If a pirate can get this poison on Vlad than Vlad is doing it wrong. I played against a pirate earlier today and poked him out of the lane/turret dived him into a rage fit.

I did pretty decent against Vlad mid as Sivir, spell shielded almost every Transfusion, avoid staying close unless you have SS up to block it off. Use BB to harass. Managed to get a kill when he got too aggressive.

Magic resist really helps.

Does mean Shen counters Warwick?

Spell shield will not save you against a vlad at level 9. The cooldown on transfusion will eat you alive.

Fiddle will keep draining him if he started before sanguine pool

Quite often in my games I play Soraka and get laned with a Cho'gath. Infuse into a Scream and Vladimir is six feet under before he ever touches that skill. Not saying it's a perfect counter, but he's not immortal like so many people make him out to be.

It will if you know when to be in range to SS it. When SS is on cooldown, you don't want to be standing in range of Transfusion, just hang back and use ricochet and/or BB to harass.

Knowing the difference in range between Transfusion and his auto attack will prevent him from using it on you, just like Zilean and his bombs.