VACCINATION
Many pet owners who are interested in holistic
medicine or who are concerned about using drugs and chemicals
on their pets are reluctant to have their pets vaccinated.
In theory if a pet has the correct diet and lifestyle it will
be naturally resistant to disease and therefore need not be
vaccinated.
However, theories do not always work in practice.
My policy is that a puppy/kitten should be vaccinated by conventional
methods in the usual way. Distemper, parvovirus and leptospirosis
are too dangerous to be treated lightly and I do not have
sufficient confidence in Homeopathic vaccination.
The question of booster vaccination is much
more emotive and controversial. Current veterinary advice
is that dogs and cats should have annual booster vaccinations.
This is backed by the advice of vaccine manufacturers and
one expects the suppliers of medicinal products to supply
accurate advice on the use of their products.
In the USA and in the UK some veterinary practitioners
now recommend distemper vaccination every three years with
an annual parvovirus and leptospirosis booster. Many years
ago I stopped recommending annual booster vaccinations. I
believe they are unnecessary and may be harmful in that they
may over-stimulate the immune system.
This is only my opinion, which I am unable
to back with solid evidence but I am sure many dogs with skin
disease suffer flare-ups after being given boosters. Also,
I do not recall a single case where a dog which was vaccinated
as a puppy but had no boosters ever caught distemper or parvovirus.
Vaccine manufacturers argue that there are
variations in the effectiveness of immunisation and an occasional
animal may not be fully protected. This is probably correct
but for me this does not justify wholesale repeat vaccinations
of already immunised pets.
My view is a personal one which is not shared
by most vets in practice. Circumstance may vary by country
and even region so it is probably wise to seek the view of
your own vet on this complex and highly charged subject.
John Burns BVMS Lic.Ac. MRCVS
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