Canine well-being: vaccinations

Canine well-being is a series of articles sharing the experience I have gathered while living with and caring for dogs. They will address common canine health concerns. I am not a veterinarian. The contents of these articles are intended to inspire looking beyond conventional ideas and practices. Be responsible and do your own research and seek appropriate veterinarian advice (from a holistic vet such as Dr Pearson from Paws to Heal).

It’s starting to be more widely recognized that our pets are over-vaccinated. Of course, you want to protect your animal family members. But vaccine damage is more common than you might think, so you want to make sure you’re not over-doing it. There have been many studies and anecdotal reports about health risks of vaccines. Many certified vets who have also been trained in homeopathy consider vaccines one of the biggest causes of ill health. Conventional veterinary medicine says only a small percentage of animals suffer harm from vaccines. However, they recognise only the acute reactions immediately after vaccination that range from mild ones like swelling at the injection site to more serious ones like anaphylaxis, fever and allergic reactions.

Homeopathic vets have been noticing patterns of diseases after vaccinations for decades. Not just problems starting right after the vaccination but patterns starting months later and persisting for the lifespan of the animal, like allergies and other immune diseases, cancers, Cushing’s disease, skin issues, seizures, irritable bowel disorders, aggression and other behavioural problems, and more. 

Such a chronic state of ill-health caused from a vaccine’s adverse effect is called vaccinosis.

Research has shown that the core vaccines (like parvovirus and distemper) can protect dogs for at least 7 years, and probably for life.

What alternatives are there then?

Instead of re-vaccinating your dog you can ask your vet to do a titre test. A titer test checks your dog’s blood to see if there are still antibodies for the core vaccines present. If that is the case, no vaccination is necessary as your dog’s immune system is still able to do its job perfectly. If your vet doesn’t already know about titer testing, educate them about it! And, just a little tip, your dog’s titre test will be cheaper if your vet gets a test kit for their clinic rather than sending away the blood to a lab.

A titre test works for detecting antibodies against parvovirus, distemper and hepatitis (C3). There is no test for bordetella (canine cough). If you are taking your dog some place where he is required to have a current canine cough vaccination (such as a boarding kennel) ask your vet for the intranasal version (works quicker) rather than the injectable one. Be aware that bordetella vaccination is similar to a flu shot – it only contains one strain, so your dog can still get a cough even when she has been vaccinated if exposed to a different strain!

Also, there is a homeopathic alternative to vaccination available called nosode. Here is one for canine cough. Consult with a homeopathic vet for more information.

I have been using my dogs’ titre test results as proof of vaccination without a problem with dog training facilities, a boarding kennel, the dog swimming pool and also when participating in events (such as Adventure Dog). I obtain a certificate from my vet for each of my dogs stating that their titre test has demonstrated positive levels of antibody from C3 vaccination for distempter, hepatitis and parvovirus and that they have received oral kennel cough protection. These certificates are valid for 3 years.

Building Vitality & Natural Immunity

“The microbe is nothing. The terrain is everything.” Claude Bernard

Build your animal’s natural immunity by improving their terrain (their internal environment). The greater the health, the lower the chance of developing a problem after vaccination (or acquiring an infectious disease or other conditions). 

Important factors of the quality of terrain:

• Balance of microbiome (gut bacteria)
• Lifestyle (food, exercise, mental stimulation)
• Present and past toxic exposure from home and other environments, conventional parasite treatments (fleas, worms, etc) and medication

In a recent webinar I heard Dr Elaine Cebuliak – a Brisbane-based holistic vet of more than 25 years – say that feeding your dog kibble (dry dog food) is like you eating sugary breakfast cereals for every meal.

The clever marketing of commercial dry dog food has convinced many that they are doing a good thing for their animal. And it’s so convenient! We believe that this food is nutritionally complete, with natural ingredients, designed by animal nutritionists and vet recommended. Because it says so on the package.

If you are changing your animal’s diet to real food – whether raw or cooked – you’ll likely make a positive change for their gut bacteria and reduce inflammation in their bodies and thus improve their vitality and the quality of their terrain, lowering their chance of developing health problems including adverse reactions to vaccines.

Here is more food for thought on the topic of vaccinations:

• Read about The truth about titer tests from homeopathic vet clinic Paws to Heal.
• In this article from the Journal of Small Animal Practice the topic of duration of immunity (DOI) is discussed thoroughly.
• If you search for “vaccinations” on the Dogs Naturally Magazine you will find several informative articles.

Your dog’s well-being is important. There are more choices available than are commonly known. I hope I was able to inspire you with this brief introduction to further educate yourself on the topic!