Vaccine Article- Published Jan 2009

[Cavandra]

This article appeared in Dogs Today (UK) during January. Please feel

free to cross post.

Vaccine Damage Article - Dogs Today

By Catherine O'Driscoll

You may have studied canine behaviour in order to understand why dogs

do what they do, and how their behaviour can be modified. I wonder if

you've studied human behaviour, as I have, to understand why people

treat their dogs so badly, and how they can be encouraged to look

after them better?

Dog owners come from all walks of life. At one end of the scale are

those who like to be in control. These include people with antisocial

personality disorder, also known as psychopaths. Psychopaths, due to

their genes or their early childhood environment, show callous

disregard for the rights and feelings of others. They are the people

most likely to physically abuse animals (and other humans).

Psychopaths are usually highly intelligent. They understand others

well, but they don't care about them. They can be manipulative and

dishonest, exploiting others for personal gain. Although you may

assume that psychopaths are the crazed serial killers we hear about

in the news, they're actually represented in all walks of life, and

particularly at the top of the business world. Many of our captains

of industry are psychopaths.

Narcissists are similar to psychopaths. They are egotists with a

sense of superiority and a lack of empathy. Others don't matter,

they're simply a means to an end. Narcissists exploit others whose

needs they feel to be less important. Many top business people are

narcissists.

The vast majority of society sits at the other end of the scale.

They're the followers, named 'codependent' in psycho-speak.

Codependents are naturally amenable to control. It's estimated that

over 90% of people in our society are codependent to a degree.

Codependent people have been taught, as children, not to trust their

own thoughts or feelings. They lack self esteem and long to be

regarded favourably. They believe that those in authority know better

than them. Very few people are therefore able to work out what's true

and what isn't, because the people who seek power are pulling strings

for their own ends. I'm not saying this as a cynic, but as someone

who has studied what is officially known about human behaviour.

The end result is that we harm our dogs accidentally, because we've

been manipulated by individuals and corporations into believing a

pack of lies. The lie that most dog owners currently believe, and

which is causing horrendous harm, is that dogs need to be vaccinated

every year. This is just not true.

A woman on an internet discussion group said recently: "I vaccinate

my dogs yearly. I'd never forgive myself if they become poorly and I

could have prevented it through a simple yearly injection."

This woman is speaking from fear. Fear makes it's easy to manipulate

people into believing that annual shots are necessary when they are

not.

Another woman replied: "That's exactly how I feel. I do worry,

though, as Mollie has a small reaction after her boosters every year,

but unless it was to get worse, I would still vaccinate."

This woman is also speaking from fear, sponsored by a lie. The

tragedy is that, having already shown reactions to vaccines, the next

unnecessary vaccine could kill her dog.

A third woman said: "Susie gets annual boosters. Ollie doesn't get

any more boosters since becoming very ill after one. He seems to have

a problem with his immune system, of unknown cause, that rears up

sometimes."

If the vet were knowledgeable and honest, he would have told Ollie's

owner that vaccines can cause immune-mediated diseases. Vaccines

probably made Ollie ill in the first place, and neither he nor Susie

need annual shots.

Here is a statement of truth: once immune, dogs are immune against

viral disease for years or life. The study group set up by the WSAVA

(World Small Animal Veterinary Association) on vaccines has come up

with global guidelines which categorically state that dogs and cats

should NOT be vaccinated at more than three yearly intervals, and

then only for core vaccines - distemper, parvovirus and adenovirus.

Core vaccines do not include Leptospirosis, which the WSAVA

acknowledges as causing more adverse reactions than other vaccines.

Importantly, the WSAVA acknowledges that vaccines can be harmful, and

titer (blood) tests are safer than revaccination.

I constantly receive emails from people whose dogs have been harmed

by vaccines. Edward McKenzie-Clark stated: "Last week, at the request

of the new owner, I had a puppy I bred vaccinated. The puppy went

downhill overnight and is now seriously ill. The vet is telling me

that this puppy's condition and the vaccination are coincidences. The

puppy is going into kidney failure caused by either leptospirosis (in

the vaccine) or drinking anti-freeze (impossible) . Can there be a

connection between the vaccine and the puppy's health?"

