All Dogs Breed

Annual Vaccinations for Your Dog?

Are they really necessary? - In a word, NO!

You probably receive an annual reminder from your vet that your dog is due for his/her annual checkup and vaccinations. I do.

But I don't have my dogs vaccinated any more.

For years I was hoodwinked into believing that vaccinations were essential to my dogs' health. Why else would my vet tell me my dogs needed an annual booster vaccination shot?

Why indeed.

I learned the answer when, after careful research, I decided not to expose my dogs to what I believe is unnecessary, and potentially dangerous, toxins, any more.

I received the letter from my vet as usual, advising that my dogs' annual checkup and vaccinations were due.

I made an appointment and arrived ready to do battle. I advised the vet that I had decided not to have my dogs vaccinated any more. She said "Fine."

That's right - after years of leading me to believe that these vaccinations were essential to my dogs' wellbeing, the vet agreed that they were not in fact necessary at all! She went on to stress the importance of still bringing the dogs in for their annual physical checkup (which was what I was doing, and certainly intended to continue to do).

So that's why we're all told that our dogs need annual vaccinations - it's simply a ploy to get us in so our dogs can be given a physical. Why not just tell us how important these annual checkups are instead of slowly but surely poisoning our dogs with these vaccines?

I don't have the answer to that, but I can tell you I was speechless.

I've now found out that all across America a new protocol for vaccinating dogs has now been issued and is slowly making its way to vets. (I haven't been able to locate a similar protocol for Australia, but I'm sure it's in the pipeline). This protocol does not recommend any vaccinations for dogs beyond 1 year of age!
Make sure you ask your vet next time a vaccination has been recommended for your dog - it this really necessary? And if you're not satisfied with the answer, consider getting a second opinion from another vet.

Side effects of this appalling over-vaccination which has been going on for years can be significant and severe.

You can clear your dog's system from all toxins by Removing Toxins Naturally - Click Here: http://www.HealthyHappyDogs.com/RemoveToxinsNaturally
(c) 2005, Brigitte Smith

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In this article we will provide you with a guide to the appropriate Dog Vaccination Schedule that you should follow with your pooch. It is very important to follow your Vet's advice as dogs and specifically puppies are more prone to certain diseases if the are not treated with the most effective and appropriate vaccine and at the right age. Anyway lets get started with some basic information for you to follow.

Distemper - This is one of the most deadly diseases out there and needs to be vaccinated against at the earliest opportunity. Puppies need to be vaccinated at the age of about 9 weeks. Although there can be some side effects these are rare and will normally only appear if your puppy is vaccinated below the recommended age. A booster is not needed as vaccines will last for about 7 1/2 years.

Rabies - This is another deadly disease that needs to be vaccinated against. Vets recommend that puppies are given the vaccine at 9 weeks of age. A one year booster is advised and this will need to be repeated at intervals of three to four weeks. In some States in the USA dogs are expected to be vaccinated again in 3 years. It is vital that dogs are vaccinated against this disease as they can infect other dogs and even people.

Bordetella - This is highly recommended by medical professionals as dogs and puppies may be exposed to it when they are placed in Kennels as the disease is highly prevalent in that environment. This vaccine should be given to your pooch about three days before he goes into the Kennels. It will last about six months but will only protect against three out of eight of the causes of Kennel Cough.

As you can see, an effective dog vaccination schedule is vital for your pooch to remain healthy. For more information on when your dog or puppy should be vaccinated and the possible side effects that your pooch may experience you should speak to your local vet.

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The custom of yearly vaccination took hold back in the 1950's. It wasn't based on scientific research and, at the time, it was believed there were no risks.

But there are risks with vaccines. In fact there can be serious adverse reactions. Every Veterinary school in North America as well US and World industry associations have updated their recommendations based on more current science.

Current recommendations for re-vaccination range from "3 or more years" to "7 or more years" to never...

Dr Ronald Schultz, expert in immunology and member of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association Vaccination Guidelines Group and American Animal Hospital Association Canine Vaccine Task Force: If a puppy is immunized for parvovirus, distemper virus and adenovirus "there is every reason to believe the vaccinated animal will have up to life-long immunity".


Vets generally only see immediate reactions while the dog is still in their office. The range of symptoms that develop later - perhaps an hour, a week, or even years are often not linked to the vaccine.

