[SIDE EFFECTS]  05/18/2008: Mary from Southaven, MS: "Intranasal bordetalla vaccination side effect: My 14 month old chihuahua was given (without my prior knowledge or concent) an intranasal vaccination for bordetella nearly a month ago. Since then, she continues to have intermittant bouts of sneezing, "reverse-sneezing", and coughing. I cannot seem to get a straight answer from my vet as yet, but in researching the internet it would seem she may have developed chronic rhinitis or tracheobronchitis as a side effect of the vaccination and will require 3-6 weeks of antibiotics. I also read that this vaccination, along with others she's been given, should be reserved for dogs that are shown or kennelled, which she is not. Has anyone else reported problems such as this from the intranasal bordetella vaccination? I'm rather upset and am considering refusing all future vaccinations of any kind."

03/11/2012: Sunshine from Coral Springs, Florida replies: "Use your head people, if you put poison in your dogs system, they will undoubtly have horrible adverse reactions, DO NOT VACCINATE, DO NOT SUPPORT THE CONVENTIONAL VETS, FEED YOUR ANIMALS A RAW FOOD DIET, Take them off all medications, find yourself a holistic vet, give your pet natural supplements, and I promise you, you will have nothing but healthy vibrant animals."

03/12/2012: Marianne from Berlin, Germany replies: "Hallo, Sunshine: What a comment! I just want to congratulate you to your intelligence and common sense. You speak right out of my heart. By the way, the same goes for humans, especially babies, too. Keep on spreading the message.

All the best, Marianne"

03/17/2012: Janet from Raymond Nh, Nh replies: "Sunshine from Florida, You are so right about not vaccinating. I lost 3 goldens within the last 3 years due to all these horrible vaccinations that vets are pushing. The sad part is that I found out to late and lost them. All developed some form of cancer. I really want justice for all the heart ache I went through. Not to say all my hard earned money spent on there greed.

The sad part is that so many people don't know what going on. You probabley heard of the Rabies Challenge Fund. If not get on any read. Very interesting. Frontline and Advantage is a pesticide which causes cancer. People don't realize that too!

I think we need to do more to make people aware of whats going on. Any ideas?

Janet

Raymond NH"

06/21/2012: Kay from Jax, Fl/usa replies: "I wish I had found a Holistic Vet 9 yrs ago when I got my puppy and raised my GSD on the natural foods and no drugs. Now, here we are with a diagnosis of polyneuropathy, kidney disease, degenerative disk disease and possibly degenerative myleopathy. I do have her off of commercial foods. Now the vet wants her on Enalapril and another Vet wants her on Benazepril. Both are drugs to treat high blood pressure and heart problems, but also Kidney disease. Lots of side effects which is typical for drugs. So far, I have not done anything. I am cooking mixed veggies and center loin pork chops, she gets a compounded vitamin mixture, etc. So far, we have spent close to $4,000 and I don't think it is going to stop! She hasn't gotten worse since I first wrote in May so this is good.

So, yes, perhaps, I had started her early, on the natural diets, etc, she wouldn't be in the position she is."

06/22/2012: Esprit64 from North Yarmouth, Maine Usa replies: "Several years ago, I had three pets. In one year, I had spent $3, 000 in vet bills. It was then I realized something was really wrong with how I cared for them. Their sicknesses just did not make sense since I had been following what I believed was good advice.

I therefore did a lot of research and realized how the vet industry is beholding to the commercial pet food industry (their foods causing pets' illnesses requiring ongoing and never-ending vet bills). Do a search on "What's really in our pets' foods. " Also, don't forget, there's additional money to be made by vets using their various machines for medical testing (it's not uncommon for vets to require a more costly test when a simple bloodwork might do--always research what you suspect your pets' condition may be PRIOR to a vet visit, learning what the appropriate and less costly testing may or may not be involved for diagnosis and treatment). Unnecessarily repeated and toxic vaccines also add to a vet's bottom line. One year, my dog had a vaccine and 2 weeks later, he developed black crud in his ears. Another costly vet bill to resolve. However, afterwards, I learned that the condition was a by-product of the vaccine. My vet's explanation--"Oh, these things happen"--never once, did he allude to the vaccine until I called him on it. Needless to say, I never visited him again.

