VACCINE SAFETY AND THE SUPREME COURT vs WHAT A VET AND A PHYSICIAN SAYS ABOUT VACCINES FOR PUPPIES

THE US SUPREME COURT HAS RULED IN FAVOR OF DRUG COMPANIES (WHY ARE WE NOT SURPRISED?)...THOUGH A VACCINE CAN CAUSE PROBLEMS, PERHAPS EVEN DEATH, YOU'LL NOT BE ABLE TO SUE THE COMPANY THAT MADE THE DRUG. THIS DECISION WILL NOT HELP MAKE VACCINES SAFER --JUST THE OPPOSITE.

Along with the Supreme Court decision (a 6-2 verdict) came the usual advice: use those vaccines! use them often! don't be afraid of vaccines!  Laws need to be passed to make sure all children get all required vaccines, or they can't attend school! Vaccinate! Vaccinate! Vaccinate!
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DR. PETER DOBIAS, A VETERINARIAN WITH 20+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE,  HAS A DIFFERENT OPINION:


"Ultimately, I resorted to nature’s design for immunity; observing and studying the lives of wild canines and other species. Also, I have 20 years of practical experience in veterinary practice and knowledge of immunology. After careful consideration of pros and cons, I have made a decision not to recommend routine vaccination in my practice."
http://www.peterdobias.com/community/2009/03/vaccination-for-dogs-and-cats-a-holistic-point-of-view/
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As all of you know, drugs, vaccines and various therapies are tested on animals before they are tested with humans.  The favored lab animals are mice, rats, rabbits, dogs, and primates such as monkeys, marmosets and chimpanzees. Why are dogs, for example, used for testing vaccines?


Answer: dogs are mammals very much like ourselves.  Their immune systems are similar, too.  A puppy has an immune system that is relatively undeveloped, just like the human immune system.

The immune systems in a dog's puppy or in a human's baby work similarly

What the doctors aren't telling you: the immune response to a vaccine may be different for breast-fed babies versus bottle-fed babies, due to antibodies in the mother's milk.

BREASTFEEDING IS RECOMMENDED FOR HUMAN INFANTS.  THE MOTHER'S COLOSTRUM AND MILK PROVIDE IMPORTANT ANTIBODIES FOR HER BABY. IN THE DOG KINGDOM, THE SAME FACTORS APPLY: THE PUPPY GETS ANTIBODIES FROM ITS MOTHER'S MILK. READ WHAT THIS PHYSICIAN,WHO IS ALSO A DOG EXPERT, HAS TO SAY ABOUT PUPPIES GETTING VACCINATED TOO EARLY:

VACCINATION FAILURE  by Dr. Catherine Marley

Puppies are born with some immunity from their mothers. However the main source of early protection from disease is obtained from the first milk, or colostrum. This immunity, derived from the mother, is termed "passive immunity". These antibodies decline steadily in the puppy's blood, beginning shortly after birth. But if the mother had a high antibody level, and passed a large amount of that antibody to her pups, these antibodies may persist for up to 18 weeks.

Now here is the catch! The same antibodies that bind and neutralize a virus, can also bind and neutralize a vaccine. If a vaccine is given while the puppy still has a high level of passive antibodies, the vaccine may be completely neutralized, and therefore will be ineffective in stimulating active immunity. If the shots are poorly timed with respect to the declining level of maternal antibodies, then the pup becomes vulnerable to infection.

The graph below shows two puppies. Puppy A has a high starting level of passive immunity, and Puppy B has a low level. It really dosn't matter, because both pups become susceptible at that time when their passive immunity declines below a protective level, and they have not yet developed active immunity. Puppy A is susceptible at 16 weeks, and Puppy B at 8 weeks.

Vets often prescribe vaccinations for puppies at 6 weeks --even though this will interfere with the puppy's own immune system's structure. Mother's milk gives the puppy all the protection it needs until it's weaned--and sometimes beyond.
With this understanding, a veterinarian's opinion (below) on when and whether puppies should receive vaccines is well worth reading. Then decide for yourself how much stress (and exposure to known/unknown contaminants and dangerous preservatives) you're going to put your infant or toddler through--and how often.

DR. PETER DOBIAS, DVM,  TELLS IT LIKE IT IS:

Unsure about the vaccination safety?

You are not alone!

Questions about vaccines are as common as water in the ocean.

Some people worry that if their unvaccinated dog or cat steps out of the door, it is going to get sick and possibly die.

