Do Dogs…?
Really need all those vaccinations?
I had always been under the impression that vaccinations were essential to Stranger’s health. Why? Well, the doctor said so and in quiet the matter of fact tone I might add. He’s been getting them since he was a puppy. Some were crucial, warding against rabies and parvovirus, but many were routine boosters that I didn’t understand, research, or doubt the validity of.
Lately, I’ve been coming across a lot of articles advising against the plethora of vaccinations, claiming that these vaccinations actually weaken the immune system…
Many holistic vets take a strong stand again them:
“Routine’ vaccination, as it is practiced today, is not always effective (especially in the case of the feline leukemia vaccine), and frequently has adverse side effects, either short term or long term. With the use of multivalent (combination: 3-in-1, 6-in-1, etc.) vaccines that are repeated year after year, the frequency and severity of these side effects in our pets has increased dramatically.
Not surprisingly, most of the problems involve the immune system. After all, the immune system is what vaccines are designed to stimulate. But they do so in a very unnatural way that can overwhelm and confuse the immune system. The body may overreact to normally harmless substances (allergies, especially flea allergies and other skin problems), or even produce antibodies to itself (auto-immune diseases).
At the same time, the body may be sluggish in responding to those things that it should reject, such as common viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. This can result in increased susceptibility to acute infections (such as parvovirus), chronic or recurring infections (such as ear infections in dogs, bladder infections or feline leukemia in cats), or other chronic problems such as arthritis, kidney disease, or even cancer.
In summary, there is a great deal of evidence implicating vaccination as the cause of many serious chronic health problems. For this reason, I do not recommend vaccination for dogs or cats.”
I also found a helpful chart outlining the major vaccinations and their priority level:
|
CORE VACCINES |
NONCORE VACCINES |
NOT RECOMMENDED |
| RABIES (May vary for adult dogs in accordance with local statutes) DISTEMPER PARVOVIRUS ADENOVIRUS-2 (hepatitis virus) |
BORDETELLA (Kennel Cough, Canine Cough) PARAINFLUENZA LYME VACCINE… considered a CORE vaccine in endemic areas. See article on LYME disease LEPTOSPIROSIS (all 4 types) |
ADENOVIRUS-1 CORONAVIRUS GIARDIA (a protozoan intestinal organism) DISTEMPER-MEASLES (combined vaccine) not used in adult dogs |
Ultimately, I think it’s up to individual pet owners. Consider your dog’s health, environment, and stress factors. Choose a vet you trust and most importantly ASK QUESTIONS!
July 31st, 2008 at 6:23 pm
I used to be a die hard to the day about getting my dogs vax’d. Then I started reading and researching the effects of over vaccinating. I was shocked! I am now on the 3 year plan. The VMA now suggests the 3 year plan as well. Over vaxing is a huge problem and I dont want my dogs to suffer the ill effects of neurological or immuno depression just for my vet to pad their pockets.
Good article. More people need to be aware of the problem.
August 1st, 2008 at 8:22 pm
The more I learn about this the more I agree that I have over vaccinated my dogs. I finally found a veterinarian who isn’t pushing the every year thing and I am quite pleased.
August 5th, 2008 at 12:34 am
Ace just gets the core vaccines. And he did have the bordetella vaccine just because certain kennels require it. I think that vaccine is kind of worthless, like the flu vaccine. I mean, it’s not going to hurt, either.