Posts Tagged ‘ vaccine reactions ’

Vaccine-Associated Auto-Immune And Other Diseases by Dr. Michael W. Fox

October 22, 2012

Animal Vaccination Concerns:
Vaccine-Associated Auto-Immune And Other Diseases 

by Michael W. Fox BVetMed, PhD, DSc, MRCVS*** 

By way of introduction to this critical review, I wish to make it clear at the onset that I am not opposed to the judicious use of vaccines. My approval is conditioned on the proviso that the deployed vaccines have high levels of proven safety and effectiveness for each species upon which they are used, and requires that they become part of an integrated, holistic health care and disease prevention program. When used as a sole therapy, vaccines do not constitute an effective preventive medicine regime. The myth of infectious and contagious diseases having a single cause—the infective organism—is at long last being abandoned as other co-factors are now being more widely recognized, extending the narrow view that developing a specific vaccine is all one requires to reduce the morbidity and mortality of a given disease.

As a veterinarian I am concerned about the consequences of the widespread dissemination of modified live virus (MLV) and genetically engineered (GE) virus strains through the mass vaccinations of humans, livestock and poultry, and in-house companion animals. Read more »

An Educated Approach to Vaccination by Christina Chambreau, DVM

August 24, 2012

Dr. Christina Chambreau and Friend


Overview

While annual physical examinations by your veterinarian are critically important for the health of your animal, there is growing concern about giving annual vaccines. In my opinion, the best approach to vaccination is to build up the health of animals so they are not susceptible to acute infectious diseases (therefore do not need vaccines). Some dogs and cats will become severely ill even with the very first vaccines, so before vaccinating, be sure they are as healthy as possible. Vaccines for viral diseases such as dog or cat distemper (panleukopenia) and Parvo provide lifetime immunity if they provide any at all. The other vaccines either provide little immunity, short lived immunity, or do not even cover the local disease. Even Rabies vaccine protects for life but I do recommend following your legal requirements unless you are working with an integrative veterinarian who is recommending less frequently. 

When giving vaccines, realize there can be serious side effects. Do no give multiple ones at a time. Take steps to prevent reactions and carefully continue to evaluate health after the vaccine(using the Early Warning Signs) . If health does suffer, treat holistically as soon as problems are noticed. 

Read more »

7 Things You Don’t Know About Vaccinating Pets

July 19, 2012

1. The only vaccine required by U.S. law is rabies. 15 states currently offer exemptions to animals with serious health problems and more are adding exemptions. Not all states require cats and ferrets to be vaccinated. Note: because laws change with little fanfare, not all veterinarians know the current regulations. Click here to see a list of U.S. state laws. Double check with your city and county Animal Control.

2. There is little or no research showing that annual revaccination for core vaccines boosts immunity. Studies do show that core vaccines shouldn’t be given any more frequently than every three years — not every three years.

3. Mature dogs and cats rarely die from vaccine-preventable infectious disease and thus may not need vaccinating.

Read more »

Vaccine Reactions: Underreported and Unrecognized, Not Unimportant

July 16, 2012

Dr. James R. Shannon, former Director of the US National Institute of Health, has been widely quoted as saying: “The only safe vaccine is one that is never used.” 

But are adverse vaccine reactions really a big deal? Aren’t they just the “fever and fatigue” we’re warned about after yearly shots? Or is there more to learn?

And aren’t moderate and severe adverse reactions rare? Let’s answer this question first.

Reactions are considered rare, in part, because reporting is rare. Unlike reporting for human vaccine reactions, required by the National Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, reporting is voluntary for reactions experienced by animals. Furthermore, there is no federal Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) for animals as there is for humans, nor is there a National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). That does not mean that adverse events aren’t a serious a problem for animals. In fact, because animals are given numerous vaccines repeatedly (and unnecessarily) throughout their lives, rather than just in childhood, the problem is likely worse.

WSAVA Vaccination Group Guidelines (p. 18) recognizes that there is “gross under-reporting of vaccine-associated adverse events which impedes knowledge of the ongoing safety of these products.”  AAHA (p. 19) says, “Although AE [adverse event] documentation in veterinary medicine is limited, severe adverse reactions are considered uncommon.” But if reporting is rare, how do they know?

