Think twice before vaccinating sick pets
16 Oct 2009
Beware of unwanted reactions for letting your sick dogs have their dose of vaccination. You are placing your beloved dog into grave danger.
All vaccine labels and inserts indicate that vaccines are intended for use in “healthy dogs only“. It does not, however, provide an explicit definition of “healthy“.
Knowledgeable vet agree that certain animals should not be vaccinated. The only exception to the rule is the urgent need to vaccinate such as inevitable exposure to a life threatening disease. These includes, but aren’t limited to, pets with autoimmune disease; pets undergoing chemotherapy; radiation or surgery including dental cleaning or neutering; pets with autoimmune disease, cancer, severe allergies and skin diseases; pets fighting an illness or parasites; pets stressed from shipment or a move to a new home; malnourished pets; and dying housebound pets. The case of vaccinating already sick dogs and pets is similar to adding fuel to a raging fire.
Vaccination is without a doubt a huge business. Dogs and cats alike need an advocate possessing common sense and firm will to stand up in behalf of their pets, which is you!
“Above All Do No Harm”
Vaccinating a stressed or ill dog violates our Hippocratic oath: Above All Do No Harm. When an animal is going in for surgery or chemo, or has an autoimmune disease or neoplastic condition [a tumor], or even a chronic immune challenge such as allergies or endocrine/metabolic diseases, they are at a high increased risk to an adverse reaction to any vaccine.
Why vaccinating a sick pet is a big no no!
Pets eventually develop adverse reactions when receiving vaccine shots during sickly time. It ranges from fever to seizures to autoimmune disease to anaphylactic shock, and even death.
Shots given to unhealthy animals may fail to render immunity. Furthermore, it gives you a false sense of security that your dog or cat is protected from diseases. Plus, the stress posed on the immune system may be diverted to handle the shot instead of fighting the existing illness.
Vaccine manufacturer Pfizer states, regarding precautions when using their rabies vaccine: “A protective immune response may not be elicited if animals are incubating an infectious disease, are malnourished or parasitized, are stressed due to shipment or environmental conditions, are otherwise immuno-compromised.”
According to the University of Nebraska’s “Understanding Vaccines”: “While it is common to vaccinate stressed animals, these animals are more susceptible to adverse vaccine reactions and frequently do not develop an adequate immune response. Immune stressed animals develop limited protection from vaccination.”
Drugs.com states, regarding the Rabies vaccine precaution, “level of performance may be affected by conditions of use such as stress, weather, nutrition, disease, parasitism, other treatments, individual idiosyncrasies or impaired immunological competency. These factors should be considered by the user when evaluating product performance or freedom from reactions.”
Humans are at risk if a rabies shot fails thus leaving pets infected with rabies. The danger of vaccinating sick and chronically ill pets that most, if not all, state and local health authorities allow a temporary or permanent exemption from rabies vaccination for these pets.
The gap between the last shot of vaccination and onset of adverse reactions develops over a few weeks or months. You may not be able to link the vaccine shot as the cause of the symptom, which can turn into deadly. Your vet probably won’t link it either.
What to do when your sick pet is scheduled for vaccination
Before you make that appointment, read my article 10 tips to get rid of unnecessary shots of your dog.
Your pet may not even need the recommended shots. If your dog needs vaccination for licensing, ask your vet to apply for a temporary or permanent exemption to the rabies shot.
Arm yourself with knowledge about vaccine duration of immunity. Talk openly with your vet about postponing shots until your dog is well. Find another vet if your request could not be granted.
Be bold and stand up for your pet especially when he or she is not feeling well. Just say NO to vaccinations and start researching and titer testing.
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