Pets don't need shots every year

Houston Chronicle ^ | April 22, 2002, 12:32AM | LEIGH HOPPER, Houston Chronicle Medical Writer

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Our daughter's six year old schnauzer always had bad allergic reactions to the yearly shots. A year ago she almost lost this dog to an immune disorder. Those yearly shots are the suspected cause. Our daughter's love of this animal and the hard work of her and our vet pulled the dog through. However, this pet can never again get these shots. This will change where she can go and services providers who will care for her.

[The Raven]

We lost an 18 month old Bassett Hound to a rare liver cancer. This was after we signed up for all the shots including some new ones (flea prevention of all things).

I always suspected the vet's overuse of shots couldn't be handled by the dog.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

We lost an 18 month old Bassett Hound to a rare liver cancer.

I'm so sorry you lost your pet. I hope the word gets out on this. People who care enough to get their pets vaccinated, will continue to take them in for care.

Medicines have been beneficial but I'm beginning to think not only our pets, but we humans, are being over medicated.

[Lizzy W]

I'm always looking for excuses to post my baby, Reagan!

[Snowy]

I know that the rabies vaccine for my dog and two cats lasts longer than a year, however, here in Occupied Pennsylvania, yearly rabies shots are the law. Apparently, if your animal bites or scratches someone and their shots are not up to date (once a year), the animal is to be euthanized and the head sent to Harrisburg for testing. It's infuriating what I have to spend at the vet for routine shots. The producers of the vaccines don't want to change the law, and neither do the vets - too much money pouring in. How do we get this changed?

[mewzilla]

The vets we've encountered lately are still pushing the annual shots. They won't board your animal if it doesn't receive annual vaccinations or treat it if the treatment involves an overnight (or longer stay). I can understand the need for the shots, but not annually.

[Darnright]

Bump

[Phantom Lord]

Rabies shots every year? Here in NC puppies get a 1 year shot, and then after that they get a 3 year shot. So, my four year old Boxer has had 2 rabies shots so far. Time for another 3 year is coming up. And my other boxer will get another 3 year shot in August.

And they might even be getting one that is longer than a 3 year shot.

[abner]

I was turned down adoption of a kitten because my other cats were not current on their shots. Never mind that they were vaccinated and brought up to date 'if' they had to go to the vet. Never mind that they NEVER go outside.

Yes, the pet store called my vet to find out. One is 12, one is 8, and the other is 13. Wow, I must be a horrible pet owner.

This is Fidget.

[Snowy]

I have to add...

What does "required by law" mean in the article when referring to the frequency of rabies shots??? Either the vaccine is effective for a length of time, or it isn't. How can where you live determine the effectiveness of a vaccine????? [/rant]

[mewzilla]

I will say that we recently encountered a vet who was upfront about this and advised against annual vaccination. And in some cases, like the FeLV shot, recommended against it if you have a single cat who never goes outdoors (though keeping in mind that this could pose a problem if one ever needed to board the animal). That vet has been the only vet we've seen who's been open about the issue.

I can tell you what might change things, though I hate to say it: lawsuits. And frankly, if the veterinary profession doesn't get its act together, I'd say they'd deserve them.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I know that the rabies vaccine for my dog and two cats lasts longer than a year, however, here in Occupied Pennsylvania, yearly rabies shots are the law..... How do we get this changed?

Print out this study and take it to your vet. E-mail it to your newpaper's medical and/or pet reporter and question the animal shelters and ask them what more you can do. I don't think they like putting down healthy but non compliant animals.

[abner]

Oops, I forgot one.. .

That is Microcat on the left, and Fidget on the right showing Micro how big she is.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

They won't board your animal if it doesn't receive annual vaccinations or treat it if the treatment involves an overnight (or longer stay). I can understand the need for the shots, but not annually.

Most groomers won't take unvaccinated animals either. Maybe they need to be told you'll take you animal elsewhere. The money loss is the only thing that will get some people to listen to reason. If the animals are given shots and are not able to spread any disease, their owners should not be forced to give them something that could be fatal, or risk having their pet put down by the state.

[Pokey78]

Too many vaccinations, and this is what will happen to your beloved pet:

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Sweet.

[norton]

Ask you vet about cancers caused by the oft repeated shots;
they are aware of the problem.
Here as well, if kitty ain't up to date (yearly) the city and the vet will find a way to force the issue.
If puppy is the wrong breed, puppy better damn well be out of public sight.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

What does "required by law" mean in the article when referring to the frequency of rabies shots???

If the animal is picked up and doesn't have current tags, I believe they are put down sooner than animals with up-to-date vaccine tags.

***Less frequent vaccines could reduce that risk, Schultz reasoned. Having observed that humans got lifetime immunity from most of their childhood vaccines, Schultz applied the same logic to dogs. He vaccinated them for rabies, parvo, kennel cough and distemper and then exposed them to the disease-causing organisms after three, five and seven years. The animals remained healthy, validating his hunch.

He continued his experiment by measuring antibody levels in the dogs' blood nine and 15 years after vaccination. He found the levels sufficient to prevent disease. Fredric Scott, professor emeritus at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, obtained similar results comparing 15 vaccinated cats with 17 nonvaccinated cats. He found the cats' immunity lasted 7.5 years after vaccination. In 1998, the American Association of Feline Practitioners published guidelines based on Scott's work, recommending vaccines every three years.

"The feeling of the AAFP is, cats that receive the vaccines every three years are as protected from those infections as they would be if they were vaccinated every year," said James Richards, director of the Feline Health Center at Cornell. "I'm one of many people who believe the evidence is really compelling." ***

[1Old Pro]

WOW, I've been waiting to read this article for a decade or more.

Vets are a cash machine. My vet sells me special prescription food for my elderly doggie at 3 times the price of brand name quality off the shelf food.

As for lyme disease, I always thought that was a racket. 80% of dogs don't need it. The remaining 20% who are outside alot probably do.

[Lizzy W]

LOL, what cute kitties :)