Vaccines: based on new knowledge, how do you feel now? [Archive]

View Full Version : Vaccines: based on new knowledge, how do you feel now?

Suki

07-07-2006, 11:24 PM

miakoda

07-07-2006, 11:42 PM

I'm curious, based on recent discoveries about vaccines and protocols, if you guys still vaccinate as "required" by your vets. (I just got my "reminder in the mail today, so now I'm wondering what others do).
Current findings "suggest" that if your dog is 6 months or older, once vaccinated, the vaccine should last him his lifetime. I realize there is a LOT of controversy about this, but I'm curious as to how many do the "yearly", and how many are "up to speed" regarding the new findings?
Canine vaccine update (http://rds.yahoo.com/S=53720272/K=ANIMAL/v=2/SID=e/l=NSR/R=10/;_ylt=A9htfMA_tjJEbUkBPRLQtDMD;_ylu=X3oDMTBkYTNuNG k0BHBvcwMxMARzZWMDc3I-/SIG=12msbnb2u/EXP=1144260543/*-http%3A//www.herald-democrat.com/articles/2006/04/04/life/life02.txt)

Please be aware that pups are stll vaccinated the same. This only applies to dogs that are six months or older.

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Unfortunately, there is absolutely no conclusive evidence to prove, or even suggest, that once a dog is vaccinated, he is forever immune. It would be nice, but in the majority of the cases it just isn't so. Now, do I believe in vaccinating every single year? Depends on the type/brand of vaccine used & whether it is a 1 yr vaccine vs. a 3 yr vaccine (& mind you, in your 5in1s, 7in1s, & 8in1s, some of the vaccine components are 3 yr vaccines, but the others are just 1 yr vaccines).

This is true in people as well. For instance, while pregnant, they test you just to be 100% sure you are immune to everything you were vaccinated against as a child. But lo & behold, I turned out to NOT be immune to the mumps & measles but immune to Rubella while all 3 are piled into 1 vaccine you get as a child.

One can do titers on a yearly basis to test for immunity, but a) they are very expensive & b) often give a false positive (meaning the dog is NOT immune any longer) once a dog has been vaccinated in the past

That said, I vaccinate on a yearly basis until a certain age, then I vaccinate every other year or every 3 years. Just depends. But for the rabies vaccine, I vaccinate yearly b/c that's the law in my state. ;)

simms

07-07-2006, 11:43 PM

I'm curious, based on recent discoveries about vaccines and protocols, if you guys still vaccinate as "required" by your vets. (I just got my "reminder in the mail today, so now I'm wondering what others do).
Current findings "suggest" that if your dog is 6 months or older, once vaccinated, the vaccine should last him his lifetime. I realize there is a LOT of controversy about this, but I'm curious as to how many do the "yearly", and how many are "up to speed" regarding the new findings?
Canine vaccine update (http://rds.yahoo.com/S=53720272/K=ANIMAL/v=2/SID=e/l=NSR/R=10/;_ylt=A9htfMA_tjJEbUkBPRLQtDMD;_ylu=X3oDMTBkYTNuNG k0BHBvcwMxMARzZWMDc3I-/SIG=12msbnb2u/EXP=1144260543/*-http%3A//www.herald-democrat.com/articles/2006/04/04/life/life02.txt)

Please be aware that pups are stll vaccinated the same. This only applies to dogs that are six months or older.

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That’s because, over the years, veterinarians have noticed some adverse reactions potentially related to over-vaccinations. For example, toy breeds seem most susceptible to anaphylactic reactions, often from the leptospirosis shot. But long-term over-vaccination also has been linked to chronic immune-mediated conditions such as polyarthritis and atopy, says Macy. Unfortunately, there is no law requiring that adverse reactions be reported and, currently, no good way to keep track.
Absolutly true in small and toy breeds....what they fail to mention, is the breed standards of these animals are infact poor.

Substandard animals.

But long-term over-vaccination also has been linked to chronic immune-mediated conditions such as polyarthritis and atopy,
More so in felines.

I still vaccinate annualy.....

TEXAS PIT DOGS

07-08-2006, 03:08 PM

i dont know suki i think i will still keep giving them the vaccine every year.i never even heard about this whole after 6 month deal,but i dont like the idea of it myself.throughout many many years i have given them the vaccine every year and they have never gotten sick so i think i am just gonna stick to that.

