Certified Veterinary Homeopathy by Dr. Glen Dupree

If there is a sacred cow in veterinary medicine, it is the annual vaccine program. Currently vaccine programs are started at 2 months or less and vaccines are repeated every few weeks until the puppy or kitten is 4 months or more old. This is followed by annual redoses of all vaccines. Annual vaccinations have been the standard of care in veterinary medicine since the introduction of canine distemper vaccine in the 1960's.

It can be argued that this vaccine protocol has been responsible for the decline of canine distemper since the epidemics of the 1960's, the decline of canine parvoviral infections since the 1980's, and feline leukemia since the 1990's.

However as more and more vaccines reach the market and more and more aggressive schedules are followed, what is the true cost:benefit ratio in our pet population? How much are we gaining at what cost?

Let us look at both sides of the controversy starting with the pro-vaccine side.

Historically vaccines have been viewed as beneficial with few or no side-effects other than the occasional anaphylactic reaction. Epidemic infections such as canine distemper and canine parvo have been readily controlled by the use of vaccines. Through the use of vaccines countless puppies and kittens have been saved from highly fatal contagions. An additional benefit to the veterinary profession is that vaccines are a valuable impetus for insuring the client presents the pet for an annual examination.

On the anti-vaccine side are equally powerful arguments. Vaccine opponents claim that the contagions of the past abated because the population was no longer immunologically naļve - there was natural immunity in the population from low grade natural exposure. Opponents claim vaccines deprive the pet population of normal immunologic development by preventing natural stimulation of the immune system by natural, low mortality infection. Claims are also made against the safety of vaccines. Opponents claim that many symptoms from vaccines are only seen after several days to weeks following vaccinations. There are also questions about the efficacy of the multivalent vaccines currently on the market - vaccines against 5 or more diseases all in one vaccine may overwhelm the regional lymph nodes rendering them incapable of adequate antibody response.

In reality there is much truth in both positions. Vaccines are a double edged sword - both good and bad. Many acute contagions can be prevented through the use of vaccinations. At the same time the normal functioning of the immune system can be thrown into chaos by the injudicious use of vaccines, possibly leading to immune dysfunction (allergies, autoimmune diseases, rheumatoid conditions, etc) in later years.

As with most issues, common sense should prevail in determining the correct approach to vaccination for you and your pet.

First let's look at which vaccines to use. Diseases like parvo and distemper in dogs are high mortality diseases - they have a high death rate in the animals who contract the disease. Maybe those vaccines should be used judiciously. But vaccines for diseases such as kennel cough or giardia, well…….. Those are both very low mortality, low to moderate morbidity, easily controlled/treated diseases. Why assault the immune system with those vaccines??

Perhaps the approach should be to evaluate your pet's particular situation - what disease(s) will your pet be exposed to? When? How contagious is it? How deadly is it? Can it be treated? Vaccinate only for those highly contagious, non treatable diseases to which your pet will be exposed. This may mean (at least in some areas) to vaccinate your pup for parvo and distemper but not for Lyme's disease or kennel cough. Tailor your vaccine program so that you protect your pet but don't overwhelm the immune system.

Then what about vaccine frequency? Are annual vaccines really necessary? Does immunity disappear after 12 months?

Annual vaccinations have been recommended in the past because the vaccine companies did their challenge studies at 12 months (the studies necessary to show that the vaccinated individual is still protected from the contagion). Since the vaccines were only proven to protect for 12 months, the recommended revaccination interval was then set at 12 months. Recent studies conducted by Dr. Ron Schultz suggest the immunity stimulated by vaccines lasts much longer - perhaps even for life (when was the last time you were given a DPT or a measles vaccine?). Based on this work, most university veterinary teaching hospitals are moving toward a 3-5 year vaccine schedule, as has the American Academy of Feline Practitioners. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) is developing a similar position statement on vaccine frequency.

So now maybe we limit the vaccines used to the ones which fit the criteria for presence/contagion/mortality and only give them every 3-5 years instead of annually. In doing so we could reduce the burden on our pet's immune system from 5-10 artificially received antigens annually to 1 or 2 annually, and still have our pets protected from the common serious contagions.

Additionally we could consider the age of greatest susceptibility to each contagion and only vaccinate during that age range. If a disease is only an issue for puppies or kittens, does it make sense to vaccinate mature adults against this disease?

So what do we do if we begin to reduce our vaccine schedules? How do we ensure our pets are still protected?

We shift our emphasis from fighting the named disease to promoting health and vitality in our pets. This follows our previous discussions on diet and treatment options. If we help our pets become as healthy as possible, we will reduce their susceptibility to contagious diseases without relying on vaccines. We make sure their nutritional needs are optimally met. We reduce external stressors by reducing chemical/toxic exposures. We reduce internal stressors by providing species appropriate housing/living conditions. We allow/encourage the pet's immune system to do its job appropriately and efficiently without being over worked through over-vaccination.

All this being said, the issue of rabies vaccination has another complicating factor. Rabies is the only disease for which there is a legally mandated vaccine protocol. Because of the public health significance of rabies, the need for rabies vaccine becomes a legal/bureaucratic issue as well as a medical issue. You must comply with the mandates of your state and local rabies ordinances, or face the penalties of the enforcing agency.

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