Truth4Dogs

World-renowned pet vaccination expert Dr. Jean Dodds has written a wonderful article on managing and treating adverse reactions to vaccination (published here with her permission).  She also clears up common misconceptions about vaccination, titer testing and vaccinating against rabies.

This is an important article. I hope you’ll read it and bookmark or print it for future reference and also send it to your veterinarian and to friends.

CLINICAL APPROACHES TO MANAGING AND TREATING ADVERSE VACCINE REACTIONS

by W. Jean Dodds, DVM

Background
There is no doubt that application of modern vaccine technology has permitted us to protect companion animals effectively against serious infectious diseases.

Viral disease and recent vaccination with single or combination modified live-virus (MLV) vaccines, especially those containing distemper virus, adenovirus 1 or 2, and parvovirus are increasingly recognized contributors, albeit relatively rare,  to immune-mediated blood disease, bone marrow failure, and organ dysfunction.  Read more »

Some veterinarians are avid readers of veterinary journals and attend the seminars of top experts. They’re always up to date on the latest scientific findings regarding vaccination.

Others, not so much.

Would you know if your vet vaccinated appropriately, according to the latest suggested protocols? Would you know if your vet took every precaution to avoid unnecessary shots and adverse reactions?  Here’s how to find out.

Pictured: Sasha, whose death after over-vaccination prompted activism

Dangerous Vaccination Practices

Your dog’s health is at risk if your vet:

• Has ever failed, prior to vaccinating, to evaluate your dog’s current health … or failed to ask if your dog has ever reacted badly to shots … or failed to determine your dog’s age and current lifestyle … or failed to check his or her file … or failed to ask if your dog has been vaccinated elsewhere in the past three years.
• Even once vaccinated your dog without your express consent.
• Even once vaccinated without fully explaining the risks, benefits and alternatives to vaccinating. (Learn your vet’s Liability Related to Vaccination.)
• Vaccinates your adult dog yearly with combo shots or against parvovirus and distemper.
• Argues if you question the need for a shot or ask about titer testing instead of vaccination.

Read more »

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? Read more »

Heartworms are Spread by Mosquitoes. Heartworm Meds are Spread by Fear.

It’s getting warmer outside — time for sellers of heartworm medications to start scaring you to death.Television and print ads, which used to push meds only during warm summer months, now urge you to keep your dog on medication year round. The question is: why the change?

Drs. David Knight and James Lok of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, addressing recommendations for year round meds, warned:  “The practice of some veterinarians to continuously prescribe monthly chemoprophylaxis exaggerates the actual risk of heartworm transmission in most parts of the country and unnecessarily increases the cost of protection to their clients.”

So, is the change to year round meds all about money? Or is there more to this story?

Heartworm “prevention” is a major health decision for pet parents and multi-billion dollar Big Business for drug companies, veterinarians, testing laboratories and on-line sellers of medication. When health intersects money, there’s a lot of room for conflict of interest. Only by understanding the business aspects and the truth about heartworm transmission can you make an informed decision about if, how and when to protect your dog with commercial products.

While everyone agrees that heartworm infestations can be life-threatening, infestation is far from inevitable nor is it the immutable death sentence advertisers would have you believe. (Otherwise, all dogs and cats not on meds would die of infestation. But they don’t.)

Every holistic vet I’ve consulted had concerns about the long-term safety of heartworm medications. Well-known vet, author and columnist Martin Goldstein wrote in his wonderful book The Nature of Animal Healing that he sees heartworms as less epidemic than the “disease-causing toxicity” of heartworm medicine.

Dr. Jeff Levy, vet and homeopath, concluded “that it was not the heartworms that caused disease, but the other factors that damaged the dogs’ health to the point that they could no longer compensate for an otherwise tolerable parasite load.” Those factors include, “… being vaccinated yearly, eating commercial dog food, and getting suppressive drug treatment for other symptoms….”

Heartworm meds do not, by the way, prevent heartworms. They are poisons that kill heartworm larvae (called microfilariae) contracted during the previous 30-45 days (and maybe longer due to what is call the Reach Back Effect).

The heartworm industry authority, The American Heartworm Society (and their cat heartworm site) offers a wealth of information. Their website is a public service but also a marketing tool aimed at buyers and resellers of heartworm meds. Sponsors of this website are a Who’s Who of drug companies. Fort Dodge Animal Health (Wyeth), Merial and Pfizer are “Platinum Sponsors.” Bayer merits Silver. Novartis, Schering-Plough, Virbac and Eli Lilly get Bronze. Most of these companies have sales reps that regularly call on vets and show them how to sell you heartworm meds. With any purchase of any drug, we recommend you ask for information regarding possible adverse effects, the necessity for taking this drug and available alternatives.

How Heartworms Infect Dogs: It’s Not Easy!

Well, now that we’ve looked behind the scenes of the heartworm industry, let’s take a look at how the heartworms themselves (called Dirofilaria immitis) do business. Seven steps must be completed to give your dog a dangerous heartworm infestation:
Read more »