the Leptospria Bacterin & how often do I give it, is it trully 3-4weeks after the first shot?

Hello, I am very sorry for your loss. Its great you are providing a home, but could they be adopted out by a shelter to a person/family that is in a little better financial situation and get all the medical care they need and deserve?

You don't have to catch them up on All the vaccinations they missed. And doing vaccinations yourself is NOT a "safer" way by any means-just cheaper. If a vet is going to actually sell you the vacs to give them yourself you should discuss that with the vet. That would NEVER happen in my area.

One of the reasons folks pay a vet to do these things is because they know what diseases your dogs need to be protected against. They also know which vacs have bad reactions to and what to do in that situation. They also have the most up to date information on emerging diseases and new vaccination protocol. Hence why they went to vet school and why they know more than the local salesperson at the co-op or a person suggesting you give the vacs yourself.

If by chance you are looking at OTC (over the counter) vaccinations be aware they only have about a 3% sero conversion. Meaning only 3 out of 100 dogs actually get any protection. Again, what about a adverse reaction to the injection?

If your dog is exposed to possible Lepto then they need it. It is contagious to humans so it is important to know. Also, is it the vac that protects against 2 or 4 serovars? Is it in the combo vac? If so watch out for a bad reaction. What about Rabies vacs? It's the law to have and only can be done by a vet. Does the 7-1 have Corona? What about bordatella? Are they exposed? How about Lyme?

More vaccinations is not always better if your dog doesn't need them. Adult dogs are usually okay with a yearly vaccination and a booster one year later. Then you can have titers to see if your dog has an immunity. Other than vaccinations, what about flea protection, dewormer, and the most important heartworm status?

As you can see it isn't as easy as get some dogs (yours is a special circumstance) and get some vacs. There is so much more!

Have you talked to your vet about this? There are lots of things to consider when choosing a vaccine. Your vet may agree to recommend the correct type and sell you the vaccine, but it may not be all that much difference in expense by having him give them--the dogs really need a health check after all this time. Also, you don't necessarily have to give everything at once (yes, the ideal is to get them both up to date as quickly as possible, but finances may dictate otherwise). You may be able to spread out the vaccines over a couple of months so the cost is not so high at one time.
If you and your vet decide that you can give the distemper combo at home, arrange it so you give it during the clinic's office hours. Reactions are not common, but they happen-you need to be able to recognize and have a game plan in case there is a reaction.
Another thing to consider is the Rabies law in your state. In Kentucky, if the dog is not vaccinated for Rabies by a veterinarian, the court system does not recognize the dog as being properly vaccinated.
Check around in your area for vaccination clinics also--some areas offer lower-cost vaccinations given by a vet on a certain day once or twice a year. It's not as thorough as a good in-clinic check up, but would cover the bases and get you back on track.
Please steer clear of the over the counter vaccinations, since there are so many factors involved in the selection of the correct product, and you really don't know if they have been properly stored and handled.
Good luck with your new additions!