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The
American Veterinary Medical Association's Executive Board issued a
Principles of Vaccination paper in April 2001, which should be read by every
person who is owned by, rescues, or is otherwise involved with dogs and/or cats: http://www.avma.org/issues/policy/vaccination_principles.asp.
In part,
". . . The one-year
revaccination frequency recommendation found on many vaccine labels is based on
historical precedent and United States Department of Agriculture regulation, not
on scientific data. Even in those cases where scientific data was submitted to
qualify the label claim, the data generated does not resolve the question about
average or maximum duration of immunity. There is evidence that some
vaccines provide immunity beyond one year. Revaccination of patients with
sufficient immunity does not add measurably to their disease resistance, and may
increase their risk of adverse post-vaccination events. Vaccination is a potent
medical procedure with both benefits and associated hazards." And further,
". . . Adverse events may be associated with the antigen, adjuvant, carrier,
preservative, or a combination thereof. Possible adverse events include failure
to immunize, anaphylaxis, immunosuppression, autoimmune disorders, transient
infections, and/or long-term infected carrier states. In addition, a causal
association in cats between injection sites and the subsequent development of a
malignant tumor is the subject of ongoing research."
PLEASE READ the books
"What Vets Don't Tell You About Vaccines" (out of print, might be able to find a
used copy on www.amazon.com) and/or "Shock
to the System: The Facts About Animal Vaccination, Pet Food And How to Keep Your
Pets Healthy" (published in 2005) by Catherine M. O'Driscoll.
Several breeds, including Weimaraners, Great Danes and Dobermans, are more
susceptible to vaccine reactions (known as vaccinosis). See the Vaccination page from
Dr. Dolores Sanchez-Penalver’s website: http://www.weim.net/homeovet/English/Vaccine.htm.
At the end of that page are links to information and stories about a very few
of the Weimaraners who have had vaccine reactions of varying degrees. Some are
heartbreaking. For information regarding Dr. Sanchez-Penalver, please
review her site and see also my comments on the
Resources-Links
page.
For links to articles about various aspects of vaccinations and problems, see
http://www.simplyschnauzer.net/miscellaneous/miscgen8.html.
http://www.dogs4dogs.com/blog/2009/08/06/treating-adverse-vaccine-reactions-by-jean-dodds-dvm/#more-621
Article by renowned Jean Dodds, DVM, regarding treating adverse vaccine
reactions.
See the Holistic Care - Articles page (or click
on the "Next Page" tab below) for the vaccination article I wrote for Alaska
Wellness Magazine (January/February 2003 issue).
UK Vets Unite Against Over-Vaccination The following letter from
veterinarians was published in the Veterinary Times, UK, January 2004. A victory
of sorts, but still lots of work to do! The contents of this letter were
provided to me by Catherine O'Driscoll, internationallly celebrated author of
What Vets Don't Tell You About Vaccines (which can be found on my
Holistic Care Books page) and
moderator of the Yahoo chatlist K9Health (www.groups.yahoo.com). Catherine says:
"Ten years after the start of the Canine Health Concern campaign to end annual
vaccination, the following letter appeared in Veterinary Times, UK- at the end
of January 2004. In the world of science, ten years is a very short time in
which to expect a sea change. We and others whose dogs have suffered vaccine
reactions; we whose beloved friends have died and suffered unnecessarily, have
been pilloried and castigated for speaking the truth for long enough now. Time
to take this letter to your vet; time to post it to other vets in your
neighbourhood; time to show this letter to all the dog lovers you meet in the
park or at classes. Time to get the truth out there once and for all. Time to
stop our beloved animals suffering. Time to say 'YES!' - but not yet time to
stop the campaign. We shall not be finished until annual vaccination is a thing
of the past.
I
dedicate this post to my own dear friends who had to die for this letter to
appear in Veterinary Times: Oliver, Prudence and Samson, and to the thousands,
or even millions, of animals and children whose lives have been terminated
because people in scientific and veterinary communities saw a way to make a
quick annual buck. My respect and gratitude go to the courageous veterinarians
who have signed the letter below. Catherine O'Driscoll
Please share the link to this webpage, or a copy (it's fine to print this out)
with your animal loving friends so they understand the impact of
over-vaccination.
