Vaccinations

[highonart]

After a friend's dog got encephalitis from her annual shots, I have been doing some research. This is a well-presented article, from a vet, regarding vaccinations.

The more I learn, the more convinced I become that we are over-vaccinating our pets. My Veterinarian and I are both researching this issue.

I am sharing this article with anyone who is interested and I will post any others that I feel might be informative.

Each of us has to make our own decisions, but there is sufficient evidence for me to discontinue annual vaccinations for my pets. I am not giving recommendations to anyone else, merely sharing information. I believe that information is power and will help us all to make better, more-informed, decisions.

Thought-provoking information...

Dr. Kimberly Parker - DVM

[YorkieChick1]

Deborah, Brooke has GME too but I can't trace it to her vaccinations but my vet has believed that you only need to do the puppy shots and annuals until they are about 2 and then nothing but 3 year rabies after that. She believed that we were over vaccinating also. I have seen many different toy dogs get debilitating illnesses after vaccines and some have even died. Like you said, we all have to make our own decisions, but I don't do annual vaccines either.

[MyFairLacy]

Annual vaccines should not be being done anymore PERIOD....most vets have at least changed over to vaccines every THREE years and most state laws only required a rabies vaccine every three years now too. I really think overvaccination is a HUGE problem, and it makes me sad that vets are still vaccinating every year of an animals life It's so unneccessary. I agree with giving 2-3 rounds of parvo & distemper vaccines to puppies, along with a rabies vaccine between 4-6 months of age. And then a booster at a year of age. But after that, I would not vaccinate anymore personally. I hope to not even vaccinate my dogs and cats for rabies anymore if I can get away with it... I feel like they are most likely protected for life with the vaccines they have already had. Why overdo it?

[highonart]

This is another website that might be of interest to you all.

Canine Health Concern

[highonart]

Dr. Rogers is a Texas veterinarian who supports puppy vaccinations, then stopping after the 1st year.

This is an article and information about him:

Pet vaccination information and lawsuit action!

This is a link to his website regarding vaccinations:

http://www.critteradvocacy.org/Are We Over Vaccinating Our Pets.htm

And this is a slideshow presentation that he gives to vets for Continuing Education credits:

Home

[highonart]

In 2004, Colorado State University, in conjunction with the Colorado Veterinary Medical Assn. published new vaccination guidelines.

http://www.colovma.com/associations/...es%20final.pdf

I am using these articles to work with my own vet to spread the word about the dangers of over-immunization.

It is my hope that these resources will help all of you to educate yourselves, your vets, and your friends and families. Gradually, we are making progress, but it is up to us to gain the information we need to make informed choices.

Hope this helps you and your pets to stay healthy.

Deborah

[highonart]

This is Dr. Bob Rogers' website:

Index

[MyFairLacy]

Thanks for all the great sites. I'll be sure to read them later this evening or this next week. My thoughts on vaccinations sure have changed a lot over the past year as I've done my own research.

[highonart]

Originally Posted by MyFairLacy

Thanks for all the great sites. I'll be sure to read them later this evening or this next week. My thoughts on vaccinations sure have changed a lot over the past year as I've done my own research.

I appreciate the support and your kind words. This is a sensitive issue for many people. But if they start doing their own research, their minds may be changed like ours have been.

We all want to do "right" by our pets, and the thought of not vaccinating is contra to what we have been told, and therefore scary. But it seems that the risk of vaccinating is getting worse than the risk of getting the diseases. Especially if we have already vaccinated as puppies.

The more stories I read about dogs and cats that got sick and those that died as a direct result of vaccinations, the more angry I get that our vets are being lied to during their training. And most people don't realize that the research and funding for many vet schools is reported to be coming from the pharmaceutical companies. Talk about the fox in the hen house! It doesn't take an M.D. to question the objectivity of that arrangement.

Thanks again. I don't want to offend anyone, or tell them what to do. I only want to share the information that I am learning so that perhaps we can save a few more beloved pets.

[crb]

Thank you so much for all this information I will definitely be reading all these articles you have posted.

I lost my baby Kosmo to encephalitis on March 2nd, 2007 and his litter mate Taffy was also taken by this disease just recently on July 12th, although I can't say that their cases were directly related to vaccinations. Kosmo was due for his the month before we lost him and I hadn't taken him in yet and I believe Taffy had her vaccination about 6 months prior to being diagnosed.

Even though I cannot link their cases to vaccinations I am stopping annual vaccinations, only rabies every 3 years, as I don't want to do anything to my other 5 babies that might cause them harm. And if they don't need them, why continue to administer them and subject your babies to the possibility of life threatening diseases?

Thank you again for all this information.

[Yorkieluv]

I agree completely...I can't believe vets are still pushing yearly vaccinations...