Let me reassure you that the likelihood of this is very, very low. In fact it is much lower than your dog becoming ill from the vaccine itself.
In this brief article, you will learn about the pros and cons of vaccines and become more comfortable making the right decision for your animal friends.
Over the years , I have heard more confusing opinions about vaccination than about any other medical topic.

Ultimately, I resorted to nature’s design for immunity; observing and studying the lives of wild canines and other species. Also, I have 20 years of practical experience in veterinary practice and knowledge of immunology. After careful consideration of pros and cons, I have made a decision not to recommend routine vaccination in my practice.

There are many reasons for this decision but one of which will become more apparent after watching the video below.

Vaccines contain mercury, formaldehyde and other substances that are proven to be carcinogenic and generally harmful. According to some alternative medicine and homeopathy sources, they also have the ability to induce symptoms that are similar to the disease itself.

The repetition of vaccines is often the source of over reactive or inefficient immune systems, which is at the core of many ailments. There is no doubt that frequently vaccinated patients are ill more often.

Read the following statement from the website of the American Veterinary Medical Association:

“Adverse events may be associated with the antigen, adjuvant, carrier, preservative, or a combination thereof. Possible adverse events include, but are not necessarily limited to, failure to immunize, anaphylaxis, immuno-suppression, autoimmune disorders, transient infections, long-term infected carrier states, and local development of tumors. The role of genetic predisposition to adverse events needs further exploration and definition.”

In my experience, puppies and kittens younger than twelve weeks suffer from the adverse effects of vaccinations more frequently. They have an immature immune system that is incapable of responding to the vaccinations. Their fast growing body is also more sensitive to external factors like vaccines.

The paradox is that puppies and kitten vaccinated early – at 6 – 10 weeks often have no antibodies at 12 weeks. Why? The answer is relatively simple. Vaccine contains antigen. The puppies blood stream contains maternal antibodies. When these two meet, the antibody gets bound to the antigen.

Yes, early vaccination makes your dog less protected! I could show you numerous test results that confirm this claim.

Nature's Vaccination – Socialize your puppy early

Are you surprised by my suggestion? Have you been told not to socialize your puppy until the age of 3 – 4 months? This recommendation is given by some well meaning colleagues. Why? Because that is what we have been taught at schools and told by vaccine manufacturers.

However, it is common knowledge that puppies and kittens are usually protected by maternal antibodies from milk until the age of twelve to sixteen weeks. In the wild, they are naturally exposed to viruses and bacteria by socializing with other individuals and gradually form their own antibodies.

In captivity, I recommend measuring the level of your puppy’s or kitten’s antibodies at the age of 12 weeks. If there are any antibodies present, it is highly likely that your pet is protected and you can socialize it with others on a moderate basis. If it gets in contact with a pathogen, more antibodies – protection – are formed.

School of life

Giving your puppy an opportunity to make friends is very important. There are some dogs who have not been allowed to make friends until the age of 4 months. Imagine. This situation can be compared to a child, who was not allowed to see any other children until the age of 6 years.

Puppies need to learn their doggie etiquette early. Older dogs are generally very tolerant of puppies and they gently guide them or tell them off if their behavior is not “according to the canine standards”.

However most dogs have little patience with rowdy “adolescents” that have no manners, jump in their face and do not respect personal boundaries. They often get beaten up and become scared or aggressive in an anticipation of attack.

Your alternative to vaccination

There is a simple alternative to vaccination called titer test. A titer test determines the level and concentration of antibodies in blood.

I usually recommend performing a titer test at the age of twelve and twenty weeks and subsequently on a yearly basis. By the time your dog is 4 – 5 years old, the chance of contracting distemper or parvo are close to zero and antibody titer may not be needed.

How accurate is antibody testing?


[NOTE BY JVB: PU[PIES CAN GET ANTIBODY TITER TESTS. WHY CAN;'T HUMAN BABIES?]

Some people claim that the antibody levels may not be accurate in determining the level of protection. On the contrary, countries and states like Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii and the United Kingdom use rabies titer testing for animal imports. Let me reassure you that these countries’ rules are so strict, they would not use titer testing if it was not highly reliable.

Rabies vaccination and titer

Even rabies vaccination doesn’t need to be repeated as often as originally thought. Rabies vaccine is manufactured as a 3 year vaccine. After 3 years are up, you can submit a rabies titer test to one of the certified labs and received a confirmation of protection which often persists for liftime.