"Dear Editor: We, the undersigned, would like to
bring to your attention our concerns in the light of recent new evidence
regarding vaccination protocol. The American Veterinary Medical Association
Committee report this year states that 'the one year revaccination
recommendation frequently found on many vaccination labels is based on
historical precedent, not scientific data. In JAVMA in 1995, Smith notes that
'there is evidence that some vaccines provide immunity beyond one year. In fact,
according to research there is no proof that many of the yearly vaccinations are
necessary and that protection in many instances may be life long'; also,
'Vaccination is a potent medical procedure with both benefits and risks for the
patient'; further that, 'Revaccination of patients with sufficient immunity does
not add measurably to their disease resistance, and may increase their risk of
adverse post-vaccination events.' Finally, he states that: 'Adverse events may
be associated with the antigen, adjuvant, carrier, preservative or combination
thereof. Possible adverse events include failure to immunise, anaphylaxis,
immunosuppression, autoimmune disorders, transient infections and/or long-term
infected carrier states.'
The report of the American Animal Hospital Association Canine Vaccine Taskforce
in JAAHA (39 March/April 2003) is also interesting reading: 'Current knowledge
supports the statement that no vaccine is always safe, no vaccine is always
protective and no vaccine is always indicated'; 'Misunderstanding,
misinformation and the conservative nature of our profession have largely slowed
adoption of protocols advocating decreased frequency of vaccination';
'Immunological memory provides durations of immunity for core infectious
diseases that far exceed the traditional recommendations for annual vaccination.
This is supported by a growing body of veterinary information as well as
well-developed epidemiological vigilance in human medicine that indicates
immunity induced by vaccination is extremely long lasting and, in most cases,
lifelong.'
Further, the evidence shows that the duration of immunity for rabies vaccine,
canine distemper vaccine, canine parvovirus vaccine, feline panleukopaenia
vaccine, feline rhinotracheitis and feline calicivurus have all been
demonstrated to be a minimum of seven years, by serology for rabies and
challenge studies for all others.
The veterinary surgeons below fully accept that no single achievement has had
greater impact on the lives and well-being of our patients, our clients and our
ability to prevent infectious diseases than the developments in annual vaccines.
We, however, fully support the recommendations and guidelines of the American
Animal Hospitals Association Taskforce, to reduce vaccine protocols for dogs and
cats such that booster vaccinations are only given every three years, and only
for core vaccines unless otherwise scientifically justified.
We further suggest that the evidence currently
available will soon lead to the following facts being accepted:
* The immune systems of dogs and cats mature fully at six months and any
modified live virus (MLV) vaccine given after that age produces immunity that is
good for the life of that pet.
* If another MLV vaccine is given a year later, the antibodies from the first
vaccine neutralise the antigens from the subsequent so there is little or no
effect; the pet is not 'boosted', nor are more memory cells induced.
* Not only are annual boosters for canine parvovirus and distemper unnecessary,
they subject the pet to potential risks of allergic reactions and
immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia.
* There is no scientific documentation to back up
label claims for annual administration of MLV vaccines.
* Puppies and kittens receive antibodies through their mothers' milk. This
natural protection can last eight to 14 weeks.
* Puppies and kittens should NOT be vaccinated at
less than eight weeks. Maternal immunity will neutralise the vaccine and little
protection will be produced.
* Vaccination at six weeks will, however, DELAY the timing of the first
effective vaccine.
* Vaccines given two weeks apart SUPPRESS rather than stimulate the immune
system.
This would give possible new guidelines as follows:
1. A series of vaccinations is given starting at
eight weeks of age (or preferably later) and given three to four weeks apart, up
to 16 weeks of age.
2. One further booster is given sometime after six months of age and will then
provide life-long immunity.
In light of data now available showing the needless use and potential harm of
annual vaccination, we call on our profession to cease the policy of
annual vaccination. Can we wonder that clients are losing faith in vaccination
and researching the issue themselves? We think they are right to do so.
Politics, tradition or the economic well-being of veterinary surgeons and
pharmaceutical companies should not be a factor in making medical decisions.
It is accepted that the annual examination of a pet is advisable. We undervalue
ourselves, however, if we hang this essential service on the back of vaccination
and will ultimately suffer the consequences. Do we need to wait until we see
actions against vets, such as those launched in the state of Texas by Dr Robert
Rogers? He asserts that the present practice of marketing vaccinations for
companion animals constitutes fraud by misrepresentation, fraud by silence and
theft by deception.
The oath we take as newly-qualified veterinary surgeons is 'to help, or at least
do no harm'. We wish to maintain our position within society, and be deserving
of the trust placed in us as a profession. It is therefore our contention that
those who continue to give annual vaccinations in the light of new evidence may
well be acting contrary to the welfare of the animals committed to their care.
