Comments on: Is Your Dog’s Vet a Vaccination Expert?

By: Ashley Ng

Ashley Ng — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 22:30:23 +0000

I would just like to say that until we have good quality studies (not hearsay or stories or a study done on 25 purpose-bred beagles living in a lab, not real life) to show that immunity lasts more than 3 years, I am a proponent of vaccinating every three years for rabies and distemper. I have seen so many cases of parvo in my practice, sometimes even in an older pet whose owner “didn’t believe” in vaccines. There is always a risk with anything and of course, I have seen reactions. You need to start blaming and questioning vaccine manufacturers to do more studies. It is not worthwhile monetarily for them to do these, so they don’t. Vets are big on using evidence-based medicine. So where’s the evidence? Also, titers all all well and good, but they usually cost over $100, where a vaccine costs $20. You try to convince a client to do a titer. It’s not going to happen.

By: Tania Kidd

Tania Kidd — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:25:23 +0000

P.S. I’d like to see a certificate or “vaccination license” of some kind for VETS to post in their offices so we’d know at a glance how educated they have made themselves on the topic.

By: Tania Kidd

Tania Kidd — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:24:00 +0000

Hi Jan & all,

Jan you may remember me from my articles on vets & vaccination at Suite 101.

I wonder if vet schools offer classes on JUST vaccinations & their appropriate usage? If not, perhaps this should be addressed in some way through the vet schools.

I’m appalled at the blatant and flagrant way supposedly knowledgeable vets (long-term, experienced vets) continue to violate what we KNOW about overvaccination by suggesting that so many vaccinations that are totally unnecessary be given.

I’m appalled by the unethical GRAB for $$$$$ from innocent but uneducated pet owners who DO throw total and complete trust at their vets – and sadly come out on the losing side of things.

After it happened to me 15 years ago with two precious schnauzers – within months of each other – I vowed “never again” and set out to educate myself and as many others as possible.

I appreciate your website and the efforts that you and Kris Christine and all the others are putting into getting information “out there” – doing what many vets wish you would not do.

It’s still a fight – for all our four-legged little ones!

Tania

By: Liz

Liz — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 00:27:34 +0000

I live in New York. My vet sold me Sentinel at my dog’s first examination. He never gave me instructions on dosage. Fortunately, I discovered your site before giving the pills to my dog. Since she tested negative for heartworms, I gave her one pill every 6 weeks, starting in October (when her test came back) and stopping in December. I restarted in April when the weather became warm again. Mosquitos are a problem here.

By: Jan

Jan — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 23:47:06 +0000

Liz, yikes, indeed! I hope you give your vet hell! It’s time to drag him/her into the 21st surgery!

I’d still consider contacting Dr. Dodds. She’s the foremost expert on rabies vaccine reactions.

I don’t know where you live, but does your vet also recommend year round heartworm meds even with cold winters?

By: Liz

Liz — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 23:35:36 +0000

Thank you! I have already purchased lyssin and thuja from naturalrearing.com. I was given the dosage instructions on the lyssin for the rabies shot. I’ll be searching for new vet, especially since my current vet sent me an email offering “on spot” drops for fleas. Yikes!

By: Jan

Jan — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 22:49:16 +0000

Liz, it’s unlikely your dog needs another distemper shot. One shot given after 4 months of age means she has a 90-95% chance of being immune for life according to the top experts (for parvovirus and distemper). If you need proof, get a titer test for parvo and distemper (read about them at http://www.truth4dogs.com), but if it were my dog, I’d presume immunity. After all, she just survived life in a shelter (a hot bed of disease). But it’s up to you.

I doubt if your vet will offer to write a letter to get a medical exemption (as he/she already overvaccinates), but you can try. See which states offer exemptions at http://www.dogs4dogs.com/rabies-laws. You might try a holistic vet who knows more about immunology. http://www.dogs4dogs.com/vet has referral lists. Also, a vet familiar with homeopathy will know what remedies to give with the rabies vaccine to make it potentially less harmful. If you can’t find a vet or get an exemption, write marina @naturalrearing.com (omit the space) and ask for Lyssin and instructions on how to use it with a rabies shot.

I’ve never heard of a murmur and a collapsing trachea being exacerbated by a shot, but I’m not a vet. It’s hard to get around getting the rabies shot without an exemption as it’s required by law. But no other shot is.

By: Liz

Liz — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 22:34:37 +0000

My 2 1/2 year old pit mix was given a “one year” rabies & distemper vacc when she arrived at the shelter last June. I rescued her three months later. My vet said she has a heart murmur and a collapsing trachea. I just received my yearly “rabies & distemper” reminder in the mail. I’m taking her for a check up, but refusing the boosters. I’m very concerned about her receiving boosters because of her heart murmur. Should I be?

Thank you!

By: Jan

Jan — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 17:14:07 +0000

Stacy, file a complaint with your state’s veterinary medical board for failure to get your informed consent before vaccinating, presuming that you weren’t told the dangers of giving multiple shots at once. Also, were you told that Bordetella is unnecessary for a dog not going to be in close quarters with other dogs (if that’s true) and giving distemper to a dog that was an adult. (The shot lasts 5-7 years if given to a dog once or after 15 or 16 weeks.) You probably won’t get satisfaction, but the vet will have to respond to the complaint if the board takes any action.

I’m so sorry for your loss. Tell all your friends about the dangers of vaccination and about precautions they should take.

By: Stacy W

Stacy W — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 20:11:53 +0000

I am reading your stories, they are heartbreaking, but also I now know I am not alone in this. My Rigley passed yesterday. I do believe it was from an adverse effect to a vaccine that he did not need. He received his rabies with bodetella and the distemper. One week later he developed a cough. When I took him tothe vet the put him on antibiotics. He started to feel better but then it got worse to pneumonia. We had to rush him the emergency clinic as he was about to suffocate to death. They put him on a series of medications to relax and hopefully help him. However, in the end he stopped breathing. Can I get the 3000 dollars I spent for a vetenarian that obviously didn’t practice safe vaccinations? I trusted him! But itwill not bring back my little guy. And I did research on this all too late!