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Are Vaccinations for Pets Really Necessary
If you have been following
the standard guidelines for pet vaccinations you have
probably been submitting your cat or dog to a painful
shot as well as the anxiety of a visit to the vet every
year in an effort to provide them the best health possible.
Vaccinations are a big business. Owners
will spend what they are told in order to protect their
pets and possibly themselves from contacting scary and
deadly diseases such as rabies or distemper.
However, some veterinarians and pet
owners are starting to question the wisdom and necessity
of annual vaccinations.
Dr. Margie Scherk who runs a veterinary
clinic in Vancouver was quoted in a CBC news story as
stating that "We have no reason to think a cat's
immune system is different than a human's immune system.
And we don't get vaccinated every year."
If this is true, why do vets keep warning
us to have our dogs and cats vaccinated annually?
Possibly some encourage the visits for
the monetary benefits, but it is also a subject that
is still fraught with controversy.
Pet owners in general are not anxious
to take risks with such deadly diseases and so until
conclusive studies are embraced by the medical field
they will continue with annual vaccinations.
On the other hand, some studies have
shown that certain vaccines, such as the rabies vaccine,
may be linked to an increase in tumors in cats.
Other pet owners have had personal experiences
which led them to believe that vaccines in puppies may
have been responsible for a higher mortality in a healthy
litter.
Until these concerns have been researched
further, veterinarians take their own stand on vaccinations.
Dr. Kruth, who was also interviewed by CBC, believes
that owners should make decisions based on the lifestyle
of their pet. He explains that hunting dogs are clearly
more at risk for picking up some of these diseases than
a pet kept indoors in the city.
How can pet owners make an educated
decision? There is a lot of information available online,
as well as recommendations from Associations and veterinary
schools which may reflect the more recent research.
However, most individuals will likely require the experience
and recommendation of their family pet's doctor or shop
around to find one who seems to be implementing newer
recommendations. In this case most will suggest a three
year gap between most vaccinations. There are still
some diseases that may require annual shots or even
six month shots such as feline leukemia and kennel cough.
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