When it comes to the subject of vaccinations and pets, my head spins. We hear contradicting advice, with possible dire consequences threatened for whichever choice you make. There are the traditionalists who decry any change in perspective about what we’ve been giving our pets for years. There are the naturalists who are suspicious of anything that man has created in an attempt to make life better. And there are those who sit squarely in the middle, confused about what to think and afraid of making the wrong choices in caring for their pet’s health.
The other reason I tend to question vaccines is because I, myself, received the flu vaccine – once. Whatever that shot did to me, it sent my immune system into overdrive. I spent the next year and a half sick as a dog with every flu bug that skirted our state…and explaining a million times that yes, I HAD gotten the flu shot. THAT is why I was so sick – not because I “shoulda gotten one”. Well-meaning advice drove me crazy at that point. And the fear of adverse effects from vaccines was successfully implanted in me.
So I’m a little hesitant about vaccines. And when I read about this or that vaccine having little true efficacy, or causing some serious side effects, I get nervous about my dog getting her shots. My friend Mary Haight, founder of the Dancing Dog Blog, mentioned to me recently that she was going to be doing an interview about vaccinations – did I have any questions for the veterinarian? After I fired off a string of questions, I think Mary may have been regretting bringing up the subject with me. At that point, the damage was done, though. And I was soon to get some much-needed answers.
In this podcast, Mary chats with Dr. Apryl Steele, DVM, Founder of Tender Touch Animal Hospital in Denver, and National SpokesVet for Partners for Healthy Pets. They discuss the various vaccines, which are necessary and which are not, when you should not vaccinate your dog and the hot topic of titer testing vs. vaccines. My own questions are answered, and more, in a thorough and detailed, yet easy to understand, manner. Cats are not left out of the discussion.
This is an extraordinarily helpful resource in determining the importance (or not) of various vaccinations and vaccine schedules. I came away from this having a much clearer comprehension about what is important for my dog, what is not, and what should be questioned with a closer look.
Have a listen, and leave a comment under Mary’s post if you still have any questions or concerns –
Afraid to Vaccinate Your Pets? Vaccines, Adverse Reactions, Answers.
I think you’ll be glad you did.
well huh….gonna have to go take a listen. mom is a little more careful with us due to fostering and having strange cats & kittens in and out of the house.
Oh, yes! With fosters in the house, extra care must be taken. Good news is that you’ll probably feel more confident about vaccinating your cats after listening to the podcast! (And bless your heart for all the fostering you do!)
Kim, thank you for this great shout out! I did not recall your personal experience with flu vaccine and the nightmare of having problems for more than a year because of it — yikes. I’m so happy we spoke about this before I recorded the podcast with Dr Steele on behalf of Partners for Healthy Pets — an instance of serendipity in our lives, and maybe some clarity for others because of it =) That’s why we blog!!
It’s a very good reason for the blogging, that’s for sure. I’m glad we had that chance to talk – my questions are answered! And you know, I was really looking for some good answers.
Thanks, Mary, for providing us such invaluable information. Your podcasts rock!
Kim I love this! I struggle with this too. My daughter went into the army and they line them up and shoot them full of vaccines. This triggered an autoimmune disease for her and she now needs to take medication which she will continue to take for the rest of her life.
With my dogs I worry too, but I’m grateful I have a vet who is very honest with me. She doesn’t feel my dogs at their age, having had their full series of shots, need Parvo or Distemper, or Bordatella. The last conversation we had about Lyme she told me, there are 3, one we know doesn’t work, one is new with no results and the third we know is harmful I never got them the Lyme shot. We do Rabies, which Delilah had yesterday and we do Leptos, because of where we live, but I won’t do more than one vaccine at a time. Yesterday as we were talking I told her I thought the Rabies vaccine could last longer than three years and she said yes and the research would support that theory.
As for Flu, I’ve had that shot myself and been horribly sick for months after. I stopped getting it. I’m not saying vaccines don’t have their place, I’m saying why does an infant get the same dose as an adult, a puppy the same dose as a dog, a kitten…well you get my point.
As you can tell this is a hot button for me. 🙂 And I so sorry to hear about your childhood dog.
Oh, Jodi…that’s so awful about your daughter!! I don’t know which I feel more of – sadness for what she unfairly has to deal with now, or anger for a system that causes this! It’s. just. wrong.
I love your vet!! Sure wish more vets were as open-minded as yours is. I’ve found one here who is terrific and trustworthy, but only after going through a series of vets who just frightened me. I’m not surprised about the rabies shot lasting longer. I’m a terrible skeptic about pharmaceuticals, but I’ve always questioned where they got the “1 year” or “3 year” from.
I’m squarely like you – a basic belief that vaccinations have their place, but the one-size-fits-all and lasts for X number of months/years just doesn’t make sense.
I was thrilled to listen to Mary’s podcast, since Dr. Steele lays it all out quite succinctly and without all the confusion or sales-pitch-approach we tend to get. So glad this hits home for you, too!
I am going to have to listen as well, thanks so much for sharing this!
Check it out, Caren – you’ll find it quite interesting and informative!