If this man had given this puppy heroin, his vet would be in no doubt

as to cause and effect. It's amazing how they don't connect the dots.

In fact, a study conducted by Purdue University found that

vaccinated, but not unvaccinated, dogs developed auto-antibodies to a

wide range of their own biochemicals. One of these was laminin, which

coats kidney cells. Vaccinated dogs were attacking their own kidneys.

Vaccines can also cause the disease you're attempting to prevent. In

the Canine Health Concern vaccine survey, 100% of dogs with

leptospirosis contracted it just after being vaccinated against it.

Leptospirosis, of course, attacks the kidneys - and the puppy had

severe kidney damage.

Edward wrote again. "I had to put Hamish to sleep on Sunday. He

deteriorated rapidly over the weekend and I decided I couldn't allow

him to go through any more. There are a lot of 'if only we did this'

days. My other half says I'm too hard on myself and perhaps I can be

but it's very hard to put out of my mind what that poor baby had to

go through."

A few days later, Edward wrote: "The pharmaceutical company have said

they will pay for an autopsy. I've said if you pick up the rest of

the £300 bill. They refused so I'm refusing to let them have the

autopsy done. I asked why are you so keen on an autopsy when you

claim it wasn't your vaccine? No answer! I stopped vaccinating in

1990 after a similar incident and this was only done at the new

owner's request so NEVER again will a vaccine come near my dogs."

I shared Edward's story with Dr Patricia Jordan, a vet who has done a

great deal of research into the vaccine issue. She added these

comments: "Kidney failure is a common sequel to vaccination. The

basement membrane is susceptible to damage from a clogging that

results as the immune complexes are drained via the lymphatics. The

kidney is a big part of the lymphatic system. The body tries to clear

the toxins in the vaccines and there is damage done in this clearing

mechanism.

"Lepto is a very adverse event associated vaccine and the damndest

thing is that lepto vaccines simply do not work. Dr Ron Schultz (the

world's foremost independent authority on canine vaccines) hates to

see them in with anything else and, in puppies, advises that they are

completely finished with the viral inoculations before getting a

vaccine against Lepto, which he neither recommends nor advocates -

even in Lepto endemic areas.

"I have seen older dogs go into kidney failure within two days of

receiving a Lepto vaccine."

Many dog lovers, I suspect, have difficulty in understanding the

science surrounding vaccination, so they'd rather trust the 'experts'

than struggle to understand. Dr Jordan sent me one of her diary

notes, which isn't technical in the least. Perhaps this will have

meaning for you?

"What a depressing day today. I had to kill a patient who was

vaccinated every year, fed crappy food, and was so immune exhausted

that he had everything wrong - coccidia, yeast overgrowth, cancer. I

took pictures of his poor wracked body. I only had about a month to

try to reverse his condition. It was insurmountable due to the years

of visits to the vet and resulting complete adrenal exhaustion and

immunosuppression. He was just spent.

"The day got worse. I heard barking in the reception and found a tiny

eight pound terrorist barking at a tall noble greyhound. The tall dog

was looking desperate and his sides were heaving. I went back to

finish the patient I was with. By the time I had finished, I'd missed

the next patient and the owner of the practice had him.

"I was able to walk by the room for another reason and was very

concerned to see vaccines laid out in the room - with the dog who

looked like he couldn't breathe. I have ranted and raved against

vaccines - the over-use and the fact that every single day there is

malpractice committed with the administration of this danger to sick

and geriatric animals. Anyway, the dog was shot up with vaccines.

"After lunch, I returned to see two of the kennel workers carrying

that dog's dead body back to the freezer for burial. He had gone home

and died. The owner was very upset. Apparently, he wasn't expecting

to have vaccinated his pet and his pet die shortly thereafter.

"I looked at the record. The dog had been a cardiac patient for a

while, with terrible heart murmurs. That was why he was so concerned

about the barking terrier, if only eight pounds. The dog could hardly

get around, so why was he administered an eight way MLV vaccine?

