Annual Dog Vaccination Dangers
Overview of the Dangers of Annual Dog Vaccinations
There is no scientific evidence pointing to the need for annual core vaccinations for dogs. There is empirical evidence, science and research that is suggesting that immunity lasts for a dog’s life, and that to vaccinate unnecessarily can be dangerous to our pets. Few or no scientific studies have demonstrated a need for cats or dogs ever to be revaccinated.” This article explains why.
if you found this article interesting please sign up for my Newsletters and get all my latest articles, information and comments.
Newsletter Sign Up
For years, we have been told to vaccinate our pets annually. We are told we must never miss a vaccine appointment or our pets could fall ill and die of the diseases covered by these core vaccinations.
We are also told that if we miss a vaccine by 30 days we need to have a double vaccine again. All the above are lies perpetuated by greedy unscrupulous vets.
If I were to ask you how many times you have had a TB, Polio, Smallpox or MMR jabs? In most cases, you would reply that you had only had them once, or in the case of MMR probably twice.
This is from the UK Government’s vaccine protocols for humans: I accept that the protocol is for humans and not pets but there are correlations between the two.
Having said that, dogs are used in laboratory experiments to ascertain that that medicine and many other products do not cause an adverse reaction when used on humans. They use dogs in research because their metabolism and biology is very close to the human metabolic and endocrine system.
“Live vaccines Live attenuated virus vaccines, such as MMR, usually promote a full, long-lasting antibody response after one or two doses.”
Now full and long-lasting sounds to me longer than a year? The core vaccines for dogs and cats are live attenuated vaccines.
Core vaccines show an excellent correlation between the presence of antibodies and protective immunity to disease and have a long DOI (Duration of Immunity).
Core annual vaccinations have been a cash cow for many years, for both the vaccine companies and the Vets that dispense them. I believe that this revenue is created under false and misleading science and it is seriously detrimental to the animal’s health. As long ago as 2004 a group of vets issued a Health Warning that said.
“The present practice of marketing vaccinations for companion animals may constitute fraud by misrepresentation, fraud by silence and theft by deception”
They should have added “and a threat to the life and wellbeing of your pet”. That was 17 years ago and still, I see many of my client’s vaccination certificates stamped with annual core vaccines. Where is the science that says dogs and cats need vaccinations regularly? There is none.
Vaccinating annually is against the BVAs guidelines (British Veterinary Association) The biggest Vaccine supplier in the UK is Intervet. It would normally be their vaccines used when you visit your Vet. Intervet clearly state and have done for some time. The main core vaccines should not be more than once every three to four years.
That is a fairly bold statement. It does not suggest that the Vets should decide for themselves when they should vaccinate. I will repeat. Should not be more than once every three to four years. The BVA (British Veterinary Association, whom I contacted, stated to me
“The duration of immunity (DOI) for each medicine or product is different and veterinary surgeons must keep up to date with this information.”
In 2010 the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) wrote a letter to the two major veterinary publications Veterinary Record and Veterinary Times, explaining that recent trends in data mean that the DOIs for a number of common vaccinations (canine distemper, parvovirus, and adenovirus) are now three to four years. This is information that veterinary surgeons will be aware of and will be following.”
Therefore, the Vets that are administering annual core vaccinations are clearly not following their professional body or the vaccine company’s guidelines. What would happen if a GP did that?
Not only that, the three to four-year duration stated has no scientific research backing it up, it was just a figure apparently plucked out of thin air to assuage the screaming Vets and Vaccine companies. All empirical evidence points to a lifetime immunity for dogs and cats.
So Why Should it Concern Us: Vaccinations are believed to overstimulate the immune system, causing it to malfunction. They are contraindicated for dogs with already suppressed immune systems. Modified live Vaccines (MLVs) have the potential to revert to the virulent form of the disease. Also indicated are the following:
Autoimmune Haemolytic Anaemia: A dreadful disease that usually kills a dog within days. The progress of the disease closely resembles the last stages of AIDS. Scientists in America published a paper in 1997, saying that there is strong evidence to link this disease with ANY vaccine.
Cancers: Dr Denis W Macey reported in an American Veterinary paper that up to 22,000 cats develop cancer at the site of vaccination every year in the USA. American cats are now being vaccinated in the tail or leg so that they can cut it off when it becomes cancerous.
Genetic Defects: Dr Larry Glickman at Purdue University has found that routinely vaccinated dogs develop autoantibodies to a wide range of their own biochemicals, including DNA. The significance of this study is immense. It means that vaccines cause genetic defects.
Thyroid Disease: This can be caused by vaccines, and it then becomes an inheritable condition. Once a dog has underlying thyroid disease, he or she only needs a trigger – from a vaccine, an environmental pollutant, from stress, or from dietary inadequacies – to develop full-blown life-threatening autoimmune diseases.
Leukaemia: Dr Jean Dodds, one of the world’s foremost experts in canine vaccine reactions, writes: “Recent vaccinations with single or combination modified live-virus (MLV) vaccines are increasingly recognised contributors to immune-mediated blood diseases, bone marrow failure, and organ dysfunction.” (Dr Dodds lists leukaemia, thyroid disease, Addison’s disease, diabetes, and lymphoma as diseases that can be triggered by vaccines.
Parvovirus: It appears and is believed that parvovirus was originally created by vaccines. This disease didn’t exist prior to the 1970s. In fact, scientists tell us it was created by vaccine manufacturers who cultured the distemper vaccine on cat kidneys that were infected with feline enteritis. This cat-enteritis-diseased distemper vaccine was then injected into dogs, and parvovirus suddenly reared its ugly head around the world at the same time. A naturally occurring epidemic would spread slowly across continents. Parvovirus appeared with a big bang, in line with multi-national vaccine companies distribution policies.
Arthritis: There are numerous scientific studies linking arthritis with vaccination, this is especially the case with the distemper vaccine. Vaccine components have even been isolated in the bones of arthritis sufferers post-vaccination.
