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LYME VACCINE WARNING:
We strongly urge our adopters not to give their dogs the Lyme vaccine because it's not effective against the disease & dogs have died--long & protracted deaths from kidney failure--as a result of reactions to the Lyme shot. Many vets no longer administer the vaccine because of its serious potential adverse effects & also because the vaccine is pretty useless. And, the more frequently dogs are given the Lyme vaccine, the greater the chances are for bad reactions.
Dr Jacobson, Cornell University, has documented a temporal relationship in over 327 cases of dogs, who acquired polyarthritis after the Lyme disease vaccine (which is an after-effect of the actual disease itself). From Michael Richards, DVM: The whole killed Lyme bacterins are of questionable usefulness. There is some evidence that the immune reaction to the bacterins may produce symptoms of the disease, even pretty severe ones. From Allen M. Schoen, D.V.M., M.S.: There is a great deal of controversy concerning the dog Lyme vaccine. There is a great debate about how well they actually work as well as potential side effects. There are publications concerning its safety, but the researchers only look 24 hours after the vaccine reaction. Research at Cornell University veterinary school brings up some suspicion that there may be potential long term side effects of the vaccine. These side effects may vary from rheumatoid arthritis and all the major symptoms of lyme disease to acute kidney failure. I personally am very cautious and do not recommend vaccinating for Lyme disease even though it is so epidemic here (in CT). Many veterinary schools and major veterinary centers do not recommend the vaccine for the same concern regarding potential side effects. I have seen all the symptoms of Lyme disease in dogs four to eight weeks after the vaccine and when I sent the western blot test to Cornell, it shows no evidence of the disease, only evidence of the dog having been vaccinated, yet the dog shows all the classic symptoms of the disease. I personally would rather treat my dog for Lyme disease rather than risking the potential side effects of the vaccine. In addition, there is a question of actually how well it works. Until more safety and decreased risk of side effects and efficacy are demonstrated, I recommend holding off. The best prevention still is checking your dog carefully and removing any ticks at least once a day. Flea/tick collars do not seem to work well & are harmful, although some of the topical insecticides do seem to work well, but then one has to weigh the potential toxic effects of these insecticide from the beneficial effects of preventing ticks. Again, I tend to compromise and only use the topicals during the greatest incidence of tick usually in the spring and fall. It is all a balance! Keep your pets away from tick infested areas, check them daily and stay healthy and happy and tick free!! INFO ON HOW UNECCESARY & POTENTIALLY HARMFUL ANNUAL VACCINATIONS ARE:
Very interesting info about how unnecessary & dangerous all annual revaccination is & the revised vaccine protocol for dogs & cats as approved by 25 vet schools in the US is: Tufts University's Canine Vaccination News:
http://designerbostons.homestead.com/misc.html#anchor_13035. A survey by the American Animal Hospital Association shows that less than 7% of veterinarians have updated their vaccination recommendations, in spite of the fact that these new recommendations have been published twice in every major veterinary medical journal since 1995. Sadly, vets are not following this protocol because vaccinations are a huge portion of their income. To give you an idea of the mark-up, vaccines cost vets about $2. "Over 600,000 pets suffer every year from adverse reactions to unnecessary vaccinations. Many of them die." --Dr. Bob Rogers. http://www.critteradvocacy.org wonderful site about the vaccine issue. PET VACCINATION An Institutionalised Crime by Catherine O'Driscoll
Kirks Current Veterinary Therapy XI, Page 205, Annual Vaccinations Canine & Feline Vaccines A practice which was started many years ago and lacks scientific validity or verification is annual revaccinations. Almost without exception there is no immunologic requirement for annual revaccinations. Immunity to viruses persists for years or for the life of the animal. Successful vaccination to most bacterial pathogens produces an immunologic memory that remains for years, allowing an animal to develop a protective anamnestic (secondary) response when exposed to virulent organisms. Only the immune reponse to toxins which requires boosters (e.g. tetanus toxin booster in humans is recommended very 7-10 years) and no toxin vaccines are currently used for dogs or cats. Furthermore, revaccination with most viral vaccines fails to stimulate an anamnestic (secondary) response as a result of interference by existing antibody (similar to maternal antibody interference). The core canine distemper, hepatitis, and parvo vaccines (see Duration of Immunity to Canine Vaccines by Dr. Ronald Schultz http://www.cedarbayvet.com/duration_of_immunity.htm) have demonstrated durations of immunity beyond 7 years. The American Animal Hospital Association's (AAHA) 2003 Canine Vaccine Guidelines http://www.leerburg.com/special_report.htm) states on Page 18 that: "We now know that booster injections are of no value in dogs already immune, and immunity from distemper infection and vaccination lasts for a minimum of 7 years based on challenge studies and up to 15 years (a lifetime) based on antibody titer." They further state that hepatitis and parvovirus vaccines have been proven to protect for a minimum of 7 years by challenge and up to 9 and 10 years based on antibody count.
