Truth4Dogs

The flu is coming! The flu is coming!  Be afraid …  be very afraid.

This time the flu is headed for our beloved dogs. It’s the flu that killed racing greyhounds in Florida, beginning in 2003.

But don’t worry, the pharmaceutical industry has a lovely new vaccine with a shiny new needle.  Before long, expect a scary notice with the urgent message to rush in for a magic shot before your dog gets the new virus.  Why not get a bunch more shots while you’re at it? But before you go flying in, credit card in hand, I hope you’ll read this article, and others, and ask yourself some important questions.

Questions like ….

• Is your dog really at risk?
• Is the vaccine effective?
• Is it safe?
• What adverse reactions are expected short-term? And long-term (in a drug rushed to market with conditional approval)?
• Did the virus mutate to Canine Influenza in racing greyhounds from racing horses vaccinated against Equine Influenza?  Are there unintended consequences for humans down the line from the canine influenza shot?

When I first read the New York Times article, New Flu Vaccine Approved — For Dogs, I thought: here we go again. Bird flu … swine flu … now dog flu?

My fears were allayed somewhat when author Donald McNeil, Jr.,began: “There is a new flu virus going around. It initially looked quite lethal, and caused panic. Now it is clear that it has killed relatively few victims — and many of those have underlying conditions.” But then he added: ”It is particularly dangerous to be the possessor of a pushed-in nose — that is, to be a Pekingese, a pug or a Shi-Tzu.”  I relaxed again with: “It has now been found in 30 states, but almost exclusively in settings where dogs live closely together: shelters, pet stores, kennels and dog schools.”

I repeat: “It has now been found in 30 states, but almost exclusively in settings where dogs live closely together: shelters, pet stores, kennels and dog schools.”

I looked over the comments following the on-line article and realized that a lot of pet parents are nevertheless panicking. I asked a few of my vaccination activist vet friends to offer some advice. Here’s what they wrote.  

***From Dr. Patricia Jordan, DVM, CVA, CTCVH & Herbology, Author of the upcoming book on vaccination: Mark of the Beast

I am a veterinarian, I have 25 years of experience and I am HORRIFIED that this new vaccine was ever Read more »

If you haven’t read Part 1 of this article, “Heartworm Medication: Truths, Omissions and Profits,” please read it now unless you completely understand how and when heartworms are transmitted. Click the link at that article’s end to return here.  

A Heartworm Society news release states:  “By giving heartworm prevention every month, forgetful pet owners will have their pets protected when they need it most.”  But doesn’t that also mean they get it when they need it least? Or need it not at all? Are you a “forgetful” owner?

In this part of my heartworm series, we’ll discusses informed decision-making, and suggests ways, if you want them, to limit or eliminate heartworm drugs. I am a researcher and holistic health advocate, not a vet.  Please learn the facts then discuss with your vet the appropriate course given your dog’s location, lifestyle, travel schedule, health, climate and the time of year.  Expect an open-mind and respect from your vet, or find another vet.  Just as with vaccination, “one size fits all” is outdated, profit-driven, lazy medicine.

Take a look at the map above, courtesy of the  Heartworm Society.  Part 1 of this article demonstrated that transmission is heat and mosquito dependent.   As expected, dark areas of the map, which show the most heartworm cases per clinic, are found in the hot, humid Southeastern US, especially the Atlantic and Gulf coasts and Mississippi Delta.  

Don’t let the map scare you. If published seasonally, map colors would pale significantly during cool months. Also remember that you’re seeing generalities, not specifics.  A clinic near a rural pond will likely have many cases while an urban clinic 15 miles away may have a much lower incidence.  Maps are general.  Determine your own microclimate. Ask your vet how many cases of heartworm infection he/she treated in the past year.  Also ask if he/she treats all positive cases, or just those with advanced infestation. If the vet doesn’t keep detailed records, that should tell you something.

Conservative start/stop maps from heartworm researchers Drs. David Knight and James Lok (in “Seasonality of Heartworm Infections and Implications for Chemoprophylaxis”) show only two areas requiring year round heartworm meds: the southernmost areas of Florida and Texas.  Houston, New Orleans and similar areas are shown requiring meds for 9 months.  Other states range from 3-7 months. The Drs. wrote:  “For nearly 80% of the states, the potential for heartworm transmission is limited to 6 months or less.”  Here are start/stop maps for the US and California. Again, they are very conservative and very general. Do your own research and be specific.

The Heartworm Society warns that heartworm infectations are getting worse.  DVM Magazine, a magazine for vets, reports that recent results do show a rise in the number of positive cases per clinic in 31 states. DMV reports: “The reasons likely are multifactorial, including increased heartworm testing, increased client base per clinic or even climate trends.”  

Does Year Round Medicating Bring Extra Protection?

Applying suncreen at night is useless. So is taking heartworm medication when climate conditions prevent transmission.  Only a small percentage of climes permit year-round transmission. Everyone else is unnecessarily subsidizing drug companies and “preventatives” sellers and, more importantly, exposing their dog to unnecessary risks.

Two exceptions: 1) “Forgetful” and irresponsible pet parents who won’t begin the medication on time or build their dog’s natural immunity might want to medicate year round, although that means they have to remember to give meds every month.  2) If your dog contracts heartworms within a few years of beginning medication … and you can show you gave meds year round … and your dog had the required blood tests (2 or 3),  you may benefit a little financially because drug companies will pay for dog’s treatment. (Read the guarantee terms published by an on-line seller.)

 Are Heartworm Preventatives Safe?

