Some holistic veterinarians believe strongly that vaccinating your dog or cat each year is not necessary and in some cases can prove to cause life threatening diseases.

The jury is still out on the link between human vaccines and the onset shortly afterwards of autism in children.

Dr. Shawn Messonier a DVM is a holistic veterinarian that wrote a book Bible for Dogs and Cats where he outlines the potential harm from vaccines for pets.

Such illnesses as cancer, allergies, and autoimmune diseases are blamed on vaccinations by many veterinarians especially when given each year.

Dr. Messonnier recommends that you ask your vet for a titer test which is a blood test which is done yearly to see if your dog “needs a booster”.

A Titer Test uses a serial dilution and tests how much antibody your dog has in its blood before you order your veterinarian to give your dog vaccinations. The blood is sent to a laboratory to determine the analysis and the results are returned to your veterinarian and you can get a copy of the report yourself to keep a record.

The results are given as a number and the higher the number the healthier your dog, and the lower the number means your dog needs a booster.

Some vets still cannot decide what number determines the need for shots and suggest you give them regardless of the results. Some dogs will not need shots every year and can go 3-4 years without a booster, and others will need them only every 5-10 years.

The titer test costs roughly $ 60.00 and it tests for distemper, and the parvovirus rather than just vaccinating indiscriminately without knowing whether the pet requires a booster.

When you consider the lifespan of an animal from 10 to 15 years or more usually the initial vaccination and a booster 1 year later is sufficient for the life of the animal.

The advantage of the test is that your dog will not receive too many vaccines which can harm the immune system and your dog will remain healthier. It is worth the cost of the test and far less expensive than needless vaccines.

Tags: vaccinations, pet vaccines, veterinarians, booster shots, Dr. Messonnier, holistic veterinarians, dogs, cats, pet care, titer, antibodies, blood test.

 I never met a needle I liked.

Articles written in the Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association JAVMA dating back to 1999 in July illustrate that melatonin can be used for example with dogs that fear the noise from fireworks or thunderstorms.

Dogs with epilepsy have shown remarkable improvements with the use of natural substances that support and reduce the effects of anxiety, stress or traumatic accidents.

Some easily scared dogs go through debilitating reactions to lightening and loud thunderstorms where they will shake, or cower under a bed or closet.

The melatonin product is given before the expectation of your dog becoming fearful so that it may have a chance to get into its system to work properly. Usually 30 minutes before the anxiety becomes evident is a good measure of time.

timeframe to use for a dose.

The normal melatonin tablet is used and works best and not the sublingual form of melatonin. With humans melatonin aids in sleep but this effect is not experienced by dogs so they will not fall asleep, it acts most like a sedative to reduce fear, anxiety and calms them down.  Pet Alive has a new formula for Canine Anxiety and stress with vitamins and natural ingredients and has no chemicals or harsh drugs.

Genesis Canine Anxiety & Stress Formula for Dogs

Dr. Linda Aronson DVM has used melatonin with over 1,000 dogs with good results for months or years without side effects. One owner reported the her aggressive dog became less reactive during obedience training classes.

Also reported is the fact that melatonin was given at nighttime to epileptic dogs and it was effective in reducing pet seizures during the night.

The melatonin dosage with pills was as follows:

1.5 milligrams for dogs 10 to 25 pounds

3 milligrams for dogs 25-100 pounds.

For dogs under 10 pounds the 1.5 milligram tablet portion would be cut in half.

How Long does Melatonin take to work?

Melatonin will take effect in your pet in 10 to 15 minutes and is safe to use as long as necessary.  Order your supply here below.

Genesis Canine Anxiety & Stress Formula for Dogs

If you have an anxious dog you can ask your holistic veterinarian for further information for your pet and discuss how melatonin can help your dog naturally.

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Genesis Canine Anxiety & Stress Formula for Dogs

Melatonin for Nervous or Anxious Pets is calming yet nutritious at the same time it helps your dog regain stability during fearful events.  Or if your dog has experienced a tramatic event or accident this product will help to overcome its fear the natural way.

Updated: May 28, 2009

Melatonin For Dogs