Amy's Animals Holistic Canine & Feline Nutrition Center

One of the most misunderstood subjects in the world of dog ownership has to be that of vaccinations. Most pet owners rely on their veterinarians to provide the information needed to make the correct decision in regards to this very important subject.

Unfortunately, according to immunology expert Dr. Ronald Shultz DVM, veterinary students are not given a complete education in immunology.  The information they are given in college is provided by the vaccine manufacturers.  You would think that since the manufacturers are providing the information that it would be the most thorough, accurate information available on that particular vaccine, and it is, to a point.

The one area that is usually not divulged at length is the instance of adverse reactions and other health related concerns that have been attributed to these vaccines.  Most conventional veterinarians in the United States follow a yearly vaccination protocol.  Their offices send out reminder cards in the mail to remind pet owners of the need to vaccinate their pet.  The vaccines that are routinely “boosted” yearly are typically vaccines for Parvovirus, Distemper and Adenovirus.  Some veterinarians use what we call “combo-whombo” vaccines that not only contain the typical three, but also have other vectors included such as coronavirus and leptospirosis.

Vaccinations are broken down into two groups, core vaccines and non-core vaccines.  The core vaccines, Parvo,  Distemper and Adenovirus,  are the ones that are recommended for the general pet population.  The non-core vaccines such as, Leptospirosis, Coronavirus and Lyme, are only recommended in certain instances where, geographically, your pet might be exposed to a certain vector that is not found in other areas. Non core vaccines usually only have a duration of one year or less.  Dr. Shultz does not recommend using Leptospirosis vaccine on any small or toy breeds because of the high instance of serious adverse effects in those dogs.

The Lyme disease vaccine is only 50-60% effective, so this too is really not recommended until the vaccine company improves its efficacy.  Coronavirus is not found in our area, the northeast, so that is also not recommended.  Any of the vaccines, core or non-core, are not mandatory vaccines.  The only vaccine that is mandatory, by law, is the Rabies vaccine which is given every three years.

The main thing that all pet parents need to realize is that vaccines do not come without risk.  Whenever anything is injected into the body there is a risk of that vector causing an adverse reaction.  This is especially prudent when you are introducing a foreign material that is meant to directly stimulate an immune response.  The adverse reactions caused by vaccines can be as profound as having the animal die immediately after administration or they can be as subtleas the animal displaying symptoms such as lethargy, loss of appetite, hair loss, & itching.  These more subtle reactions are usually seen from minutes after vaccination to months after vaccination.  Since some of them don’t materialize until weeks or months later, they are usually contributed to “allergies” when presented to the veterinarian.

What every pet parent has to know is that the core vaccines have been proven to last a lifetime for most animals.  As long as they are given at the correct intervals initially, the animal does not need to get “booster” shots at any time after the initial series of shots.  The best way to tell if your pet is immunized and protected by the vaccinations is to have a titer test done.  Titer testing is a simple procedure where your veterinarian will draw some blood and send it out to the lab to measure the antibody levels present in the blood sample.  As long as there are antibodies present, your pet does not need any more shots.  The antibody level does not go down over the course of the animals life.

Although there is no need, for any pet owners that want to re-check the antibody levels, instead of taking your pet for “booster” vaccinations you can take him for a re-check of the antibody levels periodically throughout your pet’s life.  By titering instead of over vaccinating, you can be assured that you are providing the correct care to help keep your pet happy and healthy for years to come.  As Dr. Schultz says “Vaccinate but vaccinate Wisely!”

Until next time my furry followers!

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One of the most common problems that I hear about on a daily basis from dog owners is that their dog is constantly itching.  Some only itch one spot, some itch all over their bodies.  They rub their faces on the rugs, the furniture, even on each other! There are many reasons why a dog starts itching, but I’ll address the most common reasons I see.

Obviously the first reason is a flea problem.  Even when the fleas are taken care of, if the dog is particularly sensitive, it may take some soothing baths before the irritation is healed.  There are good shampoos on the market that utilize oatmeal, tea tree oil or kava kava for their healing properties.  They are detergent free so are not harmful to already irritated skin.   If fleas have been ruled out, there are some diet related reasons that dogs itch.

Some dogs have developed an intolerance to an ingredient in their diet.  If you are feeding the same food for a long period of time, this might be the cause of your dog’s itching.  If you are feeding a diet that is high in carbohydrates you might inadvertently be contributing to a Candida overgrowth.  There is a natural balance of yeast (candida) and beneficial bacteria in a healthy intestinal tract.  When there is an imbalance created by stress, poor nutrition, or use of medications, the yeast will overpopulate.  The yeast then migrate to different parts of the body and cause symptoms such as itching, hair loss, re-current ear infections and a stinky coat. The use of probiotics, change of diet to a lower carbohydrate level, and vitamin supplementation will usually clear the excess yeast from the system and keep it from returning in the future.

Another medical condition that should also be ruled out is a thyroid condition.  If your dog’s thyroid is not producing the correct amount of hormones due to thyroid damage, genetic abnormality or vaccinosis, some of the symptoms are hair loss, itching, elephantitis of the skin and a foul odor. This can be determined by your veterinarian.

Another cause of itching in dogs is vaccinosis caused by over vaccination.  This is an auto immune disease that develops when the immune system over reacts to the stimulation caused by too many vaccines administered at the same time.  Proper vaccination schedules based on new research are now available.

Even though your dog’s itching can be caused by many different reasons, the first step to better health is to provide the dog with the best possible diet to promote healing.  When you feed your dog a species appropriate diet, you will be providing everything he needs to get healthy and remain that way for years to come.

Until next time, my faithful furry followers!

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