Pros And Cons Of Over Vaccinating Pets
Are we Over Vaccinating our Pets? A very controversial topic is if we are over vaccinating our pets. Over vaccinating is when vets give animals shots that may be too much for their weight or too many shots throughout their life. Many people think that over vaccinating will make the animal sick or possibly die. Veterinarians think the animal is too small for the amount of vaccine or that the animal only needs to get vaccinated once when is is a baby. While others believe giving the annual shots in full doses is fine and is needed to prevent the diseases the shots are for. People also think that without the annual shots the animal will get sick. One side says that over vaccinating will make the animal sick and or kill them. They believe smaller
…show more content…
animals or breeds in animal groups need half the vaccine, some even believe that once they get their first shots they are good for life. One vet, John Robb believed this to be true and he was only giving dogs half doses of the vaccines if they were under 50 pounds. He did not follow the doses that the manufacturer recommended and therefore had his vet practice taken away. Robb said "If you know that you are going to inject a vaccine into a pet that has the potential to kill him and you know the pet doesn't even need it, then you can't do it, ethically or morally.” John Robb thinks the first time an animal gets a vaccine they are good for their whole lives. Ronald
D. Schultz PhD had a theory that dogs after one round of core vaccines as puppies will be good for life. Some even think that since farm animals such as sheep and goats don’t need annual vaccines, than their pets don’t either. On the other hand the full doses and annual shots are fine for the animal and needed to prevent illnesses such as rabies. Mark Russak says that “regardless of the size dogs and cats should get the full doses of vaccines and the manufacturer's recommended dose is the amount needed to stimulate the immune system against the disease”. Also the diseases have been manufactured with several trials to provide the right amount of antigen. 60% of vets throughout the US are vaccinating their patients regularly. In 2003 the vaccine guidelines had changed so that pets only had to get vaccines every three years not annually. This change had made the over vaccinating sickness rate much better and now pets get wellness exams every year and not vaccines. Most think that shots such as rabies should be given yearly just like people get yearly flu shots because they care so much for their animal. Vaccinating affects the pets, owners and vets both in bad ways and good ways. If you do vaccinate every three years there are pros and cons for the pet, owner and vet.
There are more vaccine bills for the owner because they have to pay vaccines a lot, but their are less risks for them to have to pay bills if their animals gets the disease. The pet
may have a chance to get sick from over vaccination, but he will not get that certain disease that the vaccine is for.
Vets will have to vaccinate animals even if they don’t believe it to be morally right. If you do not vaccinate when the shots are needed there are also pros and cons for the pet, owner and vet. There are less vaccines bill the owner will pay, but their are more risks for the owner to have to pay more later on if the animal gets that disease. The pet will not have the risk of over vaccination but the risk for the disease the vaccine prevents. Lastly the vets will have to deal with the fact that they may not have given the animal everything to prevent the possible disease. Concluding animal over vaccinating is still a very controversial issue. Until they can prove that the vaccines given as puppies or kittens will last their whole lives than most people will still get their animals vaccines every three years. Animals are threatened either way, they may get sick from over vaccinating or without the vaccine they may get the disease that the vaccine was for. It all depends on what the owner wants and what the vet suggests for the animal. Do whats right for your animals and what you think they want or need. Lastly “Speak for those who cannot speak themselves.” -Proverbs
31:8
animals or breeds in animal groups need half the vaccine, some even believe that once they get their first shots they are good for life. One vet, John Robb believed this to be true and he was only giving dogs half doses of the vaccines if they were under 50 pounds. He did not follow the doses that the manufacturer recommended and therefore had his vet practice taken away. Robb said "If you know that you are going to inject a vaccine into a pet that has the potential to kill him and you know the pet doesn't even need it, then you can't do it, ethically or morally.” John Robb thinks the first time an animal gets a vaccine they are good for their whole lives. Ronald
D. Schultz PhD had a theory that dogs after one round of core vaccines as puppies will be good for life. Some even think that since farm animals such as sheep and goats don’t need annual vaccines, than their pets don’t either. On the other hand the full doses and annual shots are fine for the animal and needed to prevent illnesses such as rabies. Mark Russak says that “regardless of the size dogs and cats should get the full doses of vaccines and the manufacturer's recommended dose is the amount needed to stimulate the immune system against the disease”. Also the diseases have been manufactured with several trials to provide the right amount of antigen. 60% of vets throughout the US are vaccinating their patients regularly. In 2003 the vaccine guidelines had changed so that pets only had to get vaccines every three years not annually. This change had made the over vaccinating sickness rate much better and now pets get wellness exams every year and not vaccines. Most think that shots such as rabies should be given yearly just like people get yearly flu shots because they care so much for their animal. Vaccinating affects the pets, owners and vets both in bad ways and good ways. If you do vaccinate every three years there are pros and cons for the pet, owner and vet.
There are more vaccine bills for the owner because they have to pay vaccines a lot, but their are less risks for them to have to pay bills if their animals gets the disease. The pet
may have a chance to get sick from over vaccination, but he will not get that certain disease that the vaccine is for.
Vets will have to vaccinate animals even if they don’t believe it to be morally right. If you do not vaccinate when the shots are needed there are also pros and cons for the pet, owner and vet. There are less vaccines bill the owner will pay, but their are more risks for the owner to have to pay more later on if the animal gets that disease. The pet will not have the risk of over vaccination but the risk for the disease the vaccine prevents. Lastly the vets will have to deal with the fact that they may not have given the animal everything to prevent the possible disease. Concluding animal over vaccinating is still a very controversial issue. Until they can prove that the vaccines given as puppies or kittens will last their whole lives than most people will still get their animals vaccines every three years. Animals are threatened either way, they may get sick from over vaccinating or without the vaccine they may get the disease that the vaccine was for. It all depends on what the owner wants and what the vet suggests for the animal. Do whats right for your animals and what you think they want or need. Lastly “Speak for those who cannot speak themselves.” -Proverbs
31:8