Is Your Dog Over Vaccinated?
Dec 27th, 2007 by Teri
Dec. 26, 2007
Keywords: American Animal Hospital Association, Pet vaccines, pet health, dog diseases, dog vaccines, vaccine protocol, annual pet vaccines.
There is alot of hype about annual vaccinations for pets, how often do we vaccinate and how long do they last?
Do you really need vaccinations every year for you or your pet or is there damage to the immune system.
I remember as a child that we were given vaccinations that were to last a lifetime. I was given a massive shot which tatooed my arm for life and it was given at a very early age.
Most kids were crying when the got the shot, I was brave - I cried later. If vaccines were in my early youth given with the premise that they lasted a lifetime, why have things changed, what has made today’s vaccines not as effective as to last longer than one year?
These are questions every pet owner must decide when given the proper information. I for one do not believe that drugs are always safe, and as I have learned children’s vaccines are linked to the rise in autism in kids. I know that these vaccines also contain high levels of mercury, something I would not want floating around in my own body.
Vaccines given to dogs these days contain about 5-6 diseases on one shot. Quite alot for a dog’s body to take all at once.
The term DHLPP stands for : Distemper, Hepatitis, Adenovirus, Leptospirosis, Parvo and Parainfluenza and then they add Corona. Then there is another shot for rabies besides the 5- or 6 others mentioned so there are about 7 all together. Surely these 7 disease shots are not necessary on an annual basis to our pets?
Has your veterinarian informed you that there is a ” new guideline” for vaccinations of dog because the new rules have been around for over five years now.
After your dog has initially been vaccinated for the 3 main diseases namely Distemper, Parvo and Hepatitis, as a puppy and followed by only one booster shot, one year later your dog has obtained what is termed “prolonged” immunity to these diseases.
This prolonged period is 6-9 years basically the life time of some breeds!
These guidelines are issued by the American Animal Hospital Association which were renewed in 2006 but basically this is what they have given as the new guidelines.
The fact is if you vaccinate your dog annually in the manner described you may be exposing your dog severe illnesses. Over vaccinating can cause cancer, allergies, and other immune system damage for its lifetime.
Again I come back to the point that the physiology of a dog is similar to humans then why must they be subjected to massive single dose vaccinations yearly?
It might have to do with your veterinarians’ income which is approximately over 35 percent from administering annual pet vaccinations.
If your pet vet is asking you for annual vaccinations, ask why? Be pro-active and take
the information that is available today, and as a better informed pet owner you can save
your pet from damage to the immune system and prolong its life span.
For more information on the American Animal Hospital Association guidelines
click here: AAHA Guidelines on Vaccinations for Pets.
Our dog Buster has been vaccinated and since then has become sickly, his fur is dull and he is just not the same. Is there something we can give him to get him back to normal?
I agree whole heartedly Teri. I stopped vaccinating my cats years ago after one required hospitalization from a severe reaction to a combo vaccine (it was the third series of shots she had had in her life), she hasn’t been the same since, she developed horrendous allergeries, a perpetually runny nose and eyes, she scratches and chews her hair off leaving painful sores, it’s harder to keep weight on her and her personality just changed, she went from being a very friendly, content cat to a skittish over-stressed cat who is afraid of strangers and often of other animals. A natural species appropriate diet has helped, but she would have been a lot better off without these problems.
Like an idiot, I followed the standard vaccine protocol for my puppy last year and he’s paying the price now with once again … severe allergies that manifest themselves the exact same way as the cat’s allergies. I strongly suspect that over-vaccination of an animal sends the immune system into a sort of hyperdrive, allergies, specifically environmental or inhalent allergies are indicative of an over active immune system, much like auto-immune diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus etc.
The only truly healthy animal in my house is the cat who only received his first set of kitten vaccines, six years later, he’s healthy as a horse, and titers show that he still has antibodies in his system. That does not necessarily mean that he is immune, there is no way to guarantee immunity with or without titers and vaccines, but as an indoor cat, his risk of exposure is incredibly small … not to mention that he’s far more likely to survive exposure to disease with a robust and healthy immune system.
It’s a tough decision for those of us who know the risks of vaccinating yet have to abide by the law and protect our pets from disease. Then the question arises as to whether vaccines actually confer immunity. No one knows exactly how many puppies have died from parvo after being vaccinated, but anecdotal evidence suggests that it’s pretty scary number.
To Bill Williams, you may want to consult with a holistic vet in your area or simply get a second opinion from another vet that you trust. Vets are just people and sometimes reluctant to admit that a vaccine they administered may be causing illness. Supplementing with fish body oils about 1,000mg per 10 pounds of body weight is a good way to support the immune system and restore moisture to his skin and coat. It may or may not cure your dog’s problems but it is a good and safe first step that any vet worth their salt would agree with. You may also want to look at what your dog is eating, a premium food, especially something that is corn and soy free, grain free would be even better. Homemade meat based raw or cooked diets have also helped a lot of dogs with a wide variety of ailments. That’s something you may want to look into. You may find this web site helpful http://www.dogaware.com.
Thank you Lindsay for your comments and your take on vaccinations. I know for certain that there are dangerous chemicals in these vaccines that are damaging the immune systems of our pets, similar to human vaccines. They are just not necessary every year, most last for the pet’s life time. It is just another money making machine for the industries involved.
Bill, I would suggest a holistic vet, there are numerous herbal remedies for diseases including parvo, and rabies that work very well. Once a puppy has had its second booster shots, no other vaccines are necessary. To your dog’s health. Teri
I never thought vaccines were good because in the long run we don’t know what is in them. I can’t believe some of the stuff that vets are doing for a buck. Making our pets more susceptible to death.
I JUST received my Vet’s card in the mail last week informing me that it’s time for Yogi’s booster for DHLPP/Corona vaccine. This would be his one year booster…..what to do……boost, or not to boost? If I do boost, this will DEFINITELY be the last time…..