Ideally, the vaccine virus is destroyed by the pets' immune response. That doesn't always happen - particularly with repeated vaccines. These toxins and foreign substances can remain and accumulate in organs, muscle and joints, creating low-grade inflammation and weakened immune system.

Reactions can be immediate, or they may not be obvious for some time. They can be minor, but they can also be a severe as death.


Allergies, chronic skin problems, inflammatory bowel disease, colitis, pancreatitis, kidney failure, liver failure, arthritis, thyroid disease, epilepsy, seizures, paralysis, auto-immune disease, cancer.

Also behavior problems such as aggression, suspiciousness, restlessness, aloofness, separation anxiety, excessive barking, destructive behavior, tail chewing.


A vaccine protocol should be individualized for each dog and include:
-Which vaccines
-How often

Common dog vaccines are: Distemper, Parvovirus, Hepatitis (Adenovirus), Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza. Bordatella, Coronavirus and Lyme disease are less often given.

Parvovirus can kill puppies but rarely effects adult dogs.
Distemper is rare, but can kill.

The Hepatitis vaccine (Adenovirus) only protects against some causes and hepatitis isn't common.

Leptospirosis is rare and there are hundreds of strains. The vaccine is for only a few strains and lasts only 3-6 months. The Leptospirosis vaccine is also prone to side effects.

The Parainfluenza vaccine doesn't protect against all causes and the flu rarely is serious.

Bordatella vaccine is for kennel cough which is not serious and not likely if your dog isn't in close contact with other dogs such as would be the case in a kennel.

Corona results in mild diarrhea. The vaccine isn't fully protective.

The risk of Lyme disease is location and lifestyle dependent.


Maternal antibodies protect a puppy for 16-22 weeks. So the earliest you want to start vaccinating is 16 weeks.

Dr Pitcairn's recommends a conservative approach:

- First Distemper shot at 16 weeks
- First Parvovirus shot at 20 weeks
- Second Distemper shot at 24 weeks
- Second Parvovirus shot at 28 weeks
- Rabies shot a month later.

If your municipality requires a rabies shot sooner than 8 months, he recommends you start with the rabies shot and then begin the rest of the schedule 4 weeks later.

It's best to get a single vaccination at a time.

You can for rabies; however, most of the other vaccines come as a combination.

For dogs you'll likely get DH - Distemper and Hepatitis. At least limit the vaccine schedule to one shot at a time.

• Don't vaccinate if your dog is sick or immune compromised.
• Don't vaccinate if your dog is receiving pharmaceuticals, especially steroids.
• Don't vaccinate near or at the same time as surgery such as spaying/neutering.
• If there's any adverse reaction at all stop or at least slow down the schedule.

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There is a lot of conflicting information about the benefits or dangers of dog vaccines. This short article will help shed some light on what the World's top veterinarians think about vaccines for dogs. You'll also learn of an easy test, called a titer test, your dog could take to minimize the chances of bad reactions. There are many different types of dog vaccinations. They include dog vaccines for parovirus, canine distemper virus, rabies, canine adenovirus, lyme disease, canine parainfluenza virus, leptospirosis, giardiasis, canine coronavirus, bordetella bronchiseptica and a few others.

The simple fact is that many of these vaccinations for dogs are unneeded. Over-vaccinating your canine is very common today. Its most likely that vaccinating your dog does not have to be a yearly ritual. That's probably too much. After vaccinating your dog for the first time ever, they should probably be given a "booster" vaccination about a year later. After that, dog vaccinations should probably only be given about once every three years.

Dog vaccination dangers, bad reactions and side effects include neurological disorders, allergic reactions, autoimmune diseases, skin disorders and disease, thyroid problems, seizures and overly aggressive behavior. The most important dog vaccines that should be given to your dog are for rabies, canine distemper and parovirus. Parovirous is a particularly nasty disease that could be fatal. When vaccinating your dog, try to spread the vaccinations out over a period of a few weeks instead of giving them to your furry friend all at once.

This will allow your dog's immune system to not get overwhelmed and decrease the chances of a bad reaction. Another great thing to do is to have your canine buddy take a "Titer Test" before getting any dog vaccination. A titer test is a test that reveals whether or not your dog has enough antibodies to the disease that the dog vaccine is supposed to prevent. If the titer test shows that your dog does have enough antibodies to the disease, then you don't have to vaccinate your dog that year. Whats more important than not over vaccinating your dog is making sure to feed him or her a truly healthy dog food everyday, but that's a whole other article.

