Vaccinations

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Personal Stories
Q & A
Links, Books, Video, DVD and Audio selections on this topic
Share your comments or vaccination stories with us
NEW! YouTube Videos!!
 

Vaccinations have become a controversial topic these days.  New information about the risks and reactions have made headlines, and more and more vets are abandoning the formerly accepted annual recommendation and adopting the more accepted every 3-5 year protocol.  All pet owners should educate themselves first and then make up their own decision.

The information printed here is based on personal accounts, knowledge gained through research, and in some cases opinion.  The purpose of this article is to present you with this awareness and refer you to articles where you can read more about this topic and educate yourself. This web page is not intended to be a thorough data sheet on the topic.  I am not a veterinarian and my degree of knowledge is far less than one.

Q&A's

Q: What are the types of reactions that are possible?
A: Reactions range from nothing at all to possible death. The possibility of death however is rare.  The possibility of no (immediate) reaction is  more common...that's the good news.  Immediate effects (approx. 4 hrs after injection) are commonly noted such as shock, fever, hives, inflammation, breathing difficulties, and severe allergic symptoms. Also long term effects are being discovered such as immune system depletion, cancers at site of injection called sarcomas, irritable bowel syndrome, and others. 

Q: I've never seen a reaction in my pet - so why should I be concerned?
A: It's true that not all pets experience reactions to vaccines.  Be advised though, that not all reactions result in outward physical signs.  There are long-term effects which may include immune system depletion, inflammatory conditions, and even cancers.  Many young pets who still have vibrant health and vitality may not be affected by a vaccine as a youngster, but may experience problems at a later vaccination date.

Q: Is there anything good about vaccines?
A: It depends who you ask...  Vaccines are designed to stimulate the immune system to recognize the invader (the illness for which that vaccine was designed) and develop antibodies to fight it.  A small dose of the illness is contained in some vaccines - small enough that it will not hurt the person or pet it is being administered to, but so that the immune system can identify then destroy it.  After the immune system recognizes it as an invader, it remembers it, and now has the antibodies to destroy it should it come in contact with the host again.  This concept is truly a marvelous one and vaccines do have their place in modern medicine.  Keep in mind though that while a vaccine intended for a particular illness may stimulate the immune system for preparedness toward that particular illness in the future, vaccines are not fool proof - just because a pet or person who receives a vaccine does not mean that they will not get the condition.  It is not a guarantee.
Vaccines do nothing to help the immune system overall - in fact evidence indicates that repeated vaccinations *weaken* the immune system.  They also contain fillers and preservatives which are toxic to the body (see next question for more info).  This is why you will hear it said that
you should never vaccinate a sick or elderly pet.  If you choose to vaccinate your pets, vaccines should only be given to healthy pets. 
All vaccines, including rabies are legally and medically approved for use in only healthy animals!
There are many people - including those in the veterinary field speaking out about the dangers and adverse effects of vaccinations.  See links at the bottom of this page for more information.  There is no difficulty in finding articles and data to support this.

Q: What do vaccines actually contain?
A: Vaccines may contain either a live or dead virus, pharmaceutical products, foreign tissue and altered genetic material of human or animal origin, and fillers.  These fillers are substances that are toxic to humans and pets. They are Mercury, formaldehyde, thimerosal, aluminum, MSG and others.  How do you feel about injecting those substances into your beloved pet? Though the manufacturers of vaccines are required to provide this information to the doctors, there is no law requiring doctors/vets to provide this information to the patients.  Vets (and pediatricians for that matter) usually will not pull out a technical fact sheet and discuss every minute detail with you, this is simply not reasonable and not common practice.  But you will sign a wavier stating that you understand the possible risks...consumer be warned - do your own research so you truly do understand them.

Q: What if I don't want to vaccinate my dog at all?
A: There are many people who do not choose to vaccinate at all. In this case I strongly recommend you do not follow this path blindly.  Do your research and be sure you want to take this route before just reading a few articles about the dangers of vaccines and deciding based on that. The people who do not vaccinate their pets are largely composed of people who feed their dogs home-cooked food, raw foods, and foods with no chemicals and preservatives; the idea behind this is that a dog with a healthy immune system has the ability to ward off these diseases naturally and therefore do not need immunizations. Read the book Natural Immunity...why you should not vaccinate by Pat McKay.