Allergies: There are many, many research papers showing a link between allergies and vaccines. Animals with a genetic predisposition to allergies (‘people’ from families with a history of irritable bowel syndrome/Crohns disease/enteritis, asthma, hay fever, eczema, attention deficit disorder, and so on), can become more allergic, or become highly sensitised when you inject foreign proteins (serums and organ tissue contained in vaccines) into them. Flea bite allergy? Apparently, that’ is the result of vaccines.
Is anyone aware that research of nearly half a million dogs by the Kennel Club in late 2016, discovered that our dogs are dying 11% earlier than 10 years ago? (5) Why Are Our Dogs Dying So Young
Titer Tests and my Protocol On Vaccinations: There is something called a Titer or Titre test, pronounced tighter. Also called serology and antibody testing, it is a simple blood test to ensure that a dog or cat has responded to vaccination with a specific “core” virus vaccine. If those antibodies are present then is no reason to re-vaccinate your pets. Then this is now acceptable to kennels and catteries as proof of immunity.
The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA and the BVA), states that core vaccines should not be given more frequently than every three years after the initial puppy vaccination and twelve-month booster injection and they base their guidelines on the latest research and recommendations from immunologists worldwide. Furthermore, the WSAVA promote the use of titre testing rather than routine vaccinations which is still normal practice in Europe and America despite recommendations and scientific evidence to the contrary.
Kennels, Catteries, and Vaccinations: I have personally fought long and hard for local kennels and catteries to adhere to the latest scientific evidence on the dangers of over vaccinations. There is new guidance with regard to what is required by kennels and catteries in relation to up to date vaccinations. see the link to Kennels and Catteries at the bottom of this article.
Kennels and Catteries may find themselves committing an offence in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Some of the regulations may lead to placing boarding establishments in contravention of those acts. It is an offence under the Act to cause harm or suffering, which may arise due to unnecessary over-vaccination as promoted in the MLCs.
If an animal is already immune to a viral disease, or a particular vaccine is associated with severe adverse reactions and under investigation with the European Medicines Control Agency, as is the case with MSD’s Lepto 4 vaccine, then an animal may be made to suffer as a result of enforced administration of that vaccine. point this out to the kennels and catteries who try and insist on yearly vaccination certificates
My Protocol is This: I vaccinate at 8 and 10.5 weeks of age, I will not have Lepto 4 as i think it is too dangerous. Later on in the dog’s life, I have a titer test done if that shows antibodies present then no more vaccinations. Then I do not have any more tests or vaccinations. I have never had a dog die of any of the diseases covered in the core or none core vaccinations. I must point out that I am not a vet, however, i know a number of vets that do the same as me on their own dogs.
New vets are required to swear a solemn oath in America when they finish their degree “primum non nocere” “first do no harm” However the oath in the UK is to the antiquated and outdated Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. Surely the oath should be to the animals they treat not the RCVA.
I am not certain all of them are following that creed. I have written an in-depth article for those that which to research much deeper into this problem and it can be found here. That also covers non-core vaccines such as Leptospirosis is and dog flu. This is a disgrace on an International level yet it appears no newspapers or news agencies are interested in the systematic over-vaccinating of our pets. Purely for the god of profit, not the pets best interest If you require more information or more in-depth science then click the links below
Dr Ronald Shultz: Dr Shultz is one of the Worlds leading professors in pathobiological sciences and immunology. He has been studying the effectiveness of canine vaccines since the 1970s; he’s learned that immunity can last as long as a dog’s lifetime, which suggests that our “best friends” are being over-vaccinated. Below are some of his infographics by kind permission of (4) Dogs Naturally
The DOIs Duration of Immunities is below. It’s important to note that this is the MINIMUM duration of immunity. These ceilings reflect not the duration of immunity, but the duration of the studies.
It is important to understand that these are minimum DOI’s and longer studies have not been done with certain of the above products. It is possible that some or all of these products will provide lifelong immunity.
My Thanks go to Dr Shultz and Dogs Naturally Magazine
(1) In-Depth the Dangers of Over Vaccination of Cats and Dogs
(3) Dangerous advice From Pet Gazette and PDSA
(5) Why Are Our Dogs Dying So Young
© Stan Rawlinson March 2015
Updated July 2019
Comments (52)
Annual Vaccinations
I understand what you are saying and, believe me, I would much rather vaccinate every 3 – 4 years BUT my insurance company insist on a yearly booster to validate cover for my dogs. What can I do??
Annual Vaccination and insurance Companies
If your insurance company insists on annual vaccinations then they are recommending against the vaccine companies that state it is dangerous to vaccinate annually the British Veterinary Association (BVA) and the Worlds Small Animals Veterinary Association (WSAVA). You can sue them if they insist and a medical condition arises because of their demands on recommending against professional advice and manufacturers guidelines and vaccination protocols.
Change your insurance to
Change your insurance to Tesco – they cover everything except the diseases covered by the vaccinations. As long as your dog has immunity it should not be an issue.
At last!
Thank you so much for writing the truth about dog vaccinations. We had a puppy at eight weeks who had received his first set of vaccinations at six weeks old. In my opinion this is too early. He was ill the day after we got him home.
Eventually we found out he had autoimmune haemolytic anaemia. We managed to keep him going for another four weeks as he would improve a little after steroids but quickly deteriorate again. It was heart breaking! I really believe it was caused by vaccinating him too early.
That was a year ago and six months later we had another pup. This time we waited until he was twelve weeks old to give him his first vaccinations. We made sure he was well socialised with other vaccinated dogs and took him out to friends houses. We even carried him around the neighbourhood whilst walking our other dog!
Thanks again for such a great article. I researched a lot when our puppy was sick and it seems many vets are too scared , or greedy, to speak out about over vaccination.
