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Originally Posted by jp4m2  I'm sorry that this woman's information made you feel guilty. But I am pleased she was well aware of all these issues.... she was just trying to inform you.  .....She is correct that vets are doing a booming business the pets are paying dearly health wise and the owners are paying dearly pocket book wise.
Most pets will only require distemper, parvo, and by law the rabies is required. The rabies is given way too much but the law says it's to be done so our pets are subjected to this vaccine much more than is needed or required. This chart may help if your overwhelmed by this issue. It's a good starting point to go by.... Vaccination Schedule Recommendations For Dogs
As you can see, the studies on the parvo and distemper are documented to last a minimum of 7 years but they ( Dr. Dodds and Dr. R. Schultz ) feel they are protected for life. So when a vet sends you that little reminder card in the mail to come in for a booster , I would give that some serious consideration as to what his motivation is.
These links have some useful info also.... Puppy Shots Revaccination
Heartworm and flea products are also used way to much. If a person chooses to use these pesticides then they should be used as little as possible. I've seen people applying heartworm during the winter when there is absolutely no chance of contracting the parasite. If it's below 57 degrees the larvae can not develop to the L3 level in the mosquito, but yet again people use these products out of fear. The pet is more likely to contract cancer from the pesticides than of getting the heartworm. The manufacturer knows this and they play on our fears. This is a easy to understand article on heartworm.... Heartworms | Truth4Dogs
I hope this is helpful.....I understand the guilt and feeling like a bad pet owner because you did some things that you would not have done if you would have just had the info. But when you don't know these things and you believe, and ask for guidance, in the people who are supposed to have your pets best interest at heart, you trust them without question. Now that you are aware you can make better decisions for your pets, and you should feel good about that. |
I also agree that vets recommend way to many vaccinations and many vets practices are sustained by vaccinations alone!!!!!
The government mandated amount of rabies vaccine is the same for a 1 lb dog as it is for a 200 lb dog. This makes absolutely no sense at all. Many vets will give less and still sign the certification since only you and they know what was given. Most states have adopted the 3 year rabies vaccine, but there are still a couple states that mandate it every year. The Rabies Challenge Fund is working to get the vaccine changed to every 7 years as there is documentation showing this also lasts literally a lifetime!!!!!!!!
I will not vaccinate my girls again for distemper, parvo, adenovirus of hepatitis as I believe they have lifetime immunity and my vet fully agrees with this. We do rabies only because we have to by law, however Sissy will get bloodwork first and if ANY value is outside of normal limits, I will get a medical exception letter from my vet due to her digestive disorder diagnosis. I also do not do lepto as there are several active strains and the vaccination doesn't come close to protecting against them all. All the recommendations indicate for toy breeds the risks associated with the vaccination far outweigh any potential benefit. Vaccinations such as corona, giardia and the new dental vaccine are a complete waste of money and just injecting poison into your furkids.
We do use heartworm year round as mosquitos can be found here in the middle of winter even though we live in a cold climate. There are also more and more instances of heartworm in strictly indoor animals in our area as well. We use Interceptor, which has a dose for 2-10 lb animals and also has the least amount of incidents reported. I do not use flea/tick protection as I prefer the natural essential oils in the shampoo we use. I have not seen a single flea on my girls.