May I ask for everybody's input on this please.

[borderdawn]

Hello all.
Can I ask you all a couple of questions?

How often do you vaccinate your Cats/dogs?

Kitten/puppy vaccs only

Boosters every year

Boosters every few yers

No boosters

Does you Vet push for vaccination and have they ever been negative to you if you have chose not to vaccinate?

I would appreciate everyones opinion if you wouldnt mind.
Dawn.

[Donna]

My vets sent me a reminder and did not push the vaccines on me. My two had their boosters this year and presume I will continue to vaccinate when they are next due.

They are only 18 months and these are my first cats so do not have much previous experience to report!

Hope this helps!

[Luke]

Well...ours all get the puppy/kitten vaccines-and then done again about 1 year...and then on the three year "program" that our vets support.
However just to throw a spanner in the work (you know how i love to be difficult!)-my g-gran has 2 siamese, a persian and a moglet now all in their twenties and they had kitten vaccines and thats it....

[whiskey]

my little lot have there kitty/puppy vaccs and then i get a reminder every year from the vet to go back for there boosters.they have these every year because of when we go away on hols they have to up to date with the vaccs to go into a cattery.:D

[Mags]

Cassie gets her boosters every year....and I get a yearly reminder from the vet too.

She has to have them as she goes into a cattery every year when we go away on holiday.....

[EmmaG]

I have my cats vaccinated every year. Although the vets don't push it they do advise that the cats have their boosters.

[Moli]

Mine are done every year, I get a reminder from the vets, but they do not push them...If I said I didn't want them done they would accept it...

[Jac]

I get Blue's booster every year although my vet only gives half a dose of one of them.
The cats will get there boosters as well.

Some vets feel that the boosters arnt needed. Dont know what I think but I get them done to be on the safe side.

[borderdawn]

Thanks all so far, its just we are seeing a lot of pressure here from Vets and wonderd if it was nationwide due to the "over vaccination" problems. I understand Cattery and kennels problems though, those are unavoidable, we have tried hard to get the Environmental health to back down but they wont. Thanks so far, i have also noted the area in which you live.
Dawn.

[DiddyDawn]

I had this article through yesterday about vaccines.


Vaccinations
Reply #380 by FYI Posted: June 18, 2006 at 11:39

The Press June 16, 2006 Jean Dodds, DVM, a world renowned vaccine research
scientist, in Santa Monica, CA, told The Press many boosters are
unnecessary.

“Why should we be giving pets foreign substances when they do not need
them,” said Dodds, who has researched the vaccination guidelines for over 30
years. Veterinarians, she said, have been giving annual vaccinations simply
because it’s assumed they are needed and were recommended by the United
States Department of Agriculture.

“There never was any data that suggested vaccines must be given yearly,”
Dodds said. “Veterinarians assumed there was data but there wasn’t.”
Vaccines like parvovirus and canine distemper are responsible for many
diseases of the immune system in dogs, she contends. Anemia, arthritis,
epilepsy, thyroid disease, liver failure, diabetes, allergies and other
conditions, she believes, are linked to vaccines.

“Approximately five to 10 percent will develop problems,” Dodds said.
“That increases to 20 percent in pure breeds.” Irish Setters, Great Danes,
German Shepherds, weimaraners and akitas are at higher risk of developing
Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy, a bone disease that causes a 107 degree fever,
pain, and the inability to walk as a result of vaccinations, she said.

“But there is really no breed that is not at risk,” she said. The only
vaccination needed, she asserts, is the rabies vaccine because it is legally
required. Dogs’ and cats’ immune systems mature fully at 6 months old, she
explained. If canine distemper, feline distemper and parvovirus vaccines are
given after 6 months, a pet has immunity for the rest of its life.

No effect

However, if another vaccine is given a year later, antibodies from the
first vaccine neutralize the second vaccine, producing little or no
effect.Not only are annual boosters for parvovirus and distemper
unnecessary, they subject a pet to potential risks of allergic reactions and
immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, a life threatening disease that generally
has unknown causes, said Dodds. There is no scientific documentation to back
up label claims for annual administration of these vaccines, she said.

Dr. Bob Rogers, DVM, Critter Fixer Pet Hospital, in Texas, agrees.

“Dogs and cats no longer need to be vaccinated against distemper, parvo, and
feline leukemia every year,” Rogers said. “Once the initial series of puppy
or kitten vaccinations and first annual vaccinations are completed,
immunity…persists for life. Not only are annual boosters for parvo and
distemper unnecessary, they subject the pet to the potential risk of adverse
reactions, he added.