The information in this
The information in this article is correct to a certain degree but misses to highlight that a yearly vaccination of leptospirosis must be given as this does not last for 3 years. The veterinary profession know the guide lines and follow them. Titre testing is done for those that request it and out of the 15 I have helped do only 1 patient has come back as fully vaccinated against all core parts of the 3 yearly vaccinations. It is very miss leading to simply write and article telling people that all vets are over vaccinating and out for money when they are simply doing our jobs and following the guide lines set my manufacturers who have spent millions in research. As for the insurance aspect if your pet became ill and it was preventable with a simple vaccination then unfortunately they will not cover this. The reason there has been a decline in outbreaks of distemper or parvovirus is because we vaccinate and those who don’t are getting by because the majority of pet owners do.
Leptopspirosis
First of all I did not say that ALL vets were over-vaccinating. I wonder if you could tell me where the science that states core vaccines should be given every three years comes from?. It was a sop to the vaccine companies and the vets. Dogs immune systems are quite similar roi humans we do not require core vaccines every three years.
These vaccine create antibodies that are normally stable until the immune system breaks down or serious illness lessens their effect. Core vaccines show an excellent correlation between the presence of antibody and protective immunity to a disease, and have a long DOI (Duration of Immunity).
In 2002, a landmark report published by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Council on Biologic and Therapeutic Agents (COBTA) stated in part, “…the practice of re-vaccinating animals annually is largely based on historic precedent supported by minimal scientific data; unnecessary stimulation of the immune system does not result in enhanced disease resistance and may expose animals to unnecessary risks…”. – See more at: https://www.doglistener.co.uk/depth-annual-dog-vaccination-dangers#sthash.NFeSqgIj.dpuf
My concern is the Vets that are STILL core vaccinating annually. There is a large chain of vets quite well known that often does this. This leads me onto leptospirosis. I wonder if you could tell me how many cases of lepto did we have in the UK last year?. I am still trying to find out, however in previous years it has been as low as 45 out of approximately 8 million dogs.
I am sure you are aware that the vaccine does not cover all types of the strain found in the UK. Are you also aware that a proportion of the dogs HAD been vaccinated for Lepto and still caught it.
Eminent scientists in both the UK and America have called for the withdrawal of this vaccine, because it is ineffective to most of the strains of this disease. I that why every single dog with lepto in CHC’s survey, contracted it within three months of being vaccinated.
One of the leading professors of immunology is Dr RD Shultz, professor and chair of the Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin. His expertise is in Immunopathogenesis of viral diseases; developmental aspects of immunity; effects of environmental factors on immune systems; Studies are ongoing on development and/or testing of various adjuvants and vaccines for numerous bacterial and viral diseases of domesticated species. Basically I am saying that he really knows what he is talking about.
He has written many papers regarding vaccinations and immune-mediated medical problems and is one of the most well respected experts in his field. He states that he never vaccinates his own dogs for leptospirosis, even though he lives in a high risk area.”
According to his survey on vaccination programs, “Approximately 30% of veterinary practices do not vaccinate for leptospirosis. The responding practitioners either didn’t believe that leptospirosis was a significant problem in their area or the vaccine containing L. canicola and L. icterohaemorrhagiae serovars failed to provide protection.”
I found this research interesting from Dr. Arnold Plotnick, D.V.M. (8) “Leptospirosis is a zoonotic (potentially contagious to humans) disease that affects the kidneys and sometimes the liver. It is caused by the bacterium Leptospira interrogans. The core vaccine that contains distemper, adenovirus, parainfluenza and parvovirus is also available with the leptospirosis organism”.
“However, the Leptospirosis portion of the vaccine is the most reactive fraction of the combination core vaccine, and is a common offender in causing adverse vaccination reactions in dogs. In addition, the immunity conferred by the leptospirosis portion is believed to be short-lived, probably six months or less. For these reasons, we do not recommend the leptospirosis vaccine be routinely administered to all dogs.”
I wonder if you could tell me how many cases in the last 5 years you have treated for Leptospirosis if any? How many had been vaccinated yet still contracted this disease? Please remember the CHC’s (Canine Health Concern) findings in one calender year found that every single dog that contracted leptospirosis contracted it within three months of being vaccinated against it.
Given that this vaccination is the most reactive fraction of the combination core vaccine, and is a common offender in causing adverse vaccination reactions in dogs perhaps we should read more about this rare disease especially given the aggressive nature of this vaccine.
Vaccinating rehomed puppy
I rehomed a 7 month old Shih Tzu
The previous owner said he had been vaccinated, however she has not produced papers, she says she has lost them due to relationship breakup and having to move out. She has not supplied the name of vet. I rang all vets in locality and they have no record. My vet advised to repeat vaccinations as said that is the usual action if they have no record. He was quite sick after the first vaccine. Other than that he seems okay. I would welcome your comment please.
vaccinating rescue dogs
I would have chased up the owner and demanded details of vaccinations or at least the name of the vet. II shudder when I hear that young and old dogs have been revaccinated because they cannot find the papers. Why didn’t the Vet offer a titer test that would have shown up if the dog had there LIFELONG antibodies?
Having had a puppy collapse
Having had a puppy collapse and then die after her puppy vaccs, personally I think one vaccination is too many. I don’t do any puppy vaccs now, I have 6 dogs, oddly, considering we are told how dangerous these disease are, and that our dogs will get them and then die, I have not had one single illness with any of mine!! It isn’t like they are kept in an airtight bubble either. They used to go to dog shows, they walk in the local parks and pet shops, they go on holiday (in the UK) with us, they go walking in fields, in woodland and swim in any water they can find… They are all 100% healthy. I find it appalling that vets want to keep sticking these dangerous chemicals into innocent animals year in year out.
dog vaccination
I think you are on the right lines. Try colloidal silver fpr anything viral.