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For any new pet owner, and the owners of new dogs, vaccines are often a matter of some confusion. Which vaccines is the dog supposed to get? What are the vaccines for? Will my dog react badly to them? These are all questions frequently asked.

Most veterinarians will advise dog owners to give the DHLPP vaccination once their puppies are weened off their mother's milk. This vaccine covers a number of fairly common canine conditions: distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus, and parainfluenza. Depending on the veterinarian and the geographical location, your dog may be given only some of these vaccinations. Typically, all five, or a combination of them, are lumped together in a single shot that is administered subcutaneously, or under the skin, once every two or three weeks for about two months.

Each of these diseases can be very difficult to manage, and a vaccination is your best bet to avoid them all together. Unfortunately, some dogs do experience adverse reactions to some of these vaccines. For that reason, many vets have moved from giving this shot yearly, to giving it every three years. All of the vaccines have been shown in limited studies to last more than a year with the exception of the leptospirosis vaccine, which may last less than a year. But unless this bacterial disease is prevalent in your area, it may not be necessary.


Many boarding facilities have very strict policies when it comes to admitting dogs. These policies nearly always state that if your dog has not been vaccinated,it will not be boarded. Unfortunately, each kennel may have slightly different rules when it comes to which vaccines your pup will need. Beyond the DHLPP shot, your dog may need to be vaccinated against adenovirus or bordatella.

Because of the great number of dogs coming from a great number of different backgrounds, the likelihood that the animals at the kennel would be exposed to at least one type of communicable canine disease is fairly high. Some viruses, like parvovirus, are very tough and will not die easily. The disease is transmitted through dog poo, which is usually all over the place in a kennel environment. For this reason it is very important that you not only have your pet vaccinated, but that the kennel require vaccinations.


If you planned to put your dog in a kennel or start exposing him to other dogs, it is important that you give the necessary vaccination early. It can take several weeks for a puppy or dog to build up immunity after a full course of vaccine.


Rabies is a particular worrisome disease that unfortunately has no cure for dogs. A dog that is infected with rabid will have to be euthanize without any doubt. Vaccination should be a high priority for a dog owner. This vaccine should be administered once between three and six months of age, and again at one year old to ensure immunity. It should also be given yearly. Vaccinating your pup against rabies will also protect you, your family, and neighbors from this deadly disease.


Occasionally, a dog will have an adverse reaction to a vaccine it has received. You need to take extra care to monitor your pet condition after every vaccination, making sure that there is no change in his activity level, diet pattern or personality. If you notice these symptoms and they persist, get in contact with your veterinarian right away.

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Knowing what to vaccinate your dog for and how often to give your dog a vaccination are two very important issues. Regular vaccinations can prevent your dog from contracting many different types of diseases. Vaccinating your dog is a very important part of your total dog health care program. Overall, two of the most important viruses to vaccinate your dog for are parvovirus and distemper.

Most vets agree that it is vital to vaccinate puppies at 6 weeks of age and again at 8, 12, and 16 weeks for Distemper, Canine Infectious Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus, and Coronavirus (DHLPPC). It is also suggested that puppies are vaccinated for rabies at six months of age and then to repeat it annually.

Although your new puppy may squirm or even cry when getting his vaccinations, it is just as important for your dog as it is for your children to receive these "annual shots". In fact, by keeping up to date on your dog's vaccinations, you could be saving his life. Basically, dog vaccinations are injections of a small dose of a specific disease, which should prevent your puppy from developing that very disease later in life by creating the necessary antibodies to fight it off.

Some dog owners have concerns whether the repeated dog vaccinations are really necessary and whether they are doing more harm than good. Vaccinations work by stimulating the dog's immune system, encouraging it to readily produce antibodies to fight against many specific types of bacterias and viruses.

Stimulating the dogs immune system this way does come at a price when the actual introduction of the offending agent in some form to the dog's system leads to illness. Once vaccinations are given, your dog's immune system will recognize the presence of a disease and will then create antibodies to fight it off. These antibodies only last from six months to a year, which makes regular vaccinations extremely important for your puppy or dog.

The question on the minds of many pet owners is usually - "is it dangerous to repeatedly vaccinate my dog each year"? Fortunately the experts do agree that the answer to this question is a resounding "no."
While there are rare cases of dogs that have become very ill or even died as a result of receiving a vaccination, there is no evidence to suggest that this practice poses any real danger generally speaking. Oftentimes, the dogs that are adversely affected to vaccines may have already been sick or have some form of allergy to a specific part of the vaccine.

