Dog owners aim for as many quality years as possible for their furry companions. Collectively, they go to great lengths and spend millions of dollars each year to insure good canine health. Quality, natural food and good vet care are essential, but some owners might not know all there is to know about achieving superior health for their dog through natural immunity.
Is it really necessary to vaccinate a dog every year? Most vet clinics offer a 3-year rabies booster rather than a 1-year shot. The distemper series is often given yearly, although some clinics have moved to 3-year intervals for this series. When considering if annual or triennial boosters are overkill, one can consider human vaccines like MMR and polio which confer lifetime immunity.
A description of the many different vaccines available and modes of transport to dogs is enlightening. Many DVMs feel the benefits of even 3 years between vaccines outweigh the risks of said vaccine. Certainly, dog owners must do their research and make an informed decision as to the best course of preventive treatment for their own animal. If owners don't take primary responsibility for the health of their pet, who will?
The other side of the vaccination question might seem radical to some, but scientific evidence is mounting as to the topic of natural immunity for canine disease.
In her book, Natural Immunity-Why You Should NOT Vaccinate!,Pat McKay outlines her years of research and personal experience with respect to the often detrimental effects of vaccination. McKay quotes Dr. Richard Pitcairn, DVM Immunology: "If I may venture to make a prediction, it is that fifty to one hundred years from now, people will look back at the practice of introducing disease into people and animals for the purpose of preventing these same diseases as foolishness ... a foolishness similar to that of the practice of blood letting and the use of toxic doses of mercury in the treatment of disease."
Might it not be better to help dogs by supporting their immune systems through quality food, clean water and regular exercise rather than to knock their defenses down with vaccine after vaccine? This is especially true when the scientific evidence for vaccination is scant. Surely, the diseases that afflict dogs are terrible and often deadly, however, is society doing more harm than good by injecting even killed forms of these diseases into a dog's body? If a dog is protected from disease for 3 years, who is to say the immunity from the disease automatically disappears on the first day or month after three years?
Dog owners need to take responsibility for the life of their dog including the question of vaccination. Thoroughly research the issue, talk with the dog's vet and make the best decision for the health, happiness and longevity of the dog. It's possibly time to start thinking of those who choose to not vaccinate their dog as simply people who have done their research and made an informed, rational decision.
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