Yours faithfully,
Richard Allport, BVetMed, MRCVS; Sue Armstrong, MA BVetMed, MRCVS; Mark
Carpenter, BVetMed, MRCVS; Sarah Fox-Chapman, MS, DVM, MRCVS; Nichola Cornish,
BVetMed, MRCVS; Tim Couzens, BVetMed, MRCVS; Chris Day, MA, VetMB, MRCVS; Claire
Davies, BVSc, MRCVS; Mark Elliott, BVSc, MRCVS; Peter Gregory, BVSc, MRCVS; Lise
Hansen, DVM, MRCVS; John Hoare, BVSc, MRCVS; Graham Hines, BVSc, MRCVS; Megan
Kearney, BVSc, MRCVS; Michelle L'oste Brown, BVetMed, MRCVS; Suzi McIntyre, BVSc,
MRCVS; Siobhan Menzies, BVM&S, MRCVS; Nazrene Moosa, BVSc, MRCVS; Mike Nolan,
BVSc, MRCVS; Ilse Pedler, MA, VetMB, BSc, MRCVS; John Saxton, BVetMed, MRCVS;
Cheryl Sears, MVB, MRCVS; Jane Seymour, BVSc, MRCVS; Christine Shields, BVSc,
MRCVS; Suzannah Stacey, BVSc, MRCVS; Phillip Stimpson, MA, VetMB, MRCVS; Nick
Thompson, BSc, BVM&S, MRCVS; Lyn Thompson, BVSc, MRCVS; Wendy Vere, VetMB, MA,
MRCVS; Anuska Viljoen, BVSc, MRCVS; and Wendy Vink, BVSc, MRCVS.
Vaccinosis is
not limited to specific breeds; it can affect any dog or cat. A great
explanation of vaccinosis and problems with over-vaccination, along with links
to other sites carrying information about this topic, is found at
http://home.earthlink.net/~texas2step/Vaccinosis.html. Another
site contains an article written by Dr. Don Hamilton, noted authority on use of
homeopathic remedies in dogs and cats, which discusses the problems with
over-vaccination.
http://www.holisticat.com/vaccinations.html. And see Dr. Will Falconer's
website for detailed information about why vaccines can be a problem
www.alt4animals.com A site which describes
homeopathy in detail:
http://www.petsynergy.com/homeo.html; and an article which discusses
vaccinosis
http://www.petresource.com/Articles%20of%20Interest/vaccinosis.htm.
Dr. Richard Pitcairn, a highly respected homeopathic veterinarian, has written
an excellent article about rabies vaccinations
http://www.petresource.com/Articles%20of%20Interest/rabies_shots.htm and a
very complete article of his dealing with vaccinosis generally can it be found
at
http://www.weim.net/homeovet/Docs/vaccines.pdf. Additional sites:
http://home.earthlink.net/~texas2step/Vaccinosis.html
http://www.geocities.com/~kremersark/newhope.html
http://www.holisticmed.com/www/vaccine.html
http://www.geocities.com/~kremersark/CVC_2002a.html
http://www.caberfeidh.com/Revax.htm
Dr.
Bob Rogers is a veterinarian located in Spring, Texas. His website
contains incredibly detailed and extensive information about the various
illnesses/diseases that dogs and cats are vaccinated for; which vaccines are
really necessary, which are not (and can be harmful), and why; suggested timing
and schedule for administration; and much more. Dr. Rogers' site is located at:
http://www.critterfixer.com/Default.htm See
http://www.newvaccinationprotocols.com/ which will lead you through a
slide presentation to recommended canine and feline vaccination protocols and canine/feline diseases.
This is a great presentation on what to give and when, or why not. Dr. Rogers was interviewed
regarding the over-vaccination debate for an article which appeared in the Wall Street Journal
in mid-2002. This is a big issue, if it has made its way into the Wall
Street Journal! Dr. Rogers has devoted many years to promoting revision of the
statutory requirements regarding vaccinations in Texas. The Texas rabies
vaccination law was successfully revised in late 2002 based on pressure from the
public, certain veterinarians including Dr. Rogers, and other interested
parties.
For another site which goes into great detail about vaccination controversy,
revised vaccination protocols, etc., see
http://www.critteradvocacy.org/.
http://www.doglogic.com/vaccination.htm, a site containing W. Jean Dodds,
DVM's recognized vaccination protocol. Dr. Dodds can be contacted via her website, a
non-profit canine Blood Bank and blood testing facility, at http://www.hemopet.com/.
