- Overvaccination Issues - Overvaccination IssuesRecent concerns by both Owners and Veterinarians concerning vaccine reactions and potential immune-mediated problems have left both wondering what is best for your dogs.
Because of past failures in vaccines (particularly Parvo) with puppies, young adults, and some apparently resistant bloodlines, there has been a direction to vaccinate "often" to force the immune system to work. Current data suggests that this may be counterproductive in many cases, causing adverse reactions in the animals and potentially compromising the animals long-term health.
The general practice of yearly revaccination has come under fire from a number of points on the Veterinary spectrum. Many Vets are now taking the position of checking antibody titers of specific antibodies before revaccination of the animal with the specific vaccine. This method is not cheap ($25-$40 per test), but it does remove the question of whether revaccination of a particular disease is actually necessary. Keep in mind that Rabies (re)vaccinations are mandated by law, and checking titers on antibodies in this case is not an option.
An interesting article appeared in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) back in August 1995, where some probing questions where raised concerning vaccine schedules for dogs and cats. This article, printed in the JAVMA "Current Concepts in Vet Medicine Today", takes a very intersting and progressive position. It is very worth-while reading.
Another interstsing article has appeared on the InterNet site - AltVetMed. Vaccination Decisions by Susan Gayle Wynn, DVM also summarizes some very difficult concerns regarding vaccinating schedules and options.
Concerns about immune-mediated disease following vaccinations have become popular in the last five years, but there is significant scientific controversy regarding the data and conclusions. Limited medical/scientific data is available regarding immune-mediated conditions or hypersensitivity reactions, and little of the data "proves" any cause/effect relationship between the two. However Dr. Jean Dodds has written numerous articles for the lay-dog owner which describe her concerns about vaccinations and immune-mediated conditions. We do not necessarily agree or disagree with her scientific positions, as we feel the data is not yet conclusive. It is food for thought, though.
Another approach is the Holistic Veterinary position of "nosodes". Rather than giving active vaccinations, homeopathic/homeopathic preparations are administered which are considered to give immunity by Alternative Medicine Vets. Unfortunately, there is NO convincing scientific data to support nosode efficacy in preventing disease. Until well designed scientific studies are performed, nosodes remain an unknown material, and a matter of "faith" on the Vet or Owner's part. We do not recommend nosodes as a singular strategy for preventing disease.