The first entry under Appendix 2 of the AAHA Guidelines (http://www.leerburg.com/special_report.htm) "Important Vaccination 'Do's and Don'ts" is "Do Not Vaccinate Needlessly - Don't revaccinate more often than is needed and only with the vaccines that prevent diseases for which that animal is at risk." They also caution veterinarians: "Do Not Assume that Vaccines Cannot Harm a Patient - Vaccines are potent medically active agents and have the very real potential of producing adverse events." The American Veterinary Medical Association's (AVMA's) Principles of Vaccination(http://www.avma.org/issues/vaccination/vaccination.asp) states that "Unnecessary stimulation of the immune system does not result in enhanced disease resistance, and may increase the risk of adverse post-vaccination events." (page 2) They elaborate by reporting that: "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." According to AVMA's Principles of Vaccination http://www.avma.org/issues/vaccination/vaccination.asp), "..revaccination frequency recommendations found on many vaccine labels is based on historical precedent, not on scientific data . [and] does not resolve the question about average or maximum duration of immunity [Page 2] and..may fail to adequately inform practitioners about optimal use of the product.[Page 4] ." As the Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital states it: "booster vaccine recommendations for vaccines other than rabies virus have been determined arbitrarily by manufacturers." In an April 3, 2006 Newsday article by Denise Flaim entitled Annual Vaccinations May Harm Your Pet One of the world's leading experts on veterinary vaccines, Dr. Ronald Schultz, is quoted as follows regarding vaccine labels: "The label means nothing," Schultz says simply, noting that vaccines licensed for one year and three years are often the same product. "The label has an arbitrary and capricious annual revaccination requirement, and it takes an act of Congress to take it off" - literally. Schultz says the Department of Agriculture has applied to remove the language, a legislative process that he estimates will take seven years. On Page 5 of the 2000 Report of the American Association of Feline Practitioners http://www.aafponline.org/resources/practice_guidelines.htm (click on "Feline Vaccination Guidelines"), they state under "Feline Panleukopenia" that "Both serologic and challenge exposure data indicate that a parenteral FPV vaccine induces immunity that is sustained for at least 7 years. The American Veterinary Medical Association states, "Veterinarians must promote the value of the exam and move away from their dependence on vaccine income." Unfortunately, veterinarians stand to lose big, according to Dr. Ron Schultz, leading immunologist and outspoken critic of annual vaccine practices, when the numbers of those requesting vaccines drops. From: Dr. Moira Drosdovech www.pawsitivevet.com The great news is that annual boosters are no longer considered necessary for pets by a growing number of veterinarians, veterinary researchers and veterinary colleges. The good news is that your pet can be protected for life by a small number of vaccines in its first year of life. The bad news is that many pet owners are not aware of this information. From: Dr. Ihor Basko VACCINATION NEWSFLASH [CIMDA support] Re: J Dodd's vaccine protocol I would like to make you aware that all 27 veterinary schools in North America are in the process of changing their protocols for vaccinating dogs and cats. Some of this information will present an ethical & economic challenge to vets, and there will be skeptics. Some organizations have come up with a political compromise suggesting vaccinations every 3 years to appease those who fear loss of income vs those concerned about potential side effects. Politics, traditions, or the doctor's economic well-being should not be a factor in medical decision.
NEW PRINCIPLES OF IMMUNOLOGY "Dogs and cats immune systems mature fully at 6 months. If a modified live virus vaccine is given after 6 months of age, it produces immunity, which is good for the life of the pet (ie: canine distemper, parvo,feline distemper). If another MLV vaccine is given a year later, the antibodies from the first vaccine neutralize the antigens of the second vaccine and there is little or no effect. The titer is not "boosted" nor are more memory cells induced. Not only are annual boosters for parvo 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 receive antibodies through their mothers milk. This natural protection can last 8-14 weeks. Puppies & kittens should NOT be vaccinated at LESS than 8 weeks. Maternal immunity will neutralize the vaccine and little protection (0-38%) will be produced. Vaccinations given 2 weeks apart suppress rather than stimulate the immune system. The practice of annual vaccination in our opinion should be considered of questionable efficacy unless it is used as a mechanism to provide an annual physical examinations or is required by law (i.e., certain states require annual vaccination for rabies). _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Subject: Wall Street Journal: Annual Pet Vaccinations may be Unnecessary,
Fatal "Some vets question annual boosters," Rhonda L. Rundle. Wall Street Journal (www.msnbc.com), July 31, 2002. Evidence is growing that annual vaccination of dogs and cats may not be necessary and may cause harmful side effects. Last year the American Veterinary Medical Association acknowledged that annual vaccinations are based on precedent and not on scientific data. (not to mention vets making tons of money!) In cats there has been a large increase in hyperthyroidism and cancerous tumors between the shoulder blades where vaccines typically are injected. There are more health problems in dogs, such as autoimmune disease, for which there is no explanation. Some veterinarians think over-vaccination may cause dogs to produce antibodies against their own tissue. Studies at several universities suggest that protection from vaccines lasts for years. The USDA tests vaccines to make sure they protect pets, usually for one year. The tests do not look for long-term side effects or how long protection lasts. Vaccine makers do not test duration, saying it would be expensive and require isolating large numbers of animals for an extended time. Pfizer found its one-year rabies vaccine lasted for at least three years, and now sells the same formula under different labels to meet different state requirements. Some veterinarians are reducing the number of vaccines they give. "My own pets are vaccinated once or twice as pups and kittens, then never again except for rabies," said Ronald D. Schultz, chairman of the University of Wisconsin's Department of Pathobiological Sciences. Below are articles on the issue. This is several years old & links may not be active, but can be found in archives. Vaccination often Good for Life: http://www.newsday.com/news/columnists/ny-lspets4251551may09,0,3030875.column?coll=ny-main-tabheads No Vaccines for us this Year: http://blogs.mainetoday.com/dogslife/001539.shtml Vaccinating Pets Could Do More Harm than Good (NBC Channel 4 Los Angeles) http://www.nbc4.tv/news/4448558/ |
