Overdose; are we killing our dogs?


"My dog is needing her annual shots." Yep; many race off to the veterinarians or hit the pet shops that offer canine vaccines when that "vaccination reminder" comes in the mail. Have you ever considered the fact that we humans got our shots when we were little; and then never get another? Tetanus is one that we apparently need every 10 years or so but unless you are going off to another continent then you probably will not need another shot. So why then do our dogs need the same repetitive shots every year? They don't.

Rabies is the only shot that you must get for your dog; it's the law. But there have been great advancements with even these. Many vets are now giving the three year Rabies shot. But as for all the other shots; what do you really need? There are titer tests that you can get for your dog letting you know how immune they are to certain diseases. This information gives you the peace of mind in knowing that they are covered and do not need another shot.

When a dog is given a vaccination; it enters the body and stimulates the immune system into action. The immune system attacks the foreign substance and antibodies are produced to destroy it. These antibodies remember the specific agent and are stored away for later use if needed. Many vaccines protect a dog for life and there is no need to revaccinate.

These links offer a wealth of information on the subject. It's for the animals.

Shirley's Wellness cafe

Vaccination Liberation

Truth for dogs

Neither Luke nor Jessie have received any shots in years. Luke has epilepsy and Jessie has severe autoimmune disorder. Giving a dog that is not extremely healthy a shot can kill them. Many vets will recommend the whole cocktail of vaccines at once; add to that a heartworm medication and perhaps a topical for fleas and ticks. This is a recipe for disaster; your dog's immune system goes into full fight mode trying to fight all of the different substances it has been subjected to. Sadly many dogs die at this point; as their body cannot handle the stress.

If you are going to give vaccines; get the individual doses. Do not give your dog a multitude of substances and hope that their body can handle it. One at a time so that they can deal with each agent individually. And consider what you are putting on or in your dog before you do so. The same goes for any medication that the vet offers; research first, always research.

7 comments:

  1. While the 3 year rabies shot seems like a great idea, it can also hurt your dog by not coming in for regular yearly check-ups.

    I live in the Mississippi Delta which is mosquito heaven. I got the three year rabies shot and did not take my dog in to the vet until it was time for a new one. My dog was on heartworm preventative but in the MS delta, an ivermectin resistant strain of heartworm has been popping up. When I took my dog in, he had contracted this resistant strain of heartworms even though he was on a preventative. Because I did not have a yearly heartworm check-up, the warranty on the heartworm medication was voided and I was forced to pay for the treatment out-of-pocket. Fortunately, we caught it early enough and he survived the treatment without too much trouble.

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  2. In no way am I advocating not going to the vet. I am strictly speaking about vaccinations. A yearly wellness check up is always a good idea.

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  3. I moved from an area where heartworm was unheard of. Vets never mentioned it, the preventative wasn't advertised...it was simply a non-issue.

    I just took my Slevin in for his rabies vaccination last month and was thoroughly admonished by a vet tech - brought to tears, actually - for not having him on heartworm preventative. I need to save up the money, but hopefully next month I can get him in, get him tested, and afford 6 months of preventative.

    The reason I bring this up is, I'm not sure how much of the hype I believe. Every article I find online about heartworm is sponsored by a veterinary pharmaceutical company.

    I feel at such cross-purposes. I wouldn't deny my fellow any care that I can afford to give him; at the same time, I don't want to jump on the panic wagon.

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  4. What makes the rabies last three years is an "adjuvent" added to boost the power of the vaccine.
    That adjuvent is MERCURY.
    My vet doesn't give the 3 year shots for that reason.
    When you get the one year shots, ask to see the bottle and make sure it has TF (thimerosal free) on the bottle itself. Thimerosal is the code word for MERCURY. Then make sure you actually see the vet draw the vaccine from THAT actual bottle right before your very own eyes... not the kind of thing where the vet tech arrives with an array of syringes with the doses already pulled... no, no, no.
    Then go to Naturalrearing.com and order one bottle each of Lyssin and Thuja and dose your dog for any/all toxins which might have slipped through.

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  5. Thanks Suzanne; the more education the better. ;)

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  6. I obviously become very heated on the subject of vaccines. as you so aptly put it, other than tetanus the human species vaccination "protocol" is over by the time a child is about 6 or 8 so why annually for dogs?
    All my dogs get annual titers and have for years... it's a great way to go.
    Two of my pack of three have autoimmune diseases so they don't even get rabies. Where I live you can get a waiver from the county if your vet requests it.
    your reader mentions Ivermectin-resisting HW.
    FYI to all your readers who are owners of Shelties and Sheltie mixes: there is a somewhat recently discovered genetic mutation found in shelties called MDR1. this mutation causes them to be unable to process certain drugs out of their systems. These drugs then collect in the dogs' brains and ultimately kill them. topping the list of those no-no drugs is Ivermectin, although I don't know if it tops the list for reasons of severity or simply because it is so very widely used.
    love your blog(s)! :)

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  7. The 3 yr rabies shot is the exact same shot as the one yr.

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