For chatlists which focus on vaccination issues, see
Lists-Holistic Care.
 My best recommendation for assisting an animal who is suffering from the effects
of vaccination is to work with a trained homeopathic veterinarian (ask about
credentials). If one is not available in your area, then look for a
veterinarian who supports a natural approach to animal care. If neither are
available, some homeopathic and holistic veterinarians will do phone
consultations. See the
Resources-Links-Holistic Care page for names and websites of organizations
dedicated to these fields. You will find directories of practitioners on their
websites.
Vaccine Reactions/Miasms Both of my Weimaraners, Max and Barney,
have suffered from the effects of vaccination. Max's problems began with skin,
eye and ear problems and escalated to severe anaphylactic (allergic) reactions
to the vaccines and then to Penicillin, to escalating aggression (which is one
sign of rabies miasm - a miasm is the body/mind/emotions manifesting signs of the disease without
actually having the disease), and finally to seizures. Barney had milder
issues including a swelling at the injection site which took several weeks to
resolve, and a bad reaction to an injectible wormer. While Barney's
reactions may not seem related, they are evidence that his immune system was not
able to handle the mechanical action or the chemicals in either injection.
Further injections will only worsen the situation for both of them, so they are
no longer vaccinated. Instead, I have my vet run titer tests every few years to
measure the antibody levels for certain diseases such as parvo and distemper.
Both Max and Barney have been treated homeopathically to undo the damage caused
by the vaccines. For Max, it took 18 months for his symptoms to clear. Barney
was treated for a shorter period of time and seems to have recovered fine.
According to Dr. Moira
Drosdovech (www.pawsitivevet.com), other physical problems that may result
in pain and aggression include, but are not limited to, dental disease,
tumors, abdominal pain, constipation, bladder inflammation, reproductive
organ problems, encephalitis and other neurological orders. A precipitating
factor often overlooked is whether a vaccination was administered in the
previous 1-3 months before the aggression began. Both rabies and distemper
viruses have a predilection for the brain tissue in their natural live state
and their vaccines could potentially cause mild brain inflammation in
susceptible dogs, leading to such conditions as behavior changes or
seizures. A number of dogs with these "vaccine induced" aggressions have
been helped by homeopathic remedies which work very well with a lot of
behavioral problems. See
http://www.pawsitivevet.com/articles.htm#aggression (and the possibility
that vaccination has caused some or all of the aggression issue,
http://www.pawsitivevet.com/articles.htm#aggression). If no physical
problem is found upon thorough veterinary examination, a careful
history-taking may shed light on factors that may have precipitated the
onset of aggression (such as being teased by someone, having objects thrown
at them, etc.).
Miasm Definition:
http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/homeopathy_miasm_gina.htm
http://www.vcch.org/downloads/Chapter_2_final.pdf
Homeopaths regard the patient's symptom profile as a systemic manifestation
of an underlying chronic disorder called a miasm. Miasms are serious
disturbances of what homeopaths call the patient's vital force that are
inherited from parents at the time of conception. Hahnemann believed that
the parents' basic lifestyle, their emotional condition and habitual diet,
and even the atmospheric conditions at the time of conception would affect
the number and severity of miasms passed on to the child. Hahnemann himself
distinguished three miasms: the psoric, which he considered the most
universal source of chronic disease in humans; the syphilitic; and the
sycotic, which he attributed to gonorrhea. Later homeopaths identified two
additional miasms, the cancernic and the tuberculinic. The remaining major
source of miasms is allopathic medicine. It is thought that specific
allopathic treatments-particularly smallpox vaccinations, cortisone
preparations, major tranquilizers, and antibiotics-can produce additional
layers of miasms in the patient's constitution. Constitutional prescribing
evaluates the person's current state or miasmic picture, and selects a
remedy intended to correct or balance that state. The homeopath may
prescribe a different remedy for each miasmic layer over time, but gives
only one remedy at a time directed at the person's current state. The basic
principle governing the prescription of each successive remedy is the law of
similars, or "like cures like."
Titer Tests It is possible to test the animal's blood for
antibodies against certain illnesses. If antibodies are present, most
holistic and homeopathic vets believe that the animal has immunity against that
disease. As the AVMA states, vaccinating when the animal has immunity does not
give them more immunity and may cause them health problems. For specific
information about titer tests, please see
http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/titer_test.htm.