Perhaps the biggest problem in underreporting is the failure to match an illness or problem to a vaccine. Read more »

Clinical Approaches to Managing and Treating Adverse Vaccine Reactions by W. Jean Dodds, DVM

June 29, 2012

by W. Jean Dodds, DVM

Background There is no doubt that application of modern vaccine technology has permitted us to protect companion animals effectively against serious infectious diseases.

Viral disease and recent vaccination with single or combination modified live-virus (MLV) vaccines, especially those containing distemper virus, adenovirus 1 or 2, and parvovirus are increasingly recognized contributors, albeit relatively rare,  to immune-mediated blood disease, bone marrow failure, and organ dysfunction. Potent adjuvanted killed vaccines like those for rabies virus also can trigger immediate and delayed (vaccinosis) adverse vaccine reactions. Genetic predisposition to these disorders in humans has been linked to the leucocyte antigen D-related gene locus of the major histocompatibility complex, and is likely to have parallel associations in domestic animals.

It must be recognized, however, that we have the luxury of asking such questions today only because the risk of disease has been effectively reduced by the widespread use of vaccination programs.

Adverse Events Associated with Vaccination The clinical signs associated with vaccine reactions typically include fever, stiffness, sore joints and abdominal tenderness, susceptibility to infections, neurological disorders and encephalitis, collapse with autoagglutinated red blood cells and icterus (autoimmune hemolytic anemia, AIHA, also called immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, IMHA), or generalized petechiae and ecchymotic  hemorrhages (immune-mediated thrombocytopenia , ITP).  Hepatic enzymes may be markedly elevated, and liver or kidney failure may occur by itself or accompany bone marrow suppression.

Read more »

Vaccination Protocols for Dogs Predisposed to Vaccine Reactions

June 23, 2012

 by W. Jean Dodds, DVM Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association    May 1, 2001

GUEST Editorial

There is increasing evidence in veterinary medicine that vaccines can trigger immune mediated and other chronic disorders (i. e., vaccinosis), especially in certain apparently predisposed breeds. 16 Accordingly, clinicians need to be aware of this potential and offer alternative approaches for preventing infectious diseases in these animals. Such alternatives to current vaccine practices include: measuring serum antibody titers; avoidance of unnecessary vaccines or over vaccinating; and using caution in vaccinating ill, geriatric, debilitated, or febrile individuals, and animals from breeds or families known to be at increased risk for immunological reactions. Read more »

Treating Adverse Vaccine Reactions by W. Jean Dodds, DVM

June 14, 2012

CLINICAL APPROACHES TO MANAGING AND TREATING ADVERSE VACCINE REACTIONS 

 Background There is no doubt that application of modern vaccine technology has permitted us to protect companion animals effectively against serious infectious diseases.

Viral disease and recent vaccination with single or combination modified live-virus (MLV) vaccines, especially those containing distemper virus, adenovirus 1 or 2, and parvovirus are increasingly recognized contributors, albeit relatively rare,  to immune-mediated blood disease, bone marrow failure, and organ dysfunction. Potent adjuvanted killed vaccines like those for rabies virus also can trigger immediate and delayed (vaccinosis) adverse vaccine reactions. Genetic predisposition to these disorders in humans has been linked to the leucocyte antigen D-related gene locus of the major histocompatibility complex, and is likely to have parallel associations in domestic animals.

It must be recognized, however, that we have the luxury of asking such questions today only because the risk of disease has been effectively reduced by the widespread use of vaccination programs.

Adverse Events Associated with Vaccination The clinical signs associated with vaccine reactions typically include fever, stiffness, sore joints and abdominal tenderness, susceptibility to infections, neurological disorders and encephalitis, collapse with autoagglutinated red blood cells and icterus (autoimmune hemolytic anemia, AIHA, also called immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, IMHA), or generalized petechiae and ecchymotic  hemorrhages (immune-mediated thrombocytopenia , ITP).  Hepatic enzymes may be markedly elevated, and liver or kidney failure may occur by itself or accompany bone marrow suppression.

Read more »

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