Vaccines against Corona virus, Leptospirosis, and Lyme disease for dogs
should be avoided, he said.

“The duration of immunity for vaccines for diseases like rabies, distemper,
and parvovirus have been shown to be 7 years,” Rogers said. “More
importantly it has been scientifically proven that, after the initial
series, when vaccines are re-administered, the immune status of the patient
is not enhanced. Antibodies from the initial vaccine block the subsequent
vaccines from having any effect. In cats, the risk of Vaccine Associated
Fibrosarcomas can be reduced by avoiding adjuvanted vaccines and unnecessary
vaccines like chlamydia for cats.”

Dodds and Rogers suggest pet owners ask their veterinarians to perform
vaccine antibody titer tests, which test antibodies for distemper and
parvovirus annually after the initial series of vaccines.

[yola]

Dawn - I get a postcard reminder and if I happen to have a vet visit around the time vaccinations are due they will mention it. However, they have never pushed it.

I keep them vaccinated due to the insurance requirements. It's not a must-have but it makes it easier for them to wriggle out of a claim if up to date jabs aren't in place.

What kind if undue pressure are your vets putting you under (if you don't mind me asking)?

[borderdawn]

Thanks Diddy dawn and Yola.

Yola, it seems that some Vets are pressurising owners to vaccinate in light of more not wanting to. We have had a couple of people really upset by being told by Vets that they are not doing the right thing by not vaccinating. It seemed at first more the dogs than Cats, but Cat people are commenting too now. Vets are still charging dog people the same each year for about 6 vaccines as they are the two following years for 2 vaccines!! They dont like it being pointed out either!!

Thanks for your input.
Dawn.

p.s Sorry, forgot, mine have kitten/puppy vaccs then no more.

[Kazz]

Hello An interesting post.

Cleo and Oscar had their kitten jabs then the next 2 years (approx) because I was going on holiday and they were to go into a cattery but in the end stayed home and people came into them but the main reason for the boosters was to go into cattery. Not had one since :roll: so thats been about 20-21 years vaccination free. They have never been in catteries though.

The dogs Sal and Tess had their puppy jabs and so far have been been given booster ever since, but this year Sal will be 4 Tess is already 2 I have decided not to continue with the boosters. But the vets I'm with now have never pressurized at all - but my previous vets did.

I would vaccinate if they were going into kennels or catteries.:)

[borderdawn]

Thanks Kazz. May I ask which Vets you use, being local?
Dawn.

[Elaine]

Winston was never vaccinated in all his 21 years. Eva has been vaccinated and had her booster last year and this. Bernie was vacinated last year and will have his booster this year. Am undecided at this point if I will continue to get them their boosters next year.

[DiddyDawn]

I usually have my cats vaccinated with me doing rescue but must admit, with all the info about over vaccinating, it does concern me. There are certain vaccines my vet only gives 3 yearly and others, can't remember which every two years. The dogs are fully vaccinated but they aren't having any more as I've had no end of problems with my shepherd.

[borderdawn]

Immune meditated diseases are on a massive increase Dawn, my friend lost a 5yr old Cocker to a disease directly related to over vaccinating, it was a real shame. Sorry about your Shepherd.
Dawn.

[MrsH]

Like several others, my vets don't push the vaccinations but because we'll be using a cattery when we go away we'll have to keep up the annual shots with our 2 cats.

A previous cat that we had used to have a terrible time with flea allergies, tearing her skin and scratching until it bled. She ended up with a couple of permanent bald patches and had to be given steroids whenever she had a reaction. Following advice from a friend with a similar situation but a different vet we stopped having annual booster shots and after that there was no extreme reaction when fleas struck. Cause and effect or just coincidence?

[Kim]

I have always got my cats vaccinated as kittens and then their annual booster. However, I hae having serious doubts about this after the publicity of over-vaccinating (and Penel's experience Dawn). I have just had a reminder card for Sasha, but so far not taken her and am not sure sure I will. They rarely go into catteries these days, as my son looks after them if we go away. Rosie and Misty are usually off colour for a couple of days following vaccination. Misty was quite poorly as a kitten after his vaccs. I do wonder if we are doing more harm than good. Quite a dilemma. :?

Interesting thread Dawn. :)

[Kazz]

Thanks Kazz. May I ask which Vets you use, being local?
Dawn.

