I recently wrote an article sharing my concerns with annual vaccinations. Are the boosters really necessary? Are we over vaccinating our pets?
Here are some great resources professional veterinarians shared with me that I’ve found to be eye opening…
Dr. Cathy Alinovi is one of a growing number of veterinarians who is willing to explore alternative medicine and engage pet owners in discussions about their pet’s health and wellness. Dr. Cathy shared a compelling and educational PDF with me and made me feel better about looking for a new vet. Dr. Cathy provided valuable input to the Canine Parvovirus page.
Dr. Karen Becker is a name that I’m fast becoming familiar with; she’s a holistic veterinarian who is questioning the status quo and educating pet owners about caring for our loved ones. Her articles are easy to read and comprehend and I look forward to sharing what I learn here on Keep the Tail Wagging.
Dr. Karen’s Thoughts on Over Vaccinating Our Pets
Dr. DePaolo is a holistic vet living in Texas who has strong opinions on vaccinations. Today he works mainly with horses, but he has 20 years of experience working with small animals and pets before deciding to specialize and take the route of a holistic veterinarian.
Dr. DePaolo’s Library: Please click this link and then navigate to the two vaccination articles on the left hand side.
Dr. Laurie Coger, a veterinarian with over 20 years experience, most of it focusing on more natural/complementary/alternative medicine. Dr. Coger believes that “the majority of dogs in the US have received more vaccinations than are necessary to protect them from disease. Our modern day vaccines are extremely effective, and mainstream veterinary medicine has ignored scientific research demonstrating that for many years, continuing to vaccinate on a yearly basis. Not only is this unnecessary and potentially harmful, there is no benefit to the dog who is already immune to the disease(s) in question.”
Vaccines Explained: The Wholistic Vet’s Guide to Vaccinating Your Dog
Before you blame your Veterinarian, read this…
Dr. Katy Nelson of the Pet Show with Dr. Katy, who has 11 years of veterinarian experience, provided an interesting point of view for dog owners to consider:
She agrees that our pets are over vaccinated, but the onus isn’t on the veterinarian, “but on the legislative bodies and the drug companies. Veterinarians can only use these vaccinations as they are regulated to, and there are many states that require yearly vaccination in order to register your pets (or face fines). Also, veterinarians have to follow the label instructions from the drug companies in order to guarantee the efficacy of the vaccine.” It’s not really in the best interest of the drug companies (their bottom line) to change their recommendations from annual to every three years.
Although titers are an ideal way to test the antibody levels in our pets, the cost is significant and beyond the budget of many pet owners. How many pet owners would prefer to pay $50/year for vaccinations instead of $150/year? And that’s per pet – we have 5 pets in our home.
Dr. Nelson also shared that she was vaccinated against Rabies in 2000 and a 2010 titer test showed that her levels “were still extremely high with no need to booster.”
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