mikelia

07-08-2006, 04:29 PM

I have done quite a bit of research into vaccines and holistic/natural health and have chosen to do the most chemically free lifestyle for my pets and myself. My dogs are rescues so they were both fully vaccinated before I got them and they will nevre get another vaccine aside from the 3 years rabies that is required by law. I did this with my GSDs and, having worked in a natural pet health store, have seen many dogs grow up receiving little to no vaccines and have never seen a dog get sick from any diseases. But this is a decision I have made and am responsible for should anything happen because of it. I don't advocate not giving vaccines because I am not a vet. I just feel it is safer for my pets. The last straw was when I took a cat to the vets about a year ago for his shots prior to neutering and he got so so sick for 2 days, I felt so bad for him.
But then again I don't use flea control, heartworm preventative, chemical based cleaners, anything aerosol. I use a lot of vinegar for cleaning, tea tree and other oils for bugs and skin/coat etc..
A good book for info is Dr. Martin Goldsteins The Nature of Animal Healing

brat pack

07-08-2006, 05:39 PM

I only vaccinate for Rabies at 3 year intervals as required by my state law. Although, I think that if I worked at a vet clinic or a shelter, I would probably vaccinate against parvo etc. every three years or so. I have had only one dog, a poodle/chihuahua mix, get what they called old dog distemper. She got it around 14 and pulled through. Since there isn't a cure for distemper, maybe it was just a severe cold. I only give my pups about 3 sets of shots. Limit their exposure to the public for the first six months. Was working at a shelter until they had a few cases of parvo. Even though my dogs were 1 1/2 years old or so, it scared me. It was enought to make me quit the job for fear of bringing something home to my guys. Even if you do vaccinate, there is no guarantee that your dog will not get sick.

asaj

07-08-2006, 05:51 PM

Im on the same page as mikelia. I read the report Suki posted a link to in another post, its a lot to read and it is a bit difficult to understand, had to read it twice. But very good info.
I let my vet. give my dogs their first set of vaccines, after that I dont take them for any more.Where I live we dont have rabies and we dont have heartworm, and no laws about giving them vaccines.
Im keeping myself upto date with what is happening in the area I live in, and my vet. will call me and tell me if she is getting any infected dogs from my area.
This is not something I desided over night, I have done alot of researce and Im doing anything to keep my dogs imunsystem high.

Riptora

07-08-2006, 07:09 PM

Yep, huge debate with many opinions. The laws are changing with the rabies vac in many states, moving it from yearly to every five years... it depends.

Personally, no matter how I feel about it, I keep all my animals up to date. This shows that I am "responsible" (most people won't even debate about vacs), it gives me the opportunity to board the animals, participate in training and any other activites that require vaccinations ( they pretty much ALL do ). It's the exact same thing with my kids... I think chicken pox vaccine is dumb, but...

Suki

07-08-2006, 10:19 PM

Well I ask, because research actually has been done by many vets, and professors, one of which, a gentleman named Ronald Shultz, Chair person of pathobiological sciences At The School Of Veterinary Medicine, who has been researching this very topic since the 70's. Based on his findings a community of canine vaccine experts had developed new veterinary recommendations that could eliminate the need for a dogs' annual shots. The guidelines have been printed and appeared in the March/April issue of Trends=the journal of American Animal Hospital Association. (AAHA). Task force members representing the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Veterinary Microbiology, and the American Association Of Veterinary Immunologists have all supprted the findings by Professor Shultz.
Shultz adds that veterinarians who have already switched to a three year, instead of an annual vaccine have found no increase in the number of dogs with vaccine-preventable diseases.
Schultz says that core vaccines, or the ones that protect against life-threatening disease, are essential for all dogs, yet he does not recommend dogs receive these shots yearly. "With the exception of rabies, the vaccines for CDV, CPV-2 and CAV trigger an immunological memory of at least seven years," he explains. (Studies testing the duration of immunity for rabies shots show it lasts about three years.)

For these reasons, Schultz suggests that dogs receive rabies shots every three years (as is required by law in most states) and the other core vaccines no more frequently than every three years. A titer can be run to check your pets antibody level.

Some non-core vaccines, on the other hand, have a much shorter duration of immunity, lasting around one year. But, as Schultz points out, not every dog should get these types of vaccines, because not every dog is at risk for exposure.

"Vaccines have many exceptional benefits, but, like any drug, they also have the potential to cause significant harm." Giving a vaccine that's not needed, he explains, creates an unnecessary risk to the animal.
Recommending that dogs receive fewer vaccines, Schultz admits, may spark controversy, especially when veterinarians rely on annual vaccines to bring in clients, along with income.

But, as he mentions, annual visits are important for many reasons other than shots.

"Checking for heartworm, tumors, dermatological problems and tooth decay should be done on a yearly basis," he says. "Plus, some dogs, depending on their risk, may need certain vaccines annually." Rather than vaccinating on each visit, veterinarians can use a recently developed test which checks dogs' immunity against certain diseases".

So, no, there is no guarantee that ANY shot will "last a life time". NOTHING in life is guaranteed, and yes, this is a highly controversial subject, as was initially mentioned, but a friend/vet of mine, whom I don't work for had mentioned her concern about over vaccination, and the necessity of it, so it got me thinking about how you all feel, as did my "reminder" card.
Btw, Professor Shultz's research was done three years ago, so this is not such a new topic, but as expected, not "overly welcomed" by most vets.
Thanks for the feed back.