When using a vaccine that must be mixed first, there are four simple steps to follow. First: mix the vaccine by withdrawing all of the liquid from the one vial and then injecting it iback into the vial containing the dried portion of the vaccine. Remove the syringe, shake the vial to mix up the vaccination, re-insert the needle and then withdraw the entire 1 ml contents of the mixed vaccination.

Two different types of vaccinations exist which are a Killed Vaccine and a Modified Live Vaccine. A Modified Live Vaccine is the live disease being injected, while having been altered by the drug company to be unable to cause the disease it is protecting against. A Killed Vaccine is when the virus itself has been killed before any injection occurs.

Most vaccinations are administered subcutaneously (by injecting the vaccine just under the skin). One of the best areas is located in the shoulder or neck area. Simply lift a tent of skin into a triangle with one hand, and inject the vaccine with the other hand. Note: always use a different sterile needle and syringe for each dog and also for each individual injection, and then dispose of all used needles and syringes in a safe location.

I feel that the best advice I can offer is that dog owners continue vaccinating their dogs according to local laws and the recommendations of their veterinarians. Since the annual vaccines are not seemingly harming dogs in any way, there is no cause for alarm and no harm in continuing the same routine until the veterinary community makes up its mind that a real change is needed in regard to dog vaccinations. In the mean time, a little prevention can go a long way to keep your dog healthy.

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Heartworm is parasitic worm that can grow to be twelve inches or longer, and left untreated, will kill your pet. Heartworm is primarily a canine disease but cats can be infected as well. Heartworm is a serious, life-threatening disease requiring painful conventional treatment once infection has occurred. Herbal heartworm treatments and other natural heartworm treatments are certainly available, though less well known. Although these natural heartworm treatment regimes are nowhere near as painful or risky as conventional heartworm treatments, recovery from well established heartworm can be very uncomfortable for your pet.

Infected mosquitoes transmit heartworm. And once a mosquito is infected, whenever the mosquito bites another animal, heartworm is spread. Although heartworm is not contagious, it is certainly possible, and relatively common, that more than one animal in the household can contract heartworm. This is obviously because an infected mosquito is likely to bite more than one of your pets, and/or if there is one infected mosquito in or around your yard, there are very likely to be more of them. There is no risk, however, to housing a heartworm positive dog with an uninfected animal, as there is no risk of direct infection from the infected dog to an uninfected animal.

Heartworm is a parasitic problem common to dogs (and other pets) in warmer climates. Heartworm is therefore prevalent in southern France, Spain, Italy and the Mediterranean, as well as to a greater or lesser extent in every State in the U.S., and countries as far flung as Australia and Hong Kong. In fact, some experts believe that heartworm is now present on every continent of this planet, with the exception of Antarctica. While that may be, heartworm is as yet relatively unknown in the U.K. and some other cooler climactic areas. There does appear to be a growing awareness of the problem, but many people have very little knowledge of how heartworm is spread, and why preventative medications are so important.

Heartworm is caused by the bite of a mosquito and the adult heartworm is found in the right ventricle and the nearby blood vessels of the dog's heart. Heartworm is a disease that every dog that is ever exposed to mosquitoes is susceptible to.

Symptoms of heartworm disease usually include coughing, weight loss, lack of energy and breathing difficulties. However, during the early stages of infestation, there may be few, if any, symptoms. Indeed, heartworm can develop to a very advanced stage before your pet shows any symptoms at all. This is one of the reasons why a heartworm diagnosis is such a serious matter - by the time your pet is diagnosed, he or she is likely to have a mass of heartworm clogging up his/her heart and surrounding blood vessels.

Heartworm can be diagnosed with blood tests, and/or X-rays, as well as various other types of tests. Heartworm testing will only be carried out as a matter of course in areas where heartworm is prevalent. However, you have every right to request that your pet be tested for heartworm, and to expect your vet to adhere to your wishes in this regard.

Heartworm is a completely preventable disease. Do not ignore your vet when he or she tells you that heartworm prevention is important for your dog. It IS. In fact, it can literally save your dog's life, or at the very least, save your dog from an expensive and painful treatment regime.

The heartworm prevention your vet will recommend will likely be one of the well known brands such as Heartgard. Such preventative medications do work very well, but then again, so do natural alternatives such as herbs.

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