Over Vaccinating

Over Vaccinating

We all love our pets, and want to take care of them to the best of our abilities, and part of this care taking role includes making decisions on topics such as whether or not to vaccinate our pets.  While vaccinations are a regular part of vet care for most pets, it’s also a controversial topic that is beginning to gain a lot of attention.  Like any modern day medical treatment, the subject of pet vaccinations has both advocates, and opponents.  Those that oppose pet vaccinations have become more vocal in recent years, with their concerns about the necessity of pet vaccinations, and question the safety of vaccines,
and claim that they may actually cause illnesses, instead of preventing them.  The standard way of thinking is to think that vaccinations are a necessary part of pet ownership.  When a pet is adopted, or rescued, it is typical for the new owner to take it to the vet for a checkup, and vaccinations, that are typically administered on an annual basis.  What these unsuspecting pet owners don’t realize, is that by giving pets their shots, they may be doing more harm than good.  Vaccines are made up of very small doses of diseases that are injected into an animal, with the hope that the animal’s immune system will kick in, and fight off the viruses, making them stronger and more resistant to the disease.  Instead of believing that vaccines have positive effects, opponents believe that vaccines have immediate negative side effects, as well as causing long term health issues.

It is believed that by overloading pets immune systems with frequent shots, the health of pets is being compromised.  Not only do opponents object to regular vaccinations because they believe that they cause multiple health problems, they also believe that they are unnecessary because some of the diseases in question are so rare.  Some vets are now offering tests to determine the level of antibodies present, to fight off viruses and bacteria before they decide to vaccinate a pet. Non vaccinating veterinarians believe that many pets are over vaccinated, because they are given vaccines for diseases that they will probably never encounter.  In the best interest of the health of your pet, it is important to not vaccinate when you don’t have to, and if you do decide to vaccinate, it’s important to speak with your doctor about only vaccinating every three years.  If you have a pet that has been vaccinated, please keep an eye out for the following symptoms, which are the top negative reactions to vaccinations

  • Allergies
  • Redness and Swelling at the Injection Site
  • Asthma
  • Anemia
  • Diabetes
  • Cancer
  • Arthritis
  • Organ Failure
  • Autoimmune Disorders
  • Tumors

If your pet displays any of these symptoms after receiving vaccinations, please seek care from a holistic veterinarian.  To locate a holistic veterinarian in your area, visit www.AHVMA.org.