Vaccines
I don to disagree that for most viruses, the vaccination schedule should not be annual. Most veterinary bodies and the RVC advise this. If someone goes to a vet who insists on yearly vacs, they should change vets and tell them the reason why. However, I do take issue with several other points. Your comments on leptospirosis for example. Simply saying “how many cases do you hear of?” Implying that if there aren’t any cases, the disease doesn’t exist is flawed. It’s the equivalent of saying measles isn’t a problem because not many children get it. Maybe the disease does not cause more harm because the majority of dogs are vaccinated against it. Also, the standard vac now covers the 4 key antigens from the most prevalent strains, not 2. Of course, there are cases of vaccinated dogs getting lepto because there is no vaccine, human or animal which is claimed to be 100% effective. Parvovirus was not man-made, it is as a result of cross-species transmission. Parvo has been known and identified in many carnivore species for much longer than the claimed 1970s you state. FPV since at least the 50s and in wild animal populations for much longer. Finally, you would gain much more respect and potentially a wider audience if you were balanced in your information. I refer to the list of side effects. If you really want to convince an audience, cite your scientific sources, not just “this important person said”, I mean peer-reviewed scientific studies into each of the side effects of vaccinating you claim. I agree with one of them as having sound scientific evidence and that is the injection sites in cats leading to tumours. Until someone shows me real evidence the rest smacks of scaremongering and I don’t believe that is your intention
Real Scientist, Really?
Real Scientist?
What does the word Overview means In “Overview of the Dangers of Annual Dog Vaccinations?” and what do you think In Depth means in ” In Depth the Dangers of Over Vaccination of Cats and Dogs?”
At the end of this article I recommend reading my In Depth article, were you too busy writing a rebuttal to notice that? I suggest you read it. There are dozens of references to academic and scientific information in that article.
May I suggest a little more research may turn up the reason for the parvovirus outbreak? How could it erupt within months in every country when transportation of pets was in its infancy. The UK along with many other countries had a 6 months quarantine period. How did UK dogs suddenly succumb to it?
Medical technology has spawned its own demons…there is no doubt that new medical developments, such as vaccines grown in animal cells or animal-to-human transplants, might easily contribute to an epidemic.
In 1978, dogs around the world suddenly began to die, developing bloody diarrhoea and rapidly (often overnight), progressing to fatal dehydration. Canine parvovirus arrived and exploded round the world within a few months, How could this happen?
Canine parvovirus is very similar to the long known feline panleukopenia virus (FPV). Soon after its appearance, parvo was classified as a mutation of FPV – in fact, the first vaccines used against parvo were FPV vaccines. Prior to the parvovirus outbreak, the only widely-used vaccine for dogs was distemper. At some point, cats’ kidneys were used to develop the distemper vaccine and this was shipped around the world the distemper vaccine was grown on cat kidney cells and the cats were infected with FPV.
Another possibility is that cats that were vaccinated for FPV shed that vaccine through their faeces – a very real risk with modified live vaccines. The feline parvovirus could have easily mutated into canine parvovirus. In the trouble with modified live vaccines is: “…there is a high probability of back mutation and reversion to virulence once introduced to the animals.”
Regardless of how canine parvovirus originated, it is well accepted that it is a man-made disease and it is the result of vaccination, either for canine distemper or FPV. This much is obvious because the outbreaks were sudden and massive and they first surfaced in countries that regularly vaccinated dogs and cats.
Leptospirosis. I did not state or imply there were no cases. I clearly said there were on average 45 cases per year in the UK . Out of 8 million dogs is that a credible risk? This vaccination is well documented to be related to some of the worse reactions in dogs including death and anaphylactic shock. . What you state is like saying we should remove every female’s breasts because of the risk of breast cancer.
(4) (5) (6) Leptospirosis is actually quite rare. Apart from that, leptospirosis has a range of hundreds of bacterins; the chance of the strain in the needle matching the strain in the field is actually quite remote.
The vaccine only confers protection for between three and six months, leaving vaccinated dogs ‘unprotected’ for up to six to nine months. So why are we told that we need to vaccinate annually?
Eminent scientists in both the UK and America have called for the withdrawal of this vaccine, because it is ineffective to most of the strains of this disease. I that why every single dog with lepto in CHC’s survey, contracted it within three months of being vaccinated.
One of the leading professors of immunology is Dr RD Shultz, professor and chair of the Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin. His expertise is in Immunopathogenesis of viral diseases; developmental aspects of immunity; effects of environmental factors on immune systems; Studies are ongoing on development and/or testing of various adjuvants and vaccines for numerous bacterial and viral diseases of domesticated species. Basically I am saying that he really knows what he is talking about.
He has written many papers regarding vaccinations and immune-mediated medical problems and is one of the most well respected experts in his field. He states that he never vaccinates his own dogs for leptospirosis, even though he lives in a high risk area.”
(7) According to his survey on vaccination programs, “Approximately 30% of veterinary practices do not vaccinate for leptospirosis. The responding practitioners either didn’t believe that leptospirosis was a significant problem in their area or the vaccine containing L. canicola and L. icterohaemorrhagiae serovars failed to provide protection.”
I found this research interesting from Dr. Arnold Plotnick, D.V.M. (8) “Leptospirosis is a zoonotic (potentially contagious to humans) disease that affects the kidneys and sometimes the liver. It is caused by the bacterium Leptospira interrogans. The core vaccine that contains distemper, adenovirus, parainfluenza and parvovirus is also available with the leptospirosis organism”.
“However, the Leptospirosis portion of the vaccine is the most reactive fraction of the combination core vaccine, and is a common offender in causing adverse vaccination reactions in dogs. In addition, the immunity conferred by the leptospirosis portion is believed to be short-lived, probably six months or less. For these reasons, we do not recommend the leptospirosis vaccine be routinely administered to all dogs.”