Christie Keith wrote the
following for a chatlist I'm on, and has kindly given me permission to post
it here:
Q asked: If the absence
of a titer or the presence of titer could both indicate immunity, then what
is a titer good for? What exactly am I supposed to understand when I get the
results for my dog? What am I looking for? Some people report that titer
readings change from visit to visit. What affects titer readings and what
should I do to insure a proper reading? Will feeding affect it? Should I
fast [the dog?]?
Assuming the titer is for a "regular" virus such as canine parvo and
distemper, and not an oddball virus like HIV or FIP, and not a bacteria like
lepto, this is the story in a nutshell: When the animal is infected with the
virus, either through natural infection or by modified live virus
vaccination, the immune system forms antibodies that destroy that virus.
Forever afterwards, special cells in the body called "memory cells" will
crank out antibodies anytime the body is infected with that same virus.
(Most viral antibodies also cross-protect against different strains of the
same virus - it's very broad protection.)
Antibodies are produced when the "remembered" virus is encountered again,
but it's not necessary in any way for those antibodies to be roaming around
in the bloodstream all the time. If they are needed, the memory cells will
cause them to be made instantly. We don't have any way to measure memory
cells, so instead we take a sample of blood and see if there are any
antibodies to the virus in which we are interested in the blood at that
time, and if so, how many. A "titer" measures how many times you can dilute
the blood until you can no longer find any antibodies to that virus in it.
It is expressed as a ratio such as 1:2 or 1:1300 - meaning that in the first
case, you could only dilute the blood twice before there were no more
antibodies (low titer), or you were able to dilute it 1300 times before
there were no more antibodies (high titer).
Most labs have established levels that they consider "non-protective" or
low, levels they consider to be protective, and levels that are so high they
are usually only found in cases of active infection with the natural virus.
But this is not an absolute; just because they didn't find antibodies
doesn't mean that the memory cells can't just crank some out if the virus is
encountered down the road.
What titers ARE good for is checking to see if a vaccination was successful,
as the dog should have a protective titer starting within 2 weeks of
vaccination. If not, the vaccine didn't work. However, that same dog might
or might not have a protective titer 2 or 7 or 9 or 13 years later. But
presumably the memory cells are still there and still ready to do their job.
Some people choose to vaccinate a dog if their antibody levels drop below a
certain level, but as I said before, I think this is sloppy science. Where
is the evidence correlating lower titer levels later in life, in a dog with
previously high titer levels, with an increased incidence of disease? I know
of none. Instead, what I know is that the incidence of canine parvo and
distemper is nearly zero in vaccinated adults, and thus I have to believe
that the immunity doesn't "wear off." I'm also not aware of any evidence
that immunity is improved by re-vaccination. According to Dr. Schultz,
"booster shots" do not in fact "boost" immunity. If the dog is already
immune, the memory cells will react to the vaccination by wiping out the
virus with antibodies, and there will be no "boosting" of the titer. Which
makes using titer tests as a tool for making re-vaccination decisions iffy,
IMO.
The only other thing I would think a titer test would be useful for (other
than checking for active infection, of course), is if you have a dog with
unknown vaccine status, such as a stray or rescue. You could check theirs
and assume if they have a protective titer that they were either vaccinated
in the past, or had recovered from natural infection. In either case I'd
then assume that dog had seroconverted and had memory cells. Now, if the
immune system is malfunctioning, this process might be unreliable. But even
in humans with severe immune suppression, immunity to childhood diseases
persists until the immune system is nearly totally destroyed. Furthermore,
if an animal's immune system is malfunctioning to the point where they no
longer can mount an immune response to a disease they were previously immune
to, neither will they be able to mount an immune response to the VACCINE.
Some people have an idea that we are "injecting immunity" into our dogs with
vaccination, but of course, we are not. If the immune system doesn't respond
to the vaccination, there is no protection from it. So vaccinating dogs with
failed immune systems is not going to help them at all - and will certainly
harm them, as well.
Christie Keith, Caber Feidh Scottish Deerhounds, Holistic Husbandry Since
1986, http://www.caberfeidh.com
Tips for Traveling If you are unable to take your pets with you,
then instead of having to vaccinate them before boarding, consider having a
petsitter stay with them. Often the cost is not much more than the vaccination
cost and boarding fees together. And your animal friend gets to stay in a
comforting environment which minimizes stress and keeps them happier while
you're gone. See the Links-Miscellaneous
page for a list of petsitter websites.
If you have additional questions after reviewing the information contained at
these many sites provided above, please feel free to contact me at (210)
402-1220 or kat@katberard.com.
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