Q: What should I do if my vet insists on annual vaccines?
A: Ask your vet if they are aware of the new vaccine protocol.  Most vets are aware that the currently accepted protocol is every 3 years (or in some cases 5 or 7 years).  If they are not aware, it may be helpful to bring them articles to back up this information.  Tell them you choose not to vaccinate annually but prefer every 3 or 5 years (or whatever frequency you choose). If they refuse and tell you that you should vaccinate annually, you can always find a different vet if you choose.  Politely tell them why your belief differs from theirs and ask that they consider looking into the new protocol (this may help save other pets lives and heartache for many pet owners who are still unaware). 

Q: What if I don't want to vaccinate but I don't want to do nothing at all - is there a comfortable "in-between"?
Yes...Nosodes are a homeopathic treatment that are safe alternatives to vaccinations. The biggest advantage of nosodes over vaccines is the fact that they are completely safe. There are no risks or side-effects whatever. And they can be safely given to puppies and kittens much earlier than vaccines can. Nosodes, like all homeopathic remedies, are very easy to administer: they are given by mouth, and don't even need to be swallowed.  They are also very economical - far less expensive, in fact, than vaccination.  Despite the obvious advantages of nosodes, most boarding kennels and veterinary hospitals will not accept them in lieu of vaccination. If you need to board your dog or cat in a boarding kennel or veterinary hospital, you may be forced to have him/her vaccinated. This is a problem that will hopefully improve with time as more kennel owners and veterinarians become familiar with nosodes.

Q: I got my dog from a rescue or shelter that insists I keep my dog vaccinated all the years of his/her life.
A: Many well-meaning rescue organizations are either bound by law in this way, or simply are not up-to-date on current knowledge in the area of vaccine dangers.  You may want to put together a packet of information and send it to them and ask that they research this themselves. Several of the website links on this page (below) are very helpful in getting the truth out there.  Provide them with as many links as you can.  Remember that people are resistant to new information and it may take time for them to accept this (i.e. the world is flat).  It wasn't too many years ago that vaccines were recommended annually, but it is in the undeniable statistics, ethical veterinarians, and the people who spoke out about this issue, put websites up, and are working for change, and it got the medical establishment to agree that every 3 years is acceptable.  A great stride!  Keep getting the word out while saving your pets and other pets all over the world from the sad consequences.

Q: I still believe that vaccinations are good and important. I'm not convinced that vaccines cause all of these problems.
A: Fair enough.  It is up to every individual to make up their own mind and choose what's best for their pets. Remember that keeping your dogs immune system strong will greatly lower the risk of any side effects from vaccinations, medicine, injury, or anything at all.  Keep your dog stress free as much as possible, give lots of love, attention, and affection.  Provide daily walks, a warm bed, and quality food.  These are the foremost factors in healthy immunity for our pets. 

"All truth passes through three stages:

First, it is Ridiculed.
Second, it is Violently Opposed.
Third, it is Accepted as being Self-Evident."
~Arthur Schopenhauer (1778-1860)

Q: Where can I find out more?
A: Here are some books and articles that may be helpful:
       

*The books and videos listed here are all from active websites which I found when searching; they are not a complete collection and may not even be the best sources of information out there. We do not back or partner with any of the authors of the books or websites - they are placed here for reference purposes only should you choose to research this issue further.

New!  YouTube Videos about vaccination - click on the links below!!
Note: these links pertain to human vaccines but the same manufacturers make these vaccines, the same fillers are used and the same effects are reported in pets.
Hot!  The Truth about Vaccines
vaccines exposed
HPV Vaccines
Hot!  Mary Tocco informative video
 New!  what you need to know about rabies vaccines for dogs
more to be added soon


 

Disclaimer: This information on this page is not intended to replace veterinary advice. We strongly advocate having all pets under the care of a qualified veterinarian. Do not attempt to diagnose any illness or condition yourself.  We suggest you find a veterinarian whose opinions match well with your own to ensure the best possible fit in keeping your pets healthy.