"There appears to be very little compassion in this field. Very

little honesty and integrity for the patient of the client. I will

get blasted by most vets reading this, but the situation is true.

It's a desperate situation."

I agree with Dr Jordan. The situation is desperate. Those in

authority don't appear to care, and the pet owners seem unable to get

out of the mode of following.

Alice Hughes wrote to me: "Please help. Our pup is six years old and

has suffered terribly from arthritis. For three weeks she lost the

use of her back end. One week ago today she had her booster and

within days she was in distress and is barely moving around. She is

lethargic and sad. What can we do? I am not sure if I should take her

to the vet for advice because when we were there last Saturday, he

seemed displeased that I turned down the kennel cough shot (I just

felt uneasy about so many chemicals going into her and she is never

in a kennel). He is 100% behind the annual shots and sends me notices

each year, twice. I feel like I am killing her."

Research shows that vaccines can cause arthritis. They can also, as a

symptom of encephalitis (which is an acknowledged vaccine reaction),

cause paralysis of the rear end.

Elaine Loydall wrote: "Two weeks ago we did the year's round of

boosters. Our younger boy who is 16 months had a massive fit almost

two weeks after the jabs. It was scary. Do you have a view on this,

and does this mirror other experiences? "

Yes it does mirror other experiences. Epilepsy is another symptom of

encephalitis, an acknowledged vaccine sequel. Millions of pounds have

been paid out worldwide in compensation to the parents of epileptic,

vaccine damaged, children.

Brenda Hopping wrote: "I took my eleven year old dog (the love of my

life!) to have his boosters yesterday. Just minutes after leaving the

vets, he collapsed to the ground in an unconscious state and looked

as if he was dying. The sight of this was horrendous, just seeing his

legs at awkward angles and in spasms.

"He did come round, but his eyes were glazed and he looked completely

disorientated. I couldn't lift him. I managed to persuade him to his

feet and he wobbled back to the vets. My dog has a slight heart

murmur and I feared the worst.

The vet would not say that it may be something to do with the

vaccination. He just told me to take my dog home and advised me that

if it happened again, I should bring my dog back for an ECG.

"In my mind it is too much of a coincidence that his 'attack' was

straight after the vaccination. I really think that the state of

confusion and the lack of knowledge on the part of the owner is

beneficial to the vet and invariably to the pharmaceutical

companies."

Proceedings of the First Veterinary Vaccine Symposium, held in 1997,

advised that geriatric dogs - over eight years of age - should not be

vaccinated. All vaccine datasheets state that only healthy animals

should be vaccinated. A dog with a heart murmur is not healthy. He

should not be vaccinated: he can die.

To make matters worse, Brenda was forced to have her cat euthanised

recently as his vaccine-induced cancer had become so aggressive.

Brenda says, "His big eyes and lovely face still haunt me and I am in

tears now as I write to you. To think, if I had been better informed,

he may still be with me now."

When I started reporting vaccine reactions back in 1994, a limited

amount of research was available. It isn't limited any more. What is

needed now is for vets to stop giving unnecessary annual shots, to

start upholding the truth, and for pet owners to become aware of the

truth and honour the trust their dogs place in them.

It is a sad fact that we live in a world where we can't trust

apparently respectable business people and healthcare

providers to put our dogs' health first. We need to wise up - our dogs depend on

us. Ends

[Dogsfevr]

I glazed quickly but couldnt see anything that said tite test instead.

These articles are just as dangerous by telling people dont vacc & dont do anything.

[poodlefan]

I glazed quickly but couldnt see anything that said tite test instead.

These articles are just as dangerous by telling people dont vacc & dont do anything.

What Settlvr said. Vaccination is about risk management. Establishing immunity to life threatening diseases IS important. It's over vaccination that's the issue.

Anyone who wouldn't vaccinate a puppy for diseases like parvo is exposing that pup to a great risker than the needle offers IMO.

Edited January 23, 2009 by poodlefan

[Christina]

Cant say I agree with the whole article however there is some truth in it.

The co dependent people part fascinated me more than the rest. It never ceases to amaze me how so many believe so called experts, media & authority. How did we manage without it all ?