The best way to prevent disease in our dogs and cats is to feed them a raw meat diet (no grains/dairy/any COOKED foods), to include healthy pre-packaged dog/cat foods like BRAVO in the USA(containing the balance of nutrients required for their daily needs). As a layperson, it's next to impossible trying to duplicate these needed pet nutrients yourself. But, I do add to their diets by buying low-cost meats like hearts and livers from my local butcher (livers contain Vitamin A, a vitamin that stores in the body, hence, you must not overfeed liver--I limit my pets to 3x weekly). Fresh vegetables and fruits are also added to meals, care is taken not to overdose on fruits either.

For teeth, forget the toothbrushing, which, I believe is ridiculous advice from an industry that simply wants to sell their products. Dogs & cats natural toothbrush is the eating of raw (never cooked) bones. Some pet owners disagree with such advice, stating that some pets simply cannot eat bones. If you think that, do your own research and decide for yourself.

One indicator that you are feeding your pets well is you'll notice that their poo and breath do not smell--and, most importantly, they are not passing gas. My dog is presently 3 years old, her teeth are pearly white, and, she can pant in my face--you can hardly notice any smell at all. Always watch your pets elimination practices and results--a good indicator of current health (Fiber in the form of crushed flax seeds is good).

Once disease takes hold, as it did with each of my three wee ones, I tried hard to save them. However, my guess is that after years of bad eating before I got smart, the damage wasn't able to be undone. As you seek answers for your dogs or cats, also remember--they may be mammals like human beings and therefore may share benefits from similar remedies. However, their biologies are unique to them, and, a remedy safe for one may be lethal for another. Even between dogs and cats. Were you aware that gerbils eat cyanide safely? Imagine what it'd do for you. Do your research before deciding on any remedy for your pets."

[DEATH REPORTED]  05/08/2013: Kris from Las Vegas, NV: "I took I my 11 yr old sharpei mix for "annual vaccines" and within 7 days she had exploded with cancer and was dead. A year earlier, she had a hanging cancerous growth removed from near a nipple. The vet believed it had not spread. She showed no signs of any mammary involvement and was a healthy, active dog until the vaccines. Within 24 hours of the vaccines, she had labored breathing which worsened day by day. Within 4 days, large mammary masses appeared and her back legs swelled. One week to the day of the vaccinations, she died in the back seat of my car on the way to the vet for the 4th time that week (not the same vet that did the vaccines! ) I believe her immune system had been healthy and had kept the cancer at bay, but the vaccines affected her immune system and allowed the cancer to explode. I miss her terribly and blame the "4 in 1" for her death."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  04/16/2013: Benji5781 from Freehold, Nj: "My chihuahua had a reaction to distemper vaccination. Her face became swollen and she became lethargic. Pretty scary."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  09/29/2009: Kyrie from Dickinson, North Dakota replies: "Well I got my kitten vaccinated about three weeks ago now, and she has been slowly losing the use of her back legs. It was the panleuk combo vaccine (not sure what brand) and I didn't notice it at first. She just stopped jumping around. I assumed it was because she was depressed at the loss of our other cat a short time before, as she was also sleeping more. But now? She doesn't seem to have any feeling. You can pinch the left hind leg and get no response, and the right one twitches but little else. I am not sure if this is a reaction to the vaccine but it seems too coincidental not to be considering she is an indoor only cat. If anyone has any advice please let me know! "

10/27/2009: Michelle from Calgary, Alberta replies: "I went to my holistic vet and I was suggested to see a homopathic that he works with and she recommented silicea 30C homopathic medicine for 3 days 3 times a day 1 pill crushed between two spoons. It worked great! If you can check with a homopathic vet or write to Dr. Pitcarn http://www.drpitcairn.com/ for help."

08/17/2008: Mary from Southaven, MS replies: "Julie, I think if you read all the stories here, the overall message is not saying to stop all vaccinations on all pets. However, if these reactions were happening in children, someone somewhere would be conducting a study and there would be massive publick outcry. Pet owners should research and decide which vaccinations are needed for their pets. If an animal is immune to rabies from a prior vaccination, for example, giving it boosters will not make it "more" immune. Also, the dosage should be adjusted in most cases, and combo vaccines are especially hazardous. I'm thankful I found this site before I blindly followed my vet's advice to give unnecessary additional vaccinations.

Like I saw in one comment, I believe "less is more."

08/21/2008: Fran from Spartanburg, SC replies: "To Mary: Mary, many children DO have severe reactions to vaccines, but so far there is still no public outcry. Like most vets, most doctors will not admit that the symptoms are related to vaccinations. Our health care system - people & animals - does NOT put the interest of the patient first. Just an f.y.i."