The numbers on the couple of paragraphs above correspond to the scientific information and papers written by eminant scientists and professors. BTW, I don’t do scaremongering and I certainly do not write anything unless it has been thoroughly researched
– See more at: https://www.doglistener.co.uk/depth-annual-dog-vaccination-dangers#sthash.CTOxnNIV.dpuf
Annual Vaccinations and Boarding Kennels
We recently welcomed a German Shepherd puppy into our home to join our other five adult dogs. The Shepherd’s breeder is against yearly vaccinations and advocates titre testing every three years. Up until now our other dogs have had the annual boosters, mainly because they occasionally need to go into boarding kennels, and an up-to-date vaccination record is required.
We would be keen to switch over to titre testing, but have not yet enquired at our Vets as to whether they provide this service, and the associated cost (although this is not a major concern). The stumbling block may be convincing the boarding kennels to accept less than yearly vaccinations.
Is there any evidence of contra-indications with an annual kennel cough vaccine, which is also stipulated by the kennels?
Vaccination and Boarding Kennels
Defra has written to licenced boarding kennels pointing out that the DOI Duration of Immunity has changed and they should be following the advice of the vaccine makers and the 2010 changes in requirements. Kennels cannot insist on you over vaccinating your dog as this fall within the Animal Welfare Act and the five freedoms. Especially this one ” Freedom from pain, injury or disease ” It is now well known that over-vaccination can cause serious side effects and immune system collapse.
innoculations
Our 2year old dog had full puppy vaccinations. She picked up campylobacter at 6 months old & has been quite ill on & off since it has left her with a very sensitive stomach, consequently she missed her 12 month booster & the vet is now insisting on full inoculations. Can you advise please?
Innoculations
Hi
I am not a vet therefore i cannot give advice. I can only tell you my personal vaccine protocols as show in the main body of my article.
This is taken from there.
“My protocol is this. I vaccinate at 8 and 10.5 weeks of age No more vaccinations until my dog reaches 7 years old. Then I have a Titer test, if that shows the necessary antibodies, then I do not have any more tests or vaccinations. I have never had a dog die of any of the diseases covered in the core or none core vaccinations. I must point out that I am not a vet however i know a number of vets that do the same as me on their own dogs”
Stan.
Kennels insist on it
Interesting read.
Part of the problem then, is not only vets propagating this but kennels. Here in the UK if you’re going on holiday (vacation) or seeing family for Xmas, etc… and need to put your dog into a boarding kennel to be looked after for a few days, the kennels will only take your dog if you show your paperwork with up-to-date vaccinations.
This further legitimises it in people’s eyes, who of course assume that it must be important to get done.
Those rules needs challenging if what you say is correct.
Kennels
It is often not the Kennels that are insisting on annual vaccinations but the insurance companies that cover these kennels.
Because of their ignorance on the dangers surrounding over-vaccination and the change in vaccine protocols they are actually costing themselves millions of pounds as dogs become ill. They have to pay out if the dogs are insured with them . Stupid really. My answer is I never put my dogs in kennels I go to an intelligent dog sitter
vaccination
I am not a vet or a pet owner but I have a little experience of how my daughter (owner of a number of Italian Greyhounds) treated one IG who contracted leptospirosis after we came to live in France. One local vet pressed the vaccination on her, his colleague said it was rather risky. My daughter chose not to vaccinate but did some research and treated the dog with colloidal silver – which can be made and which is not expensive. The dog got better.
Lepto and Colloidal Silver
I have heard of Colloidal Silver being used for treating leptospirosis. Though how efficient that is I cannot say and i do not have personal experience on its use
I, therefore, cannot personally recommend it .However, it is worth Googling and you may want to read this
http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com/issue/15-how-to-cure-lyme-disease-and-virtually-any-other-bacterial-infection-naturally.
Stan
Bad experience of human vaccines let alone dogs
Unfortunately I have had severe reactions to vaccines, both myself and children. (Anaphylaxis and developmental regression and delays)
Of course vaccines have their place but what a double edged sword it can be. My two sons have high functioning autism and so did my dad. My nephews also have ASD disorders so the hereditary factor is clearly very strong.
I was petrified to have any jabs when my daughter was born. I delayed as long as I dared and then had them later but she too reacted and is now yellow carded. We were unlucky.
As for the pets I have never vaccinated any of my cats and the last one that died in 2011 was aged 21. The other 3 I have are now 14. My cat at home was 17 when she died. When finally we got a dog I agreed to the first set of vaccinations at 9 weeks. Since then I haven’t had any future jabs and he is now approaching 4. So it’s decision time. Where we live, although there are foxes in the garden every night, we have a good general uptake of vaccines and I guess I ride off the back of this but I am still so conscious of the effects that over challenging a natural immune system can have.
The fox remains my my biggest concern as in the past a mange ridden one passed on a Sarcoptic mite to our dog as a pup.
Because I am so torn between the decision to vaccinate or not regularly; with my daughter I used homeopathic nosodes to prime her immune system during viral outbreaks. So far so good. I am now thinking this may be a better option for our dog as I do not want to compromise his natural, healthy immunity. I haven’t yet explored whether this is an option as we were targeting measles and mumps rather than canine diseases.
These are my personal experiences and not recommendations but I felt they may be a useful account as I have had a lot of pets that have never ever developed an auto immune disease to date and lived to a ripe old age.
Effectiveness of core vaccines
Hi I battled and failed to convince my vet to adopt the three yearly vaccination protocol, never mind the never again after the initial vaccinations. Except for Rabies which my vet only recently moved over onto the three yearly.
I don’t live in the UK or Europe but in Asia. When I suggested the three yearly instead of the annual for the core vaccines he the Australian vet got very bolshy and hotly defensive. We had quite a tiff which ended up him declaring he would pay for them to be done himself, do it for free. It was never about the money in the first place which he seemed to have assumed it was, so instead of making more of a scene I just quietly decided then and there to change vets entirely. As very few will travel out to me due to our difficult location it wasn’t done lightly either. I was offended by his assumption, completely, but still it’s about my dogs rather than him personally.
