Vaccination Recommendations

The following are some of my recommendations concerning your companions' health in choosing whether or not to vaccinate. Calling our office for an appointment is the best way to insure that the vaccination protocol you are choosing is the best fit for your companions' lifestyle.

1. If you can, do not vaccinate puppies and kittens under three months of age.

Vaccinations are much more stressful on the underdeveloped immune system. Their effects are also temporary and require subsequent boosters. Protect your new kitten or puppy by only exposing them to other healthy dogs or cats. Do not take them to places where a lot of animals congregate and defecate, such a parks and rest-stops. Be aware that they are highly susceptible to serious disease at this age and take responsibility for protecting their environment.

2. After three months of age, if vaccinating, I suggest the following:

Puppies - Give one Distemper/Parvo vaccination. If separate vaccines are available, space the Distemper and Parvovirus vaccinations by two to four weeks. Dobermans and Rottweilers should have the parvo vaccinations after 15 weeks of age. Rabies vaccinations should be delayed until six months of age. Lyme disease, Coronavirus, and Kennel Cough vaccines do not meet the criteria mentioned previously for a useful vaccine and I do not recommend giving them.

Kittens - Give one Panleukopenia combination (FRCP). If available, give the vaccine components separately spaced three to four weeks apart. Feline leukemia and FIP vaccines do not meet the previous criteria for needed vaccines. IF your cats go outside and you have rabies in your area, give a rabies vaccine at six months of age. Legal requirements vary from state to state.

3. Booster vaccinations are neither necessary nor required.

Studies in animal populations show that long-term immunity to distemper, parvovirus, panleukopenia, and other diseases is conferred by one vaccination for many years. Lifetime protection is highly likely after one vaccination. If you are concerned, titers for distemper and parvovirus can be checked with a simple blood test to see if your companion is protected. If you do choose to give boosters, wait three to five years between them and alternate between distemper and parvovirus vaccinations if single vaccines are available. FRCP in cats is a long-lasting vaccination probably for life.

Rabies boosters are legally required, usually every three years. Check with your local health department.

4. Homeopathic Nosodes can be used when risk occurs before three months of age. Many guardians use these homeopathic medicines to help protect their companions against Parvovirus, Distemper, Kennel Cough, Panleukopenia and FIP. Some nosodes seem to work more effectively than others. None of these produce titers against these diseases like a vaccination , so they are NOT vaccine replacements. They do seem to moderate a disease condition if the animal is exposed, even if they don't prevent it. It is another option for those guardians who wish to avoid vaccinations.

5. Vaccinations will impede responses to homeopathic treatment and will interfere or reverse progress in healing.

Do not vaccinate any animal under my homeopathic care without checking with this office first. There are procedures we may wish to take to minimize adverse effect from vaccinations. In chronic disease such as cancer, vaccinations are very stressful and should always be avoided unless very extenuating circumstances merit their use.