VACCINATION GUIDELINES
RABIES vaccination should be given at 5 months if possible (If not, as late as possible). Be sure the animal is as healthy, and if under homeopathic treatment, check first with your homeopathic veterinarian. Repeat one year later, and then every three (unless your state requires it more often). Speak with me if you breed, or have exclusively indoor animals, or if your animal is very ill, for then we may waive the rabies vaccine.
For the other diseases, there are several options, listed in decreasing acceptability.
Feed a great diet. Treat very early symptoms holistically(red gum line, body odor, cats who drink or vomit hairballs, behavior problems – see the early warning signs handout).
- Do not vaccinate. Rely on the animal’s health. Treat if they get the disease. Use nosodes if they are exposed and you fear for their health.
- Give dogs one or two distemper and parvo vaccinations at 16 weeks (& poss. 8 weeks); or cats one or two panleukopenia vaccinations at 16 weeks (& poss. 8 weeks). Then no more vaccinations, except legally required Rabies vaccination.
If your animal is highly exposed to an epidemic of a disease, and YOU feel they are at risk, you can then give a 200c strength of the appropriate homeopathic nosode one or two times. Do not do this if they are being treated with remedies for other ailments.
If they still get sick, then call for homeopathic treatment.
I will certainly work with your animals regardless or your choices about vaccination, even if you elect to fully vaccinate them. I think this is an important issue to grapple with, and encourage you to read some of the following information, and listen to lectures by people like Dr. Ron Schultz or Dr. Jean Dodds.
I personally believe that vaccines have become an automatic injection and their impact in each animal’s health is not considered. Kennels, other veterinarians, dog groups, hospital visiting groups have different requirements, but usually suggest that you must vaccinate for everything even when there is not a good rationale.. There are no legal requirements for vaccines other than rabies. You need to evaluate each situation. If you have become terrified of Leptospirosis because a neighbor’s dog died of it (it is very rare), you know that the vaccine is not very good and does not last more than a few months, and your dog is very healthy, you may choose to vaccinate once “just to be on the safe side.” That is OK. Of course, your healthy dog was probably protected against serious disease from the lepto just because of being healthy. A rare vaccine will be unlikely to harm a healthy animal.
Ask me if you would like a list of references in journals about vaccines.