I will Pm you the vets names.

Can I add when I took Cleo to the vets the weekend I mentioned I would not be bringing Tess in for a booster - so for them not to waste the postage sending me a reminder and the vet himself said "the choice is yours if you don't use boarding kennels who need the "certificate" then the choice is yours".

Karen

[borderdawn]

Great to know there are a lot of decent Vets around, I hope the ones round here can take note! Thanks for your help on this, its something that has been worrying me. My Vet doesnt push vaccs and never has, but there are a few that do and fairly forcefully, likewise neutering, which in Cats I am in favour of, but certainly not male dogs, with little or no medical benefit.

Thanks again folks.
Dawn.

[Booktigger]

My vets dont push vaccs at all - I had Ginger nearly 3 years before he was vaccinated, and not once had my vet suggested it - even when I first took him, as he was picked up off the streets. The locum vet did try and push the FeLV vacc without testing iether cat though, and tried to deny that cats can have severe reactions to it, but thanks to my knowledge, I didn't allow her to push me into it. And this year, they forgot to send me a reminder!! I dont know if I will bother getting mine done next year, they dont go into catteries - it is more with fostering that I am concerned, but I do think Ginger has a strong immune system.

[Jac]

Dawn, May I add that one of the vets in my practice thinks that animals are over vacc. She however does not push either for or against on her clients. She gives half vacc and charges for half, then the following year does the other half if that makes sence.
As for castration in male dogs. Mine is an entire male. No probs. I had one vet that pushed for him to be castrated. I left that practice (for other reasons) My personal veiw is if it isnt broken dont fix it.

[Booktigger]

Sorry to be slightly off topic - Jac, do you realise the risk of testicular cancer with your male dog being unneutered?

[DiddyDawn]

I have to add, my hubby is typical man and thought it was cruel to have one of our other dogs neutered......this was when he thought he wore the trousers and a good few years ago :roll: The dog did end up with a huge tumour on his back end and poor love was 12 when this happened and he had to have nuts and the tumour removed :shock: If they weren't removed, the vet said he was at risk of it coming back. I always say "If it's got balls, get it done" :oops: It is much better and does have it's health benefits ;)

[borderdawn]

Dawn, May I add that one of the vets in my practice thinks that animals are over vacc. She however does not push either for or against on her clients. She gives half vacc and charges for half, then the following year does the other half if that makes sence.
As for castration in male dogs. Mine is an entire male. No probs. I had one vet that pushed for him to be castrated. I left that practice (for other reasons) My personal veiw is if it isnt broken dont fix it.
Sounds like you have agood Vet there Jac. Testicular tumours in male dogs is very very low, Vets are all for pushing castration for the benefit of the bank not the dog. They never warn of the side effects, like probable weight gain, coat changes, hormone imbalances causing entire males to bonk them, and some dogs suffer severe temperament changes too. My Vet said my dog had a slightly enlarged prostate and should be neutered, and that was the cause of him not being able to poo, strangely enough he pooed fine later that day and a roast potato was to blame!!
Dawn.

[dinahsmum]

All our animals are vaxxed but only because (as we chose to move away from the kids!) they have to be kennelled when we go away. My vet and the kennels are comfortable with the thought that they do not need doing every year but the kennel insurance co and the Council (kennel license) won't budge.
We only had initial vaxx before we used kennels.
You don't vaccinate & re-vaccinate your kids. They have the full initial course at the appropriate age and then don't have the challenge to their immune sysyem again, except in particular circumstances, like travelling to potentially dangerous places.

[carternm31]

Can I ask you all a couple of questions? Yes :lol:

How often do you vaccinate your Cats/dogs? once per yer when the card comes through

Kitten/puppy vaccs only: Boosters every year (for puppy)

Does you Vet push for vaccination and have they ever been negative to you if you have chose not to vaccinate? Never really spoken to them about it, although we have recently changed vets. Never been pushed on us, just get our reminder card through every year. Never been told not to Vacc.

[logoes]

As I go back to the time before vaccines for dogs and cats I have had various systems of vaccinationg the animals. But for the last twenty/thirty years I had them done as puppies/kittens, a booster at twelve months or so and that was it. All the dogs from 1969 onwards were showdogs, also doing obedience classes and were therefore exposed to plenty of possible infections, with no ill effects. The only time that I had extra vaccination was when parvo arrived in the late 1970s and of course the dogs had no immunity to it then. The cats I had done the same, their kitten innoculations and a booster at twelve months. None of my Vets has queried my decision, in fact my present Vet admitted to me shortly after we moved here that he though multiple vaccinations were more likely to cause problems that prevent them. None of my dogs or cats have died of an infectious disease except for a stray that came to us already infected with AIDS. Logoes

[borderdawn]

Many thanks to you all.
Dawn.

