Comments on: Titer Test: Don’t Vaccinate Your Dog Unnecessarily

By: Gary

Gary — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:05:35 +0000

I once suggested to a neighbor to take her dog to vet so it could be treated for age related diseases. Instead the fifteen year old dog recieved distemper, parvo, corona, and rabies vaccines and had to be put to sleep the next day due to subsequent reactions. On the otherhand, I’ve put hundreds of dogs to sleep for parvo or distemper that could have been avoided by simple vacinnations. Pick a competent vet. They are not all the same as their is no universally accepted vaccine protocol. Also, if your dog bites someone without a current rabies vaccine, you will have a hard time getting him back.

By: Gary

Gary — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:00:06 +0000

By: Carolyn M

Carolyn M — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 13:31:08 +0000

Jan, I’m sending you a big virtual hug. Thanks to getting your book 2 years ago, I’m vastly more informed. My dog had a reaction to her last rabies vaccination, we’ve just titered-tested and found that she is very well protected against rabies, parvo and distemper. I’m working now to get her an exemption. I am surrounded by unbelieving vets where I live (outside the US) and it has been an uphill battle, let me tell you. Your informative articles with citations from REAL scientists have been so helpful in starting to bring them around to a new way of thinking. I think you could write another book on this subject illustrated with examples from your posters. Your site and links have really been my best sources of information. Thank you!

By: Jan

Jan — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 21:47:29 +0000

Hi Charles. Titers are a good idea. They show that the dog has actually developed immunity. Just getting a shot doesn’t guarantee anything. So requiring strong titers is a safer policy.

That said, there has never, NEVER, been one scientific study showing that parvovirus or distemper were needed annually. In fact, study after study shows 7 years immunity.

Furthermore, if a client’s dog had an expensive adverse reaction to unnecessary shots, the boarding kennel could be sued. In fact, I’d encourage someone to sue.

An article I suggest you read: http://www.dogs4dogs.com/blog/2009/10/08/protecting-dogs-from-vaccine-reactions/

Two studies, one by the World Small Animal Veterinary Assoc. and the other by the Taskforce of the American Animal Hospital say shots should be given no more often than every three years. Find links to the studies, which you could print out and underline, are at page bottom at http://www.dogs4dogs.com/shots On the same page, in the margin, are great articles by vets Schultz and Ford.

Good for you for trying to help the dogs.

If you happen to be in So Cal, check out our Safer Pet Vaccination Seminar with two of the world’s top experts. http://www.petseminar.org

By: Charles Kaufman

Charles Kaufman — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 21:32:18 +0000

I am a dog trainer and am trying to change the pet policy at the corp. dog supply business I work at. Now they require yearly vaccines to stay at our “hotel” i.e. kennels. I am trying to get them to accept titers, but it is a struggle. If I can find a way to pressure them into this change, it might help start a paradigm shift… any ideas?

By: Jan

Jan — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 01:34:53 +0000

Hi Tonia. A vet who understands immunology would not risk vaccinating a dog who had had previous reactions. Pet vaccination expert Dr. Ron Schultz, of the Rabies Challenge Fund, WSAVA and AAHA Canine Vaccine Task Force, believes the vaccine gives 7 years of immunity. The French have proved with challenge tests that it lasts 5 years. If your vet needs more information, have the vet contact Dr. Jean Dodds at http://www.hemopet.org Few people know more about it than she does.

I’m doing a seminar in California with speakers Dodds and Schultz, benefiting the RabiesChallengeFund.org The website for the event, in case you want to come, is petseminar.org

By: Tonya Via

Tonya Via — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 20:41:27 +0000

I have an 11 year Peke/Pomeranian mix and 2 of her 7 year old offspring. Both she and one of her puppies had severe reactions to the Rabies vaccine. My “mommy” dog had an immediate Type1 anaphylactic reaction after receiving her vaccine. She began to seize, foam at the mouth and had very high temeratures. She was immediately treated at the vet with an IV, fluids, streroids and Benadryl. She did well after the incident but I have been very concerned about revaccinating her. 1 year later, her 2 “kids” were due for vaccines. I informed the vet about their “mother” having a severe reaction and the possibility of them developing the same. Sure enough, 2 weeks after they were vaccinated, one of her offspring became very ill and nearly died. Her symptoms were very different including severe ulcerations in her mouth, sloughing of her pads on her feet until they were bloddy, weight loss and severe pain even with being touched or lightly petted. It was 2 months of sheer hell watching her become completely debilitated from an autoimmune crisis and $3,000.00 later until we finally noticed a necrotic area on her shoulder appear where she lost her hair. When she had surgery to remove the dead tissue, it was sent for immediate pathology, since that was where her rabies vaccine was given. An urgent report was sent back to my New vet I had taken her to for help, since the other vet refused to believe there could be a correlation to the vaccine causing her problems. It showed a severe reaction to the rabies vaccine. It has been 3 years, and now all 3 are due for their vaccines. We live in a wooded rural area with many wild animals. They are very cavalier and frisky and I do worry about them getting around rabid animals. I have consulted many times with my vet, We both are very concerned and stumped. He is not a big advocate on “overvaccinating” animals, but we are worried about their safety. Even if I get them titered, how often do I need to retiter to see if they still have enough circulating antibodies to prevent the disease? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. My vet has specially ordered the rabies vaccine Imrab (thimersol free). I will also be consulting with a homeopathic vet as well.

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