You’ve seen those scary photos of worm-strangled hearts, right? Shouldn’t you give meds year round just in case? Isn’t safe better than sorry?

But is that harmless little pill or yummie medical “brownie” really safe?  No drug is completely free of risk and  adverse reactions.  I can find no long-term studies regarding cancer risks and organ damage for dogs receiving heartworm insecticides year round (or even for a few months). Such a study would be difficult to conduct and very expensive.  Who would fund such a study – or publish any negative findings?

One clue to the possibility of adverse reactions should be label warnings: call your doctor immediately if ingested; keep away from children; wash your hands immediately after use…. How can medication be good for dogs but so dangerous for you?

Another question: is your dog healthy enough for these medications? The “Heartworm Prevention” page of the American Animal Hospital Association states: “Healthy kidneys and normal liver functions are essential in metabolizing most medications.”  Many dogs, including my Jiggy, do not have healthy organ function. I wonder how many unhealthy animals are nevertheless on meds?  

Adverse Reactions to Heartworm Medications

With any drug, study FDA and manufacturer information before medicating.

These adverse reactions have been reported to the FDA by manufacturers.  Read more »

Despite the huge tumor on his mouth, this sweet dog was given 7 shots 4 weeks before this photo was taken. The tumor grew 10-15% after the shots."

Most knowledgeable vets agree that certain animals should NOT be vaccinated (absent proven, urgent need such as inevitable exposure to a life-threatening disease). These  include, but aren’t limited to, pets with autoimmune disease … pets undergoing chemo, radiation or surgery (even dental cleaning or neutering) … pets with autoimmune disease, cancer, severe allergies and skin diseases … pets fighting an illness or parasites … pets stressed from shipment or a move to a new home … malnourished pets … and dying housebound pets.  Assaulting the immune systems  of these animals with vaccination has been likened to throwing gas on a raging fire.

Vaccination is big business and an old habit.  Dogs and cats need an advocate with common sense (and a strong backbone) to stand up for their pets. That means you!

So why shouldn’t you vaccinate a sick, stressed or geriatric pet? For one thing, the pet may develop adverse reactions ranging from fever to seizures to autoimmune disease to anaphylactic shock  and even death. (Click this link  to see other possible adverse reactions.) Furthermore, shots administered to an unhealthy animal may fail to provide immunity while giving you the false security that your dog is protected.  On top of that, Read more »

When vaccinating our dogs, most of us rely on our vets, trusting that their advice is up-to-date and not biased by economic or political concerns.  Unfortunately,  unless vets stay current on veterinary journal reading (no easy task) … and actually assimilate new findings … and decide to forgo significant vaccination income, their advice may lag well behind many years behind what experts now advocate.

Vaccination is a serious medical procedure with the potential for adversely affecting health, both in the short and long term. Experts now advise us to vaccinate each dog according to his or her individual needs.  But  how do you cut back without endangering your dog’s health?  Here are 10 ways to eliminate unnecessary shots while actually improving pet health.

1. Always consider locale, lifestyle, risk and vaccine effectiveness. Bordetella (kennel cough) is for dogs in poorly-ventilated close quarters (like kennels), not for pets sometimes playing with others. Leptospirosis is a disease of wetlands and woodlands, and the vaccine may not protect against the actual disease in your area. Lyme is only for dogs in areas with Lyme disease. Furthermore, each of these vaccines has dangerous side effects and their efficacy is questionable. Don’t give them without proven need and benefit.

2. Eliminate vaccines on the “not recommended” list of the American Hospital Association’s Canine Vaccine Task Force as well as most veterinary organizations and schools. These include Giardia and Coronavirus (found in many combination shots).

3. Say no! to combination shots. Combo shots (called names like DHLPPC) assault your dog’s immune system with five or seven vaccines at once. Given for (false) economy and convenience rather than health or safety, combination shots are linked to autoimmune disease and other major health problems. Also, they invariably contain unnecessary and even dangerous vaccines. 

4. Stop vaccinating against diseases for which your dog may already have immunity. Read more »

If you can’t see photos, click here.

My good friend Dr. Jean Hofve, veterinarian and former Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the American Holistic Veterinary Organization, has kindly allowed me to post a great article she wrote on how marketing can obscure the truth about what’s in your dog or cat food. I think you’ll really enjoy this article and her website LittleBigCat.

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A trip down the pet food aisle these days will boggle the mind with all the wonderful claims made by manufacturers for their particular products. But what’s the truth behind all this marvelous hype? You might be very surprised…let’s take a look.

1. Niche claims. Today, if you have an indoor cat, a canine athlete, a Persian, a Bloodhound, or a pet with a tender tummy or itchy feet, you can find a food “designed” just for your pet’s personal needs. Niche marketing has arrived in a big way in the pet food industry. People like to feel special, and a product with specific appeal is bound to sell better than a general product like “puppy food.” But the reality is that there are only two nutritional standards against which all pet foods are measured (adult and growth/gestation/lactation)—everything else is marketing.

2. “Natural” or “Organic” claims. The definition of “natural” adopted by AAFCO is very broad, and allows for artificially processed ingredients that most of us would consider very unnatural indeed. The term “organic,” on the other hand, has a very strict legal definition. However, some companies are adept at evading the intent of these rules. The name of the company or product may be intentionally misleading. For instance, some companies use terms like “Nature” or “Natural” in the brand name, whether or not their products fit the definition of natural.

3. Ingredient quality claims. A lot of pet foods claim they contain “human grade” ingredients. This is a completely meaningless term Read more »