Pet Vaccinations: Are they Safe?

Petside Blog
|
Poll Archive
|
A-Z
- AAHA
- Beds
- Bones
- Books
- Bowls
- Carriers
- Cat Food
- Catnip
- Collars
- Crates
- Dog Food
- Grooming Tools
- Leashes
- Pet Food
- Pet Picture
- Pet Store
- Pharmacy
- Toys
- Treats

| Print | By Jo Singer | January 28, 2010 11:07 AM

It goes without saying of course, that responsible pet owners strive to keep their beloved furry companions as healthy as possible. We endeavor to feed them the best nutrition, make sure they get lots of attention and exercise and provide them with lots of mental stimulation. We love spending time with our pets as they are definitely considered to be a family member. Providing our pets with the best of care also includes annual veterinary checkups, dental care and vaccinations as these routine visits are central to maintaining our pets' robust health.

Photo via Bruce Fong Blog
28-veterinarian-3 Bruce Fong Blog.jpg But within the past few years, what once was considered to be essential vaccine protocols are now being re-examined to determine which annual vaccines are really necessary and to examine the risks of over-vaccinating. Many veterinarians today are leaning toward individualizing these vaccine protocols based on need, age and the general health of the animal.

While core vaccines are administered in order to prevent serious illnesses, canine and feline vaccines also carry the risk of adverse and unintended side effects.

Feline and canine vaccines work by stimulating the pet's immune system to respond to a selected infectious disease. These vaccines provide protection against that particular disease to which the vaccine is targeted. Unvaccinated pets, if exposed to these highly lethal and potentially fatal diseases, are at high risk of contagion, resulting in serious and life-threatening illness.

So what are the risks in vaccinating our pets?

One of the more common dangers is an acute allergic reaction to the vaccine. Anaphylactic reactions can occur shortly after the vaccine is administered. Swellings of the eyelids, difficulty breathing, or muzzle swelling are some of the symptoms.

Additionally vomiting or welts on the skin are other symptoms that demonstrate that the pet is allergic to the product. These allergic reactions can occur even if a pet has never had an adverse reaction previously.

In felines, the rabies and feline-leukemia vaccine carries the risk of Vaccine Associated Sarcoma, a particularly aggressive and difficult to treat form of tumor, which may develop in approximately 1-10,000 or 100,000 vaccinated cats. Some estimates are greater, according to some studies, ranging in the area of 2-5 cats in 10,000-100,000 becoming affected.

According to a safer protocol, cats are no longer being "scruff" vaccinated. The injections are now administered in a leg muscle on a specific side, so if tumors develop, surgery to amputate the affected leg may help prolong the life of the cat. In fact, some veterinarians are now administering these vaccines to cats in the tail, as they can manage without it, if amputation becomes necessary.

Other risks for potential side-effects to vaccines are yet undocumented or completely understood. Damage to the immune system which may cause damage to major organ systems is one that has been postulated, but remains unproven. However, we must carefully weigh these risks against the danger of our pets contracting serious diseases if not vaccinated.

In consultation with our veterinarian, a balance between under-vaccinating and over-vaccinating may be established. Depending upon on our pet's lifestyle, whether they are indoor or outdoor pets, what exposure they may have to unvaccinated animals, or especially if they compete in shows, all enter into the vaccine protocol equation, so it is crucial to establish an individualized vaccine protocol based on the specific needs of our pets in order to lower unnecessary risk.

And while the rabies vaccination is mandated throughout the United States on individualized schedules, talk to your veterinarian about some of the safer products available, especially for felines.

What are your thoughts about vaccinations for your pets? Do you vaccinate them on a regular schedule? Leave a comment and share your opinions.

RELATED TOPICS: Blogs (262) , Cats (117) , Dogs (68) , Health (24) , Safety (15) , Vaccinations (1) , Veterinary (11)

« Previous

Heather January 28, 2010 10:51 AM

Flag

Jo
Liked ur article a lot. Have often wondered about this very subject and along this same line, is it better to get annual or three year rabies shot for dogs? I have been doing annual but some ppl say three year better. Is it just for convenience? Who knows. Cindy has micro-chip for ID but we must get County tag and need proof of rabies shot to do that.
Heather

Ruth January 28, 2010 11:28 AM

Approved

My 2 cats are indoor only, so they never get any shots at all. My last cat lived to be 18 yrs old without shots so not getting them is a good thing for me. My 4 greyhounds get rabies shots only. They're not exposed to alot of dogs where they can get a sickness from them, so I only do rabies with them. I don't trust the other vaccines. If it wasn't a law, I probably wouldn't do rabies with them either. When I was a child, there was no such thing as shots for your pets and dogs and cats roamed freely throughout the neighborhood without any of them getting parvo or rabies or any other desease. How times have changed.

jmuhj January 28, 2010 12:13 PM

Flag

As both sides of my family practice(d) preventive healthcare such as good lifestyle and dietary choices, exercise, and stress avoidance in lieu of western allopathic (symptom-based, does not treat the whole being but only relieves symptoms) "medicine" with its emphasis on selling drugs and keeping people sick so more drugs can be sold to them, I favor this for my loved ones as well. Baseline vaccinations may be necessary depending on circumstances; continuing vaccinations are not.