Suppose people had to weigh up the pro's & con's & work it out using common sense.

In all aspects of life in general.

Which is what is needed re vaccines. Of course it is best to protect your puppy from Parvo etc but to give a toy breed dog a C5 vaccine at 6 weeks & then give it 2 boosters is a big risk IMO for example. The same as vaccinating unwell or very old animals. Using sensible caution according to the circumstances & lifestyle of your own dog seems to be the sensible option here.

While I do think they need vaccines & thank goodness we have them it does seem to be overdone & is a profitable industry.

[Erny]

I've already read this article and commented on it elsewhere. I don't like the way it reads (especially the first few para's). I think it reads as just as manipulating as what the author claims others who don't agree with the minimalistic vaccine protocol do.

She has some points and they do make sense, even though her reasoning is not scientifically supported and the stories given are anecdotal.

Personally, I agree with minimalistic vaccine protocol, so what I say above has nothing to do with my point of view to the subject.

[Cavandra]

I glazed quickly but couldnt see anything that said tite test instead.

These articles are just as dangerous by telling people dont vacc & dont do anything.

Titer tests arent necessary.... Just something like "new 3 yearly vaccine", it helps convert the sceptics, as they feel the need to be doing something.........

[Cavandra]

I've already read this article and commented on it elsewhere. I don't like the way it reads (especially the first few para's). I think it reads as just as manipulating as what the author claims others who don't agree with the minimalistic vaccine protocol do.

She has some points and they do make sense, even though her reasoning is not scientifically supported and the stories given are anecdotal.

Personally, I agree with minimalistic vaccine protocol, so what I say above has nothing to do with my point of view to the subject.

I love the way she writes, I have read all her articles over the years, she is one of my favourites on this subject.....Most peopel functioning on auto pilot need a good slap across the face, she does it so well

[morgan]

Agree re titre tests - IMNSHO they are a waste of time and money unless required by boarding kennels or obedience clubs, in which case they are definitely better than annual boosters.

As they do not measure cell memory, they are only useful for assessing one component of immunity, not the whole thing, Antibody levels can be "dangerously" low and immune levels fine due to cell memory.

In over 30 years of never vaccinating adult dogs or cats, and seeing many belonging to friends and associates treated the same way I have yet to see a single case of parvo, distemper or canine hepatitis in an adult only vax as a pup. This is despite exposure to parvo and distemper.

Excellent article!

[Erny]

I love the way she writes, I have read all her articles over the years, she is one of my favourites on this subject.....Most peopel functioning on auto pilot need a good slap across the face, she does it so well

Perhaps I'd need to read more to understand her personality more and to hence appreciate her writing style more than I did.

[Mum to Emma]

Emma's pinneal thrombosis was caused by over vaccination (the white blood cells coagulate in the ear tips, scarring the smallest blood vessels which hinders blood flow and causes ulcers). The white blood cell count is highest in the week following vaccination.

I continued to have her vaccinated annually as the specialist didn't concede this was the cause, until one year the ear swelled up like a balloon. The specialist then agreed that the c5 vaccine was overloading her immune system and to insist on c3. The kennel cough components of the vaccine are largely useless anyway - how many people board their dogs and they come back with kennel cough anyway??

She's now 8 years of age and I have her vaccinated about every 2 years with c3. If she wasn't such a scavenger when out walking, I'd probably stop this too.

Perhaps someone could explain why we humans are only routinely vaccinated as babies against mumps, rubella, polio etc, yet dogs and cats supposedly require annual shots?

[saram]

I found this very interesting as I was only sying to my OH why on earth do we have to vax the animals yearly when as people we only need it in early childhood. I was thinking at the time that I wondered if it was due to vax companies coming up with a sales gimmick a while a go and now no-one can remember why it was recommended it's just what you do.

We have recently stopped vax our youngest child after our eldest was diagnoised with autism and even our dr would not be willing to risk it???

Our pups were also very under the weather after their vax, generally off their food, drowsey, diahorrea etc so I'm thinking we won't be getting yearly vax anymore!