Health: The Dangers of Vaccinations

The purpose of a vaccination is to protect your pet from potentially fatal infections by disease-causing viruses such as distemper, rabies, and others. The way this is done is to inject either a killed or a "modified" live virus, which sensitizes the immune system to that particular virus. Thereafter, if your dog or cat is exposed to, let's say, parvo virus, she will be able to respond quickly and vigorously, producing antibodies to overcome the infection. This sounds amazing, on the surface. And as a matter of fact, historically, it has typically been recommended that most vaccines be given yearly, with the exception of the rabies vaccine, which is generally recognized as protective for three years in adult animals who have been properly vaccinated. In some situations, even more frequent vaccinations may have been recommended. Dr. Ronald D. Schultz, Ph.D., D.V.M. - "Annual revaccination provides no benefit and may increase the risk for adverse reactions. The percentage of vaccinated animals (those vaccinated only as puppies) protected from clinical disease after challenge with canine distemper virus, canine parvovirus and canine adenovirus in the study was greater than 95%." Dr. Ronald Schultz is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Pathobiological Sciences at the School of Veterinary Medicine, UW-Madison. Schultz, R.D. - Current & Future Canine & Feline Vaccination Programs. Vet Med 3: No. 3, 233-254, 1998. A chart provided in the report shows immunity levels for all vaccines currently given to dogs lasting a minimum of 5 years with most lasting 7-15 years! For some, the very thought that vaccines are anything but life-saving may come as a surprise, and not a very pleasant one. Now, having had a dog die from Parvo right in my arms before there was a chance to vaccinate him, let me say right off the bat, that you SHOULD vaccinate for the right reasons, but lately it has been suggested that the continuous annual vaccines are not only uneccessary, but possibly detrimental to your companion animals health. The Problems With Vaccinations Until recently, there was not much information available regarding how long a vaccination's protection lasts. Annual vaccinations have been the standard, and this is still very common. However, after very careful consideration, many vets are now re-evaluating their vaccination philosophy and changing the recommended vaccination schedules. Why? Recent studies that indicate that in dogs and cats, protection in most healthy animals who have been properly vaccinated may last several years for some of the vaccines, while other vaccines may only produce immunity for a year. There has recently been a link suggested between the administration of vaccines in cats and the development of a particular type of tumor (called a fibrosarcoma). However the specifics of this connection are not yet understood. We are also seeing many more adverse side-effects. With each passing year, the frequency and severity of these side-effects in our pets can 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. The body may overreact to normally harmless substances (allergies and other skin problems), or even produce antibodies to itself. 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 infections (such as ear infections in dogs, bladder infections in cats), chronic tapeworm problems, or in more degenerative cases, cancer. So much has already been posted to the web regarding the vaccination debate (which is growing more one sided with each day), so please see the related articles we list below for more information. "Routine" vaccination has adverse side-effects, either short or long term. With vaccines that are repeated year after year, the frequency and severity of these side-effects in our pets has increased dramatically. 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." donna starita mehan DVM Always remember that vaccines should ONLY be given to "healthy" pets! Canine Vaccine Survey by Canine Health Concern, England Dispelling vaccination myths Vaccinations: Safe or sorry? What You Should Know About Vaccinations For Your Pet from the AVMA The Vaccination Debate Vaccination in Animals