08/20/2022
I'm posting this because it very succinctly describes an area I too feel strongly about and wish to "get out there" to all my pet sitting clients and friends! Article below is by animal lover and trainer, Nancy Kerns:
"You can’t properly research whether your dog needs a particular vaccination while at the veterinarian’s office. And while it would be lovely to be able to trust any veterinarian’s opinion that your dog would benefit from whatever vaccination they feel is missing from your dog’s chart, the fact is, sometimes veterinary professionals are just checking the boxes, especially at well-pet visits.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m not an anti-vaxxer. I’m a strong proponent of making certain my dogs have the vaccines that will protect them from hazards they are likely to encounter. But neither do I want to over-vaccinate. Nor do I want to vaccinate my extremely senior dog for anything; I don’t believe in messing with dogs’ immune systems late in life!
Periodically, I pay for vaccine titer tests to determine whether my dogs possess levels of antibodies for distemper and parvovirus that will provide protection against those diseases. I won’t permit them to be vaccinated for those diseases again until they are needed.
Also, I pay attention to what they might be considered “due” for! I just don’t want to be blind-sided or strong-armed over something with potentially long-term consequences for my dog’s health.
If a vet has information about something new or terrific that may benefit my dog, I say, “Great! Let me read up on that. If it seems like the safety profile is good and it’s likely to offer protection from something my dog is likely to encounter, I’ll make another appointment to come back and get that.” And I will!"
