Diet and Nutrition Interest Group

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Comment by Donna Harris on July 24, 2009 at 12:47pm

The more I read about vaccines, the more inclined I am to think it's a money grabber.

Years ago, I was on my way out of town. I stopped at the vet's to get Joey his rabies shot. They said the vet was just leaving. I said, but I only need one shot. He is healthy. She kept saying he would need to check him out, as well. I said, but I know my dog best and he is healthy. Can you give him the shot or not? Well, they said.... I said, fine, I'll leave. They said, well, okay, he'll give your dog the rabies shot.

Now I know that he didn't need it, anyway. It had only been a year.

Good article, Susan. I've read others similar to that one. Ones that say that vaccines can be good for their lifetime. I feel that dogs need to build up their own immunities to disease once they've had their initial shots. I can start talking about the flu vaccine for humans but that's another can of worms.

Comment by Tracy Bassett on February 14, 2009 at 5:44pm

Have to agree raw mixes will be much more expensive. Doing it yourself is MUCH cheaper. If you can hunt out good suppliers you can feed very cheaply. It costs me less than it would to feed commercial foods now by getting my own supplies, but if I were feeding mixes, there would be no way I would ever afford it. Doing it yourself also means you have much more flexibility to avoid the thing you don't want to include.

When it comes to vaccines I do similar to Carol. Puppy shots, one the following year then every 3 years. Older dogs don't get vaccinated at all. I give a 'C3' only which is parvo, distemper and adenovirus. I don't do any of the 'non-core' vaccines or kennel cough.

Comment by pat ramapuram on February 14, 2009 at 11:06am

Thanks!!

Comment by Susan Price on February 14, 2009 at 8:55am

Hi Pat
I know this is a diet and Nutrition Group, but this was just sent to me yesterday. http://www.vaclib.org/pdf/vaxscience-in-dogs.pdf It's very interesting reading.

Susan

Comment by pat ramapuram on February 14, 2009 at 7:54am

Well then I am with you- my older dogs don't get anymore vaccines either and I don't vaccinate for kennel cough, lepto, Lymes or Giardia

Comment by Susan Price on February 14, 2009 at 6:42am

Hi Pat
I'm in Ontario, Canada. The vets push for a rabies shot every year. They even have rabies clinics yearly. However the actual law says every three years. And the shot is a three year shot. My vet knows I'm not giving my old dogs any more shots. He doesn't have a problem with it and would sign off on them if need be. Beside my 10 year old has arthritis very badly and only healthy dogs should be given shots. My two younger dogs I'll titre this spring and my young male will keep up with the three year rabies due to crossing the border for dog shows.
Susan

Comment by pat ramapuram on February 13, 2009 at 9:14pm

Are you in Florida I believe in Fla it is a state law for a yearly rabies

Comment by Carol Boyle on February 13, 2009 at 2:48pm

Hi Susan,
I think that most vaccinations today exclude Lepto because of the many negative side effects.
And if you have older dogs (as you do) or younger ones with health issues, an accommodating vet can give you a "Doctors Note" to excuse your dogs from the rabies shot. You just have to make the decision that it is safe enough where you live to waive the shot.
And I hope you smiled broadly at the "well informed" vet tech, and thanked her profusely for her sage observation . Carol

Comment by Susan Price on February 13, 2009 at 1:12pm

Hi Carol
I also follow Jean Dodds, and have e-mailed back and forth with her on occasion. My old dogs,(10 with arthritics and 12 1/2) don't get any shots at all and haven't since they were 8. My younger two will get titres. I "disagree" with my vet all the time. He is not giving my dogs a three year rabies shot every year. Last year I convinced him to sign a two year certificate and this year I'll find a vet who gives a three year and isues a certificate for three yearrs. After a bad reaction with one dogs we will never do Lymes again. I don't worry about kennel cough either. I can't remember without looking it up. But isn't Lepto one of the deseases that changes and not a core vaccine?
Oh, and I actually had a vet tech tell me once that because we have rabies around here the dogs need shots every year with the three year vaccine....................
Susan

Comment by Carol Boyle on February 13, 2009 at 12:54pm

Hi Susan,
I should have suspected that you were feeding prepared raw mixes. They do get expensive.
And, on vaccinations, we have followed Dr. Dodds protocol for vaccinations, even before it was embraced by the vet schools. My vet for the Old Patou (the one in the photo above) was a holistic vet, and specialized in geriatric canines. He would not give annual boosters, told me it suppresses the immune system and does not bolster immunity. My current Patou got his puppy shots, then one booster around one year of age. And never lepto. We had a puppy react to the lepto in a shot, and we were lucky enough to recognize what it was and not treat it.
We do however give the rabies booster, simply because it is the law.
If you would like a copy of the protocol, let me know and I'll figure out a way to block copy it and get it to you.
Carol

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