I thought once a dog was vaccinated ( three years in a row after the intial puppy shots in my case) it was immune for at least three years. However the vet said as we had a fair number of wild dogs in our forests/jungle near by the risks were much higher and so insisted annual was the only way to go.
Is this right? Are the risks much higher to warrant annual shots? Could my dogs somehow not be immune “enough” to defend an onslaught from affected wild dogs. The wild dogs do occasional come past our fenced garden at night when they’re hunting etc and I do sometimes hear the cries of the odd puppy in the dense bush.
But Isn’t immune immune?
I decided to miss last years year vaccinations, this was a very scary step given what I was advised by a veterinarian. No one likes second guessing a vet as they are meant to know the best way forward for our pets. It leaves me feeling extremely uneasy.
The new vet is coming around tomorrow, the only other one I could find who does “house” calls here. I have no idea what he thinks but I have asked for him to come and do the titre blood tests, only the second year after their annual booster shots were last done. I obviously don’t want him to be sticking needles into my dogs unnecessarily and am hoping he will say it’s not needed but I just don’t know yet. His web site says the same as the others, annually. I just asked him to come and do it. He seemed a bit busy when I phoned, maybe he didn’t hear. Anyway I will soon know as he agreed to come.
Taking into account practises here are somewhat lagging behind Western countries, even though they really shouldn’t be as most of our vets are in fact trained and come from the UK, Australia and places like South Africa. They still insist on annual. I did an internet search of local practises and they all say the same thing basically. That our area (country, territory) is a higher risk therefor they do annual vaccinations.
The strange thing is the government issued a public broadcast on tele just last year reminding dog owners to vaccinate every three years!!!!!?
Yes its confusing and terrifying at the same time. I would be so distraught if my dogs became fataly ill because of something I’ve done. Completely destroyed.
Apologies for the long letter. Your advice would be invaluable.
When is immune not immune?
Hi Dog Listener, I will try and keep this as short as possible as I see you have a flood of responses, understandably of course. It’s a very important contentious and critical issue for the welfare of our dogs.
I don’t live in the USA, Europe, UK or Ireland, Australia etc but in Asia, Hong Kong. My vet will only do annual vaccinations and its a Six in One. Very recently he has decided only rabies should be every three years. Simply changing vets is a very limited option as only very few do house calls. Most in any case seem to hold his views here. However that wouldn’t stop me getting the right thing done for my dogs.
His reasoning for insisting on annually is that we have a lot of stray and wild dogs in Hong Kong. As such our dog are according to him much more vulnerable than the rest of the world where vaccination protocol has for the most part long, long changed. He also states this opinion on his web site should you wish to read it. He is an Australian vet.
My question is isn’t immune immune?
No matter what’s in the environment, once a dog has been vaccinated correctly with the core vaccinations from puppy into adulthood aren’t they immune to these diseases no matter what the levels of unvaccinated dogs in the environment might be? At least the same as any other dog in any other part of the globe would be?
Isn’t triennial vaccination and titre tests more than sufficient? Even too much, even in these circumstances?
Your opinion would be very well received, I have read your site many times over.
Regards
Overvaccination
I think your vet has either does not understood what immune means or he has chosen to ignore it for financial reasons. These vaccines are live attenuated vaccines. they create antibodies in patients that fight off these diseases, the fact that there are dogs that may be susceptible because of not being vaccinated does not take away the fact the antibodies have been created and therefore immunity is present.
In reality, annual over vaccinations can break down your dog’s immune system to such an extent, that it will have the opposite effect of what this vet is telling you. It may be worth your while either sending or telling your vet this article by Dogs Naturally Magazine.
Thanks…
Thanks heaven! I’ve been so worried you wont believe. It’s the most terrible and frightening thing having to second guess your vet possibly at the expense of your beloved dogs, all in a complete vacuum of what appears to be wilful or even premeditated ignorance.
Thank you so much for your reply.
Are all vaccines then equal? Is there a chance some countries don’t use “live attenuated vaccines” that have shorter immunity levels. Or could the vaccine manufacturers here or where ever the vet gets them be themselves telling him the vaccines are only going to work for a year? I mean obviously the vets are not going to be the only ones worried about profit margins, right?
That last question was just a hypothetical, as I think sadly that you’re right about my vet anyway. He even said angrily last year that the AVA which is the “Australian Veterinary Association” has not changed its position on annual vaccinations. However when I looked this up on the AVA’s web site they had changed already and in 2009 in fact!! They have been advising vets to go onto a triennial vaccination programmes in Australia for the last seven years.
Thank you once again a huge burden has been lifted from my shoulders on this issue. I’ve had such bad luck with my previous dogs here I just wanted to do the best for these I have now under my guardianship.
Thank you for the suggested reading to pass onto my vet but I decided to drop him entirely as a result. I found another vet only yesterday, an English vet who is more flexible in approach and didn’t for one moment hesitate to suggest I dont bother with the titre tests even as they are very expensive here and just confidently go on a triennial vaccination programme. It’s a step in the right direction at least so Im feeling a lot better about it all.
Thank you PS
Thats not to say I didn’t read that link and word for word. Thank you. I will ask for a titre test after three years is up. Is there a level of titre we should be looking for? I mean whats to stop the vet simpy saying its incorrect because its too low or….do you get the titre test as print out or anything?
Thank you yet again
Don’t rush for Titer
I have a belief that the 3 to 4 years DOI (duration of immunity) was simply plucked out of the air, probably as a sop for both the vets and the vaccines companies. All the science points to the core vaccines having a DOI of at least 7 years and probably life. Therefore do not rush to get the Titer tests. My dogs get their puppy vaccination and that is it.
Vaccinations
Can I sue my vet? My poor dog had an awful reaction to her yearly booster back in July she almost died she suffers from an autoimmune virus now and has to have steroids daily and chemotherapy every 6 weeks .. we can only prey by next July the vaccine wears off .. does anyone know wether this has worked?
Can I sue my Vet?