Some countries and states, for example the UK, Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand are rabies free and have very strict animal import rules. If you are planning to travel to these countries, familiarize yourself with the current guidelines. Rabies vaccine, titer and microchip for identification is usually required.

What if your pet has no antibodies?

On one occasion my dog, Skai, had absent distemper antibodies. I repeated the test a month later and his antibodies were present again. This happened without showing any signs of the disease itself. His immune system simply responded in an efficient way.
In reality, the risk of your pet contracting infectious disease is very low. However, no-one can guarantee 100% safety. Ultimately you have to make your own decision.

What to do if you decide to vaccinate?

1. Stay away from so called “combination” vaccines

[note by JVB: for human babies, "combination vaccines" are given all the time to babies and children ---and should not be!]

2. Give each antigen/ vaccine at least four weeks apart.

[note by JVB: why don't doctors recommend this for human infants, rather than give babies "combination vaccines"?]

3. Vaccinate pets that are twelve weeks and older.

[So why should babies who are being breast-fed get vaccinated at six weeks?]

4. Earlier vaccination often neutralizes the maternal antibodies and may leave your pet unprotected.

[note by JVB: Would this not apply to human infants being breast-fed, as well?]

5. Watch for any side effects that may appear even months later.

[Note by JVB: of course, this is how drug companies can wriggle out of blame--the symptoms develop too late to be linked to the vaccines]

What are common vaccine side effects?

It is often very difficult to determine what is a vaccine side-effect and what is an unrelated incident. One of the ways to confirm is the use of homeopathy. There are several treatments, remedies, that have known abilities to neutralize vaccine side effects. If I use one of these treatments and the disease symptoms disappear, it is safe to conclude that vaccines played a role.

Vaccine side effects often appear similar to the symptoms of disease they were supposed to prevent.

Distemper vaccine may cause skin and ear problems, eye discharges and infections, allergies, or neurological disorders.

Parvovirus vaccine may be the cause of recurrent vomiting and diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease or diet related allergies, heart problems.

Some other commonly seen side effects are:

autoimmune disorders (like lupus)
growth and development abnormalities
epilepsy, anxiety, hyperactivity and aggression
thyroid disorders and diabetes
certain forms of cancer

Which vaccines to give if you decide to vaccinate?

1. Parvovirus vaccine at twelve weeks
2. Distemper four weeks later.
3. Rabies – if you live in an area where rabies is common, or if you travel.

Ideally delay rabies vaccination until six months of age.

Beware of the following vaccines:

Dog owners should be aware of vaccines against Bordetella (kennel cough) and Lyme disease. They often cause severe side effects similar to the symptoms of the actual disease. [note by JVB: bordetella is closely related to b. pertussis --whooping cough--for which children and adults also receive vaccinations.]

If a boarding facility, daycare or a puppy class requests Bordetella vaccine, ask to sign a waiver or if the facility operators are resistant, find another facility.

What to do if you observe a reaction?

Try to stay away from potent steroid drugs like dexamethasone or prednisone. These compounds have very severe and long lasting negative effects on the body and the immune system.

Talk to an open-minded practitioner who will help you find safe and effective treatment. A dose of Thuja 200 C is a good start, however other treatments may be necessary depending on the nature of the reaction.

A detailed evaluation of each patient may be necessary in order to select the correct treatment.

I once read an article that stated “if clean water and nutritious food was provided in Africa, it would be a more effective prevention than any vaccine”. I can’t agree more.
If you want to have a healthy dog, a healthy diet, the right amount of exercise and social interaction, low stress and a loving and caring environment are the best prevention.

[Note by JVB: the same applies to human babies!]

Sincerely,

Dr. Peter Dobias

http://www.peterdobias.com/community/2009/03/vaccination-for-dogs-and-cats-a-holistic-point-of-view/

WHY SHOULD YOU CARE ABOUT VACCINES? READ EDWARD T.HASLAM'S BOOK, DR.MARY'S MONKEY, AND JUDYTH VARY BAKER'S BOOK, ME & LEE: HOW I CAME TO KNOW,LOVE AND LOSE LEE HARVEY OSWALD TO UNDERSTAND AND LEARN HOW TO RECOGNIZE THE CORRUPTION AND LACK OF ETHICS THAT CAN EXIST IN THE MEDICAL HEALTH CARE PROFESSION BECAUSE MONETARY GAIN AND PUBLIC CONFIDENCE HAS BECOME MORE IMPORTANT TO BIG PHARMA THAN THE PUBLIC'S HEALTH AND SAFETY.