Vicki January 28, 2010 2:30 PM

Flag

I am all for preventative meds for all of my animals. I do think that the dossage should be the correct amount for whatever size the animal is. Some diseases can be deadly, and I would rather vaccinate against them than to have them contract it.

Ruth January 29, 2010 3:33 AM

Flag

This is a subject worrying us at present as our cats are soon due their yearly booster,they had the full course as kittens and 7 boosters since.At one time I totally trusted vets as I worked for them but since retiring and the old vets I knew have retired or died,I'm just another client. Last year they were given the injections in their scruffs, I don't know if it's USA vets only now injecting boosters into legs and tails, or our vets too, but I don't think because a cat can do without a leg or his tail it justifies vets pushing yearly boosters for profit only if there is a danger of something going wrong.
So what do we do ? I wish I knew !!!!!

iniki January 29, 2010 4:00 AM

Flag

I go through this constant question by the vet as to when I will get the cats their shots. The solution was to explain to her that I give them the shots myself. Our large animal vet trained me to give shots to the goats and sheep and also the cats. The meds are available through several warehouse supply stores here in the USA. The only shots I cannot give are rabies. Although I can buy them and give the vaccine, it would not count due to the restrictions in our state. I even have to take the goats and sheep to the vet for these shots. Here the cats have to have a first rabies and then a follow up in one year. After that they need one every three years. Our vet admits that they don't need one unless they are exposed and the first two shots are enough. Of course the state makes money and so does the vet so this isn't going to change any time soon.
hanks for the article. I appreciate all the information.

Joanne January 30, 2010 6:42 AM

Flag

This is a constant source of worry to me. I have two dogs and two cats. The kitties received all of their kitten vaccines including rabies. Since they are strictly indoors cats we have decided not to vaccinate them at all. I just can't see the need. The dogs have received their puppy vaccines as well as the DLHP (?) boosters. This the vet give every three years. When my older dog was due I had the vet measure the titers which should gauge their need for vaccine. She wasn't thrilled about it saying it wasn't 100% accurate. I said the vaccines aren't 100% effective either. So anyway his titers were high so we did not vaccinate. Now the vet is pushing a the canine influenza vaccine for all dogs. Is it really necessary? I don't know. I know someone who shows her dogs - so they are in a close environment with other dogs and she said none of the owners were doing it and her vet doesn't recommend it. One thing you have to keep in mind is that these vaccines are big money makers for the vets - i don't mean to sound cynical but it's true. My vet charges for an office vist and the vaccine. By the way - I did give lyme vaccine because where we have our lake house is loaded with deer. I guess what I am saying is that it's hard to make an informed choice with all the information out there- and we do want to do what's best so that our pets have the safest and healthiest life possible.

Lynn January 31, 2010 6:59 AM

Flag

My cats do not get annual vaccinations as there is no scientific evidence that they're needed. This is truly more or a practice management tool used by the vets to get people in for the annual exam which all pets need. But many wouldn't do that if they didn't think they "needed" vaccinations. The recommendations from all the vet colleges changed years ago from annual to every 3 years but that was just to be conservative. MANY vets believe that once they've had they're puppy or kitten vaccination and the first annual booster they're good for life. Hmmm....much like human vaccines.

Amy Lynn March 11, 2010 10:34 AM

Flag

I agree Lynn. I had a friend who had indoor cats. Her vet was able to get her to pay for heartworm shots for her cats!!! They were getting all kinds of shots. Finally she caught on.

Kernie February 1, 2010 3:05 PM

Flag

We rescued an abused pit bull...7 mos old, and had been thrown off a porch and his leg got broken. I finally got the dog, got him a rabies, distemper shot...also had him neutered. Proceeded to take him 3 weeks later...additional vaccines were given, and the dog got megaesphogus..(couldn't keep food down) also, couldn't walk, and had no energy. We had him euthanized and it broke our hearts because he had finally had a good home...we were advised by the vet to do that because we were told it would be for the best. I cannot help but feel that those vaccines contributed to his demise. I am going to, in the future, be very cautious regarding vaccines. This happened nearly 2 mos ago, and it still is upsetting!!!

annie February 13, 2010 4:10 PM

Flag

just had to take 5 of the cats in, these last few weeks, for their rabies shot, so had a nice chat with them about the yearly shots.

the new directives that are being given to vets -- after a pet reaches a certain age -- about 7 -- then the shot should only be every 2 years instead of annually. this applies for both dogs and cats.

the reason shots are being given in the lower leg -- apparently it has discovered that some cats develop a cancerous tumour at the injection site. that is why the neck is pretty much NOT being used anymore. if the shot is given lower down on the leg, AND the animal develops the cancerous tumour, then only that portion of the leg has to be removed. if the shots were still being given at the neck, and the tumour occurred, the animal would have to be put down.

for cats -- the first rabies shot is an annual, then the next is a 3 year. my 3 oldest had the 3 year shot this week.

Amy Lynn March 11, 2010 10:28 AM

Flag

Family cat growing up never had his shots after kitten vaccines... lived to be 20 years old. I had two cats for 14 years and both got ill... both would receive their annual vaccines up until they were 10... one died of kidney failure and the other from pancreatic cancer... I have two cats now and will not get them their vaccines. They are indoor cats... why would they need them? If you think about it, vets are in the business of selling goods, meds and vaccines being included in that. Why would they NOT try to sell you something under the conditions that you "need" them for your pet?

add your comment