Yes, you can. However, the difficulty is in finding a vet that will act as an expert witness on your behalf. The veterinary profession is very hard to bring a lawsuit because of your responsibility for proving that the Vet was negligent. You may wish to sue the vaccine manufacturers.
Puppy vaccinations
Hi Stan,
Thanks for the valuable information. I have read a book recently, the author adviced one vaccination against distemper at 12 weeks and one vaccination against parvovirus at 14 weeks. Since the author is from USA, I wonder does UK has different diseases need to apply different injection? Or do you give the same vaccines above?
Some holistic vet believe it’s much safer to let puppy grow up a bit and gain stronger immune system before first vaccination. Some suggest 16 week. What’s your opinion of this?
If I delay the vaccination, does it mean I should keep my puppy at home until the vaccination done? Will her be in danger when I take her to the vet for the puppy register? Is it possible the vet will refuse to register my puppy if I insist to vaccinate her in my way?
Looking forward to hearing your opinion. Thanks
The problem of waiting for the right time to vaccinate
In reality, the book you read is correct. However, the problem is socialisation and you puppy not being allowed out until those dates.
That could cause untold damage to the future behaviour of those puppies. Critical periods during 0 to 12 weeks (Human Socialisation Period) Minimum of a 100 people handling your dog, and 0 the 16 weeks (Canine Socialisation Period) they must be able to mix and play with other puppies up to this age. Without this socialisation aggression and fear-based behavioural problems are the result. over 96% of all aggressions are fear based. Many believe aggression is dominance or hormonal base. They could not be further than the truth.
Neutering has a major impact on aggression it actually makes it worse or starts if off. That has now bee proven scientifically. Yet Vets are still neutering pups before maturity.
vacinations
The initial puppy shots are necessary but the vets are doing more harm than good it is just a money maker on both sides with no research proving it necessary. This goes for the flea tick and heart worm meds with way too many pesticides. Pumping poisons into a pet is not a kindness.
Vaccinating puppies
I’m getting my puppy on the 24th June 017 having read about not vaccinating and talking to a friend who has never had her dogs vaccinated I’m now in two minds if I should go ahead and vaccinate her when I get her home or not vaccinate at all..??
Should I risk the puppy vaccine? And leave it at that or leave her unvaccinated??
I will talk to my vet about my concerns before I decide first..
She won’t ever be going into kennels.
I’m torn because I don’t want to risk her health from giving her the vaccine, especially. After reading the papers about the vaccines..
Any help would be appreciated…
Vaccinating Puppies
I always vaccinate my puppies as soon as possible. This can be done at six weeks old but that decision would be made by the breeder. the second vaccination is normally done at 10 weeks. After the that |I never vaccinate again, however, I Titer test at 1 year then 8 years of age to be certain that the antibodies are still there. Titer test is a simple blood test. Read this article which explains it in more depth. Dangerous Annual Dog Vaccination Advice Pet Gazette and PDSA
Annual booster
Thank you so much for your articles. I have owned dogs all my married life and have always stopped having them vaccinated after age 3. None of them ever caught anything and they lived long healthy lives. However, when I bought my present dog I was practically bullied into annual vaccinations and made to feel that I was putting my pet at risk. My present vet insists on annual vaccination, in fact he has just sent me a letter saying that, as my dog had been 3 months late having his boosters, he now needs a complete course! I had not taken him for his booster as, after reading your articles, I have realised that he has gradually developed skin allergies, eye problems (conjunctivitis) and a sensitive digestive system over the past few years (he is now 8 years old). Of course, the treatments for all these problems do not come cheap! I have now written to the vet challenging the need for annual boosters and enclosing a copy of your articles. I will await his reply with interest! Whatever the outcome, I do not think I will allow any more vaccinations.
Absolute Disgrace and I would change my Vets
I find this most unsettling and personally would never grace this vet’s premises or his pockets ever again. I truly believe the Veterinary Profession has lost its way in some instances greed and avarice have taken over from care and compassion. These Vets cannot claim ignorance as the BVA has contacted all of them with a directive regarding DOIs Duration of Immunity. I would be very interested in his reply.
Letter from vet
I did not take my 8 year old Shi-tzu for his annual boosters this year, partly because of what I read on your site but also because he had not been well. Yesterday I received a letter telling me that as his vaccination had been missed by more than one month he would need a new course of 2 vaccinations! I really could not believe what I was reading. I have written to him enclosing your IN Depth report and also information from the manufacturer’s website stating that the duration of immunity is 3 years. I have asked for his comments on this. If he insists I will have to find a vet who is not so blinkered, a pity as he is otherwise a very good vet.
Bad Vets
To state, you need to find a vet that i not so blinkered means he is either an idiot or a greedy individual who puts money before the best interests of your dog. Get rid of him and send the information to any friends you have that use this person. He also states he is blinkered that would suggest that he is unfit to practice. A greedy individual that put money before the health of the pets he is supposed to look after. If you would like to name him I will put him out to the general public as people like this need to be shown up for what they are.
Stan
Annual vaccination programs involve?
My 3 year old is due her annual vaccinations next weekend, as a re cap, what are we vaccinating against? I get reminders from the vets that she is due for her annual boost. We live in a rural UK small town with plenty of dog owners, what’s the big thing about vaccinating each year which the vets seems so hung up on? My dog has been vomiting the last few days but you wouldn’t know it, she is so lively/ energetic not off her food and is deficating as normal. Do I take her for a vaccination or not bother as it would be her 3rd booster coming up soon. I know your not a vet but is this all necessary. Would feel guilty if she did get ill because I hadn’t vaccinated. I was AMTRA qualified a few years back, don’t work in that line of work now and vaccinations were not part of our training as they are’vet only’ medicines so I don’t know enough about these live vaccines. Thanks
Investigate my vets practise
Maybe investigating my local vets practise as a matter of curiosity would be a good idea? If I could send you the details including my email address, you could get an understanding wether they are doing it for the money or for the welfare of the animals. Do find they are bad for overcharging so would be interesting to know if the feedback I got would confirm the suspicion.