Personal Stories

By Tracey - founder of Santa Cruz Pugs. What made me put together this page of information.
I am not a vet, nor a medical professional, just a pet owner who reads and researches a lot for this website and for my own dogs who I consider members of my family, hence their health and well-being are highly important to me.  About 2 years ago I was completely ignorant to this issue.  While at the vet for my pug Mr. Sluggo, we also had T-Bone with us.  An eager vet tech ran in and informed us that T-Bone needed his annual vaccinations and that we should do them while we were there.  I reluctantly agreed.  She gave the rabies vaccine and also the annual combo shot. I noticed he was backing away as she administered each shot and I intuitively felt something in my heart that this wasn't right, but I dismissed it.  Around midnight that night we were sleeping and I heard all this scuffling downstairs - I wondered if a raccoon had gotten into the house.  I turned the light on and went downstairs and I saw a pug that I didn't recognize - a fat, puffed up dog with swollen slits-for-eyes, hives all over his body, spinning around in circles, rubbing his face against the carpet and itching everywhere.  I threw on some jeans and raced him over to the 24-hour emergency vet.  They told me that it was probably a reaction from the vaccinations and that they do not recommend doing both the rabies and the annual combination shot at once, but they said he would probably be ok. They gave him fluids, an antihistamine shot and some oral antihistamines.  An hour and 250 dollars later, we went home. 

The next day, I got on the internet and looked up vaccine reactions in dogs.  WOW!  No problems finding data on that!  Not only did I find out that this is not a rare thing, but it can actually be fatal!  The internet is full of information and warnings about vaccine reactions - also known as Vaccinosis.  Why hadn't my vet told me?  Why had they done them both in one day -- surely they must have known all about reactions and cautions with doubling up the vaccines.  Well, the truth is they probably did know it, but because it only happens some of the time, maybe they don't mention it routinely.  Frankly, that's not ok with me. If the statistics were 1/500,000 dogs, well ok then, maybe that's reasonable, but reactions can happen as frequently as 30% of the time.  Yikes!  If airplanes crashed 30% of the time, would you fly?  Reactions, I say, not death.  However, anything that can potentially cause my dog to go into shock, vomit, break out in hives, fever, chills, convulsions, weakened immune system or death,  I want to be told about *before* the shot is given, and understand the risks. 

Why isn't it routinely mentioned before a vaccine is given and just a matter-of-fact when you're at the emergency room wondering if your pet is going to make it?  I don't know.  Maybe there's a disclaimer on the form in fine print that I signed and didn't think was anything to worry about - well maybe it's just my opinion but I think something this serious should be in large bold red print. 

Understand I'm not putting down anyone in the veterinary field - we must all respect those who spent years of their life learning how to care for and treat animals - and much of this knowledge is only recently gaining so much popularity.  We should give much credit to the veterinarians who document and speak out about the issue of vaccinosis, and make information available to us through articles and internet. Without veterinary medicine, our domestic pets would not enjoy the long life span and quality of life they do. The science behind the ability to vaccinate against an illness is a wonderful concept - but like anything there's fine print which in this case includes both short-term and long-term risks.  As people, no one stops us from seeing one doctor, then getting a second opinion if we choose to. So, I suggest doing a bit of research if you are uncertain about something, check up on statistics and then decide for yourself.  I have rarely met a veterinarian who negated any of my self-taught information that I presented them with - most often they listen with respect and are happy to answer my questions (and I ask a lot of them). 

I did however, meet one vet a while back (not my own vet office) when I brought a rescued dog to her who insisted that "vaccines are good medicine" and that vaccines should be done annually.  I was concerned because I told her that I thought we might be over-vaccinating if the previous owner had done it within the year. She scoffed at my concern and insisted that she'd have to vaccinate him before she neutered him.  (By the way, vaccines should never be given while a dog is under anesthesia or in for any surgery). The point is not to make anyone wrong, the point is to say that there are still vets out there who want to give annual vaccines and will argue with you that they are more knowledgeable.  Does that mean they're bad vets...no.  It means they are offering you the information they feel to be true, but we must not assume all vets are actively reading new medical literature and taking the responsibility to stay up on current information. Medicine is constantly re-examining old beliefs and revising information as science progresses. It is the doctors responsibility to stay current on issues like this, but it is also the client's responsibility to do some research on their own.