Dog Vaccines: Are We Over-Vaccinating Our Canine Companions?
My dog, Chase, is a “natural dog.” He is on a raw diet. He takes herbs to boost his immunity. He has a traditional vet and a homeopathic vet.
Recently, after receiving his annual rabies booster, Chase contracted a urinary tract infection (UTI).
We went to the homeopathic vet, who informed me that urinary tract infections were a common side effect of rabies vaccinations. He also informed me that Chase only needed his rabies shot every three years, not every year like my traditional vet had been doing. I was upset, wondering if Chase was being over-vaccinated.
I was not alone. Greater minds than mine have been studying the topic of dog vaccines for decades.
Dr. Ronald Schultz is among the most prominent. Schultz, chair of the Department of Pathobiological Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Veterinary Medicine, has been studying dog vaccines since the 1970s.
He says that back then they didn’t know much about immunology. The research was based on observation. “Whenever a dog recovered from certain diseases that he induced experimentally, he could never re-infect that dog,” he says. “If natural infection causes lifelong immunity, I was wondering why vaccines couldn’t do the same.”
Schultz discovered that some canine vaccines could provide lifelong immunity.
So what about those postcards our vet sends us every year, reminding us that Fido is due for his annual boosters?
According to Jean Dodds, DVM, president of Hemopet, a private, nonprofit animal blood bank, annual vaccination reminders are often sent out to get people to go to the vet’s office for checkups.
“Some vaccines shouldn’t be given annually. Giving them too often just puts pets at risk,” says Dodds.
The risks of dog vaccines include:
* Injection site tumors (mainly cats)
* Fever, stiffness and joint pain
* vomiting
* Susceptibility to infection
* Ear and skin conditions
* Allergic reactions
* Behavior changes
* anemia
* arthritis
* Seizures and other neurological events
* Autoimmune diseases and
* Liver failure
Side effects from dog vaccines can occur from an instant to several weeks or months later. Vaccines can even cause susceptibility to chronic diseases later in a dog’s life.
A Pet Parent’s Vaccination Story
Lisa LaVallee of Connecticut is well aware of the potential adverse side effects of dog vaccines. Her nightmare began after her Standard Schnauzer, Jonas, received her one-year-old booster in October 2007.
Three weeks later, Jonas had a seizure. A few weeks after that, he had another seizure. It took two days for the vet to control the seizures with large doses of phenobarbital.
Continuing on the phenobarbital, Jonas was stable for several months. That changed when LaVallee brought him in for additional vaccinations in March 2008. Soon after, Jonas became listless and lethargic.
Jonas was diagnosed with immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA). Whereas a normal dog’s PCV count (measuring red blood cells) is 40 to 59 percent, Jonas’s was eight. He was so anemic that he needed a blood transfusion.
The vet told LaVallee that, in his opinion, Jonas’s condition was the result of the vaccinations. Jonas was given a cocktail of powerful, often sickening medications to increase his red blood cell count and control his seizures.
Fortunately, what happened to Jonas is rare, with 30 adverse events reported per 10,000 vaccinated dogs. And while we can’t completely eliminate the risks of vaccine-related side effects from our dogs, we can take precautions:
Do not start vaccinating your puppy before eight or ten weeks.
Until a puppy is between 14 and 16 weeks old, it carries antibodies that are passed to it through its mother’s milk. This natural immunity interferes with any administered vaccine.
For this reason, Schultz advises starting vaccinations when puppies are 8 to 10 weeks old and waiting three weeks between rounds, “so that the puppy gets its last series of shots between 14 and 16 weeks.” Vaccines should be given at 8, 11, and 14 weeks; 9, 12 and 15 weeks; or 10, 13 and 16 weeks.
Every puppy, Schultz emphasizes, should be vaccinated with the core vaccines: canine distemper, canine parvovirus, canine adenovirus type 2, and also with a rabies vaccine administered as recommended by your state or province.
Perform title tests.
A titer test is a simple blood test to check the strength of a dog’s immune defenses against disease. “Except where vaccination is required by law,” says Dodds, “all animals can have serum antibody titers measured annually in lieu of boosters. By titrating, we can prevent over-vaccination in dogs with adequate immunity.”
Do not vaccinate more than every three years.
Schultz recommends that once a dog receives its puppy series and one-year booster, it should not be vaccinated more frequently than every three years. “If an owner decides he doesn’t want to vaccinate anymore, that’s fine,” he says. “But he doesn’t vaccinate more often than every three years.” The exception to this is the rabies vaccine, which is administered as required by law.
Avoid vaccine “cocktails.”
According to a 2005 study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Association, giving multiple vaccinations per visit increases the risk of adverse side effects.
Be careful when vaccinating sick or elderly pets.
Vaccinations can overwhelm the immune system of a sick or older dog, becoming the final insult that triggers a negative reaction. Dodds notes that vaccinations are likely unnecessary in aging pets and could be harmful to people with age-related disorders.
Check your race.
Certain breeds, such as Great Danes, Akitas, Weimaraners, White Standard Poodles, and most small white-coated breeds, are more vulnerable to adverse effects from dog vaccines. If your dog falls into this high-risk category, discuss options with your veterinarian.
According to Dr. Charles Loops, a homeopathic veterinarian based in Pittsboro, North Carolina, in recent years, veterinary schools have recommended reducing annual boosters. “Schools and professional associations have a more progressive and realistic view than most professionals,” he says.
“There is no question about the importance of vaccines,” says Schultz. “But we take the attitude that even if vaccines don’t help, they don’t hurt. Over time we find out they can hurt.”
“It’s an educational problem,” adds Dodds. “The public needs to ask the right questions. Vaccines should no longer be considered a ‘one size fits all’ program.”
Lisa LaVallee knows this very well. Fortunately, with a combination of traditional and homeopathic remedies, Jonas is in remission from the IMHA and his seizures are under control. However, he can never be immunized again. LaVallee says, “I’ll be sure to ask a lot of questions about dog vaccines before revaccinating any of my dogs.”