Titer Test?
I lost my much loved dog in December after 16 and a half years. We had him vaccinated every year until he was around 13. He developed diabetes and the stress of having him vaccinated sent his levels all over the place. I have no idea if the vaccines caused his diabetes, he was not overweight, is this possible? Also He was covered in warts. Nasty things that bled and itched to the point he would scratch them off causing severe bleeding. I believe these were caused by over vaccination, is this correct in your opinion? Lastly i am getting a new puppy in a few days and will only have the first vaccines. But can you tell me where and how to have a titer test done please?
Titer Tests
Most Vets will now offer this service. If they don’t then just go to a vet that does.
Warts, If you’ve noticed round, cauliflower-like growths on your dog’s skin and mucous membranes, then he may have acquired a DNA virus. Warts, also called viral papillomas, are the result of a papillomavirus infection. These are highly contagious viruses specific to dogs that can be spread through contact with the virus itself. The growths that form are most often found as single or multiple growths on the lips, tongue, gums, muzzle, eyelids and eyes, and between the toes, but they have also been seen on the abdomen, legs and groin. When they affect the oral cavity, then the virus is called canine papillomavirus 1. While warts themselves are harmless, they may begin to interfere with your dog’s normal functions, such as chewing or swallowing or become a source of discomfort. If your dog bites them, they can bleed and become infected. Besides the presence of warts, other signs of an oral papilloma infection include a foul mouth odour, bloody discharge from the mouth, and breathing or swallowing problems. On rare occasions, the growths can develop into cancer. Ways your dog can become infected with viral papillomas include:
The two I have put in bold letters are related to vaccinations
Annual vaccinations
Thank you so much for raising this subject again. I have been telling my dog owning friends to read up on this matter for the past three years. I changed my Veterinary practice due to the original vet insisting we vaccinate every year. Have now found a practice who go with 3-4 yearly vaccinating. We will have the Titer Test done before even considering pumping more drugs into our beloved dog. Our pet insurance provider states they will agree to abide by our Veterinary Practices protocol on this matter. I totally agree some practices use the ‘every year’ jabs as a ‘cash cow’ and should be ashamed of themselves as they are not putting our pets health before their greed!
titres
This is the quote I’ve just received for Titres for my cats!! “Yes, you can test antibody titre for Feline herpes, calici and panleucopaenia viruses. The cost for these is £238.08 for the lab fee + £10 sampling fee + £28.80 lab handling fee which totals at £276.88 per cat. The lab fee usually means that people do not end up testing titres as it is prohibitively expensive.” I have no doubt in my mind that the cost has been heavily inflated to make pet owners continue with the cash cow method of over vaccinating. It disgusts me. I have no faith left in veterinary practises. I left my vets of 22 years last year after it became very apparent that they are now all about the money they can make.
Titres
Carrie, I agree with every word you have said. Greed and Avarice is endemic in most (not all) veterinary practices. The worst are the large groups Medivet etc. The modern-day vets should in the main hang their heads in shame. It is not the over-inflated prices it is the fact they are administering surgery and vaccination that is lower the life expectancies of our dogs, read my article Why Are Our Dogs Dying so Young type or copy that into google I will come up first. It is a national disgrace.
Lepto 4
Hi, I had a small chihuahua and she passed away after been given this vaccination, she was only 6, her heart, kidneys and liver failed! I am totally against all vaccinations now and looking at Hollistic nosodes. Could you please advise as I’ve been told all puppies have a good immune system from moms milk too!
Lepto 4
If I could ban this particular vaccine I would as I believe the supposed cure is far more dangerous than the disease. and if I could sue every single vet that overvaccinates I would. What we need is for the Government to recognise our pets as sentient and the vets would never dare over-vaccinate again as it would open the doors to malpractice sign my petition on Dog Theft and Sentience We have 464.000 signatures.
Thank you
didn’t knew this is what really is going on
Stick to dog behaviour
If you knew anything about how vaccinations work, you would realise that you could have one every week and it wouldn’t harm you, the first might make you a bit sick but your immune system would have no problem dealing with subsequent shots, that is what your immune system does.
Some antibodies stay in your system for a long time and some don’t, hence people need top ups, like the tetanus vaccination. Dogs are just the same.
Maybe you should watch a dog die from Leishmaniosis, which is vaccinated against yearly, before you tell all your loyal followers not to vaccinate a dog. Most dogs don’t die naturally from this disease, they are put down as the pain is too much and there is no cure in case you are wondering.
But I suppose anything to get more views on your website and of course more sales…..
Stick to Dog Behaviour
We always get one village Idiot. You clearly did not even bother reading the article. Did you imagine I made all this up do you imagine the vaccine companies who were forced to change the duration of immunity from 1 year to every 3 years out of the goodness of their heart? They had to do it because it was causing the dog’s immune system to attack its own body. Are you aware that Dogs are dying 11% sooner than they were ten years ago? Why do you think that is? Just try and engage your brain before opening your mouth and read the list of scientific papers and research on the very real problem.
Dog vaccination
My dog is 3.5 years old. He’s had all his vaccinations, but when I visited the vet last month the vet said Benji needed kennel cough vaccine. He never stayed in kennels and is a very healthy dog. The vet said he’s seen a lot of kennel cough in his patients and i should vaccinate for this. I did this time, however, do not want to continue to vaccinate if not necessary. Is the there a holistic and sensible vet you can recommend in london? I live in nottinghill but am willing to travel anywhere in london?
Dog Vaccination
Unfortunately, many of the holistic vets have been bought out by large groups. I have never given any type of vaccination for kennel cough to my dohs kennel Cough is like catching a cold and treat it like that many people give baby benylin to the dogs that get it and they ate OK after a short period of time.
Comments are closed.