[TheFlyingHaggis]

i am so glad I read this, Dawn, thanks for reminding me.

One of mine is due her vac next week. And nothing from vets (only been with them a year).

Mine are all done, canine and feline, because we use a cattery/kennel when we go away, and also because we foster.

[Naomi]

Jasper (dog) was done every year but that was because Jasper was a PAT dog and it was a requirement that he had to have his vaccinations.

Moli has had her kitten vaccines but not sure if I will be letting her have the booster.

The one vet I see doesn't think that dogs or cats should have their booseters every year but the lady vet we see is really pushy. She's rather stuck up too, put this way if her head was any further up her nether regions she'd turn herself inside out :lol:

[sweetmimi]

I only get my dogs and cats done for the 1st 2 years and then only every 5 years My vet is good and not just after the money and he says that it is not good to have them done each year as it could effect their immune system so I go on what he says I do insure them but the insurance will cover everything except an illness that it should be vacinated against and they are few and far between Sometimes I think that some vets are just after the money and some just dont know that it is not a good thing to give a booster each year Think of it this way if your child has a jab for measles they dont need a booster each year and that it what my vet said to me.

[Kay]

My vets always send out reminders but they don't push it any further. I vaccinate the cats I am showing (you have to show an up to date vaccination card at vetting-in at every show) and the girls I breed from every year. The others I do every 3 years. The dogs get their boosters every year due to being kenelled occasionally.

[Amanda]

All my own animals are vaccinated annually. (katey, will be having her first next week as she is about 10 weeks old now) and I pay for any foster animals to have their boosters or first vaccs etc..

As I have 3 different vets, they're all different. One of them is very much money orientated, but the other two aren't. Its only the money orientated one that used to send me booster reminders, and tried to sell me doG knows what each time I went. Hence I just use them for the small furries as they are the best for them.

[borderdawn]

All my own animals are vaccinated annually. (katey, will be having her first next week as she is about 10 weeks old now) and I pay for any foster animals to have their boosters or first vaccs etc..

As I have 3 different vets, they're all different. One of them is very much money orientated, but the other two aren't. Its only the money orientated one that used to send me booster reminders, and tried to sell me doG knows what each time I went. Hence I just use them for the small furries as they are the best for them.
Yep, we have a few like that round here Amanda. :mad:
dawn.

[Az]

Cheetah has had her kitten vacs and that's it. She's an indoor cat so does not come into contact with other cats.

My parents only ever had the kitten vacs for their cats too and never had any problems (they were outdoor cats).

When I got Cheetah I researched homophathic nosodes as an alternative and in my quest for information I rang around all the vets in my area :roll: they all insisted on yearly vacs and then I came to my final number and.... an elderly chap answered the phone - seems he was now retired (but yellow pages still had his number). He told me he believed it was a rip off industry and that vaccinations last up to 7 years!! And if that wasn't the case then why don't humans get vaccinated every year too? He said it was just a money making scheme for the vets and drug companies to get richer.

Aside that, because of my background and knowledge of all the detox and how chemicals etc have an impact on our immune systems - I am not in favour of over vaccination and would rather my cats just have their kitten jabs. jmo.

PS anyone read this:

http://www.dogsey.com/dog-articles.php?t=8003

[Amanda]

PS anyone read this:

http://www.dogsey.com/dog-articles.php?t=8003

I hadn't seen that.. quite interesting though... makes you think

[yvonne]

My cats have had their initial vaccinations, but having read a lot of articles on the pros and cons of prolonged vaccinations have decided against keep getting them done.
Not sure if this is right or wrong, but my old cats were with me for 16 years before strokes took both of them and present cats of the last 4-5 years all seem to be healthy.

[Booktigger]

I have actually changed vets since posting, and my new vet believes in vaccinating for everything until the day they die. He did admit that some do cover for life, but others are rubbish (not his word, his was stronger) so need to be done more often. They have seen a lack of people wanting to vaccinate against FeLV, so have increased the price of the 'normal' jabs so it isn't that much more to have hte FeLV jab, which I think is very naughty.