08/23/2008: Joyce from Joelton, Tn replies: "Hello Mary, Just thought I'd let you know that there is a lot of hullabaloo going on about children and vaccinations. For starters go to educate-yourself.com and read about vaccinations - then travel on to International Medical Veritas Assn. (IMVA) and read "The Terror of Pediatric Medicine", a free down-loadable book. Are you aware that our federal government has made it a "no-no" to sue the vaccine manufacturers for damages from their vaccines, however I recently read in the newspaper that our federal government had settled a suit filed for damages to their child from vaccines. Yesterday I read in the The Tennessean (Nashville) a news release by federal health authorities in Atlanta (CDC?)on Thursday, which stated that measles cases were at highest level in decade. Of the l3l measles cases reported in the first 7 months of this year, "nearly half" of these cases were children of parents who rejected vaccines for fear that the vaccines cause autism. Worried doctors are concerned about the trend causing a further increase. If my grade school math is still intact, what I get from the above is that if "nearly half" of these measles cases are unvaccinated children, then more than half of these l3l children must have been vaccinated. If this is so obvious, how could those worried doctors have missed this, because it would indicate that the unvaccinated children's immune systems were functioning at least slightly better than the vaccinated children's were. Now I am very concerned that these worried health authority doctors are making health decisions for you, me, and all our loved ones."

08/24/2008: Jae from Spanish Fork, Utah replies: "In response to Mary's post that "many children DO have severe reactions to vaccines, but so far there is still no public outcry. Like most vets, most doctors will not admit that the symptoms are related to vaccinations. Our health care system - people & animals - does NOT put the interest of the patient first. Just an f.y.i."

I completely disagree with this comment. Prior to the administration of any vaccine in children, a parent or guardian must be given a written information sheet on the risks, benefits and alternatives to vaccines. This includes verbage on the side effects of vaccinations, and includes even rare side effects. At that point, the parent has the option to decline the vaccine. Further, prior to the vaccine being administered, the guardian must sign that they have received information on the vaccine and its side effects. This does not occur in animals. I have never been told of side effects of vaccinations in animals. Furthermore, there currently IS a public outcry by parents who are fearing that vaccines cause autism in children (which hasn't been validated). Although new to the subject of veterinary health, I am not new to human healthcare, and with transparency in quality and cost becoming the overwhelming focus, there is no alternative to putting patients first."

08/31/2008: Mary from Southaven, MS replies: "To Jae: The comment you refer to was not mine, but rather was made by "Fran". However, the public outcry you mention is not nearly loud enough. Handing parents a piece of paper before vaccinating children is not enough. I know of many parents who do opt out of many vaccinations for their children, but it is extremely difficult. Many, if not most, public schools will not allow a child to attend if their vaccination records are not current and complete. Most parents are not able to home school, and other options can be equally impractical. While I do see the necessity to protect children against crippling diseases such as polio where the benefit clearly outweighs the risk, I feel the government has taken a good thing too far and now mandates vaccinations against practically everything that we have vaccines for. My grand daughter (5 y.o.) was recently vaccinated against Hepatitis A and B (with her mother's approval, not mine) per her pediatrician's recommendation and (possibly) the school's insistance. What are the chances of her contracting either form of Hepatitis? Slim to none. While some parents are finding alternatives, the VAST majority blindly follow their doctor's recommendations, still unaware of the potential threat of side effects -- despite a piece of paper or verbage given to them in haste. I suspect if the same cautions were given to pet owners in this fashion, most would still find out the hard way like myself and many others have.

I suppose my point is that vaccinations in pets could and should be made safer. Doses need to be adjusted for weight, not "one size fits all". Vets also need to talk with pet owners as to which vaccinations their pets actually need rather than give them all "just to be sure". Vets make big bucks on shots, though, and until enough animal lovers are aware of (and angry about) the potential side effects, pet owners will blindly follow their vet's advice. Look at the original post that sparked this particular debate: "my kitty died of distemper and you're wrong to tell people not to get shots". So I reiterate, I feel pets should not be indiscriminately vaccinated -- we're over-doing a good thing. Some vaccinations are a necessary evil, but all are not without risk. We, as pet owners, must weigh the risk against the potential benefit.

As for humans, we're over-doing on that front as well, in my most humble opinion. My husband contracted a disabling auto-immune disorder at age 48 one month after a tetanus booster, and three months after the flu shot. Coincidence?? Try convincing a doctor of that.

Further comments, feel free to email me at ayecheewowow@yahoo.com."