Vaccinations

I'm sorry but I have to agree with Dougie none of those links provide any scientific proof to back up your argument - they are merely the opinions of a minority of vets or lay people.
In order to proove immunity levels post vaccination a massive clinical study would have to be performed.
- 2 groups of animals - 1 group receiving an routine vaccination and 1 group receiving a water injection
- the carers of the animals would be unaware whether the vaccine or the water injection had been given to their animals
- both groups of animals are challenged with the disease - eg parvo
-both groups of animals are monitered for symptoms of disease
-both groups of animals are routinely blood tested to moniter for immunity for parvovirus.
IMO the animals receiving the water injection, on being exposed to parvo, the vast majority of them would go on to contract parvo. IMO none of the vaccinated animals would as I've never seen a case in a vaccinated dog in 13 years.
As far as how long the immunity lasts post injection - lepto definitely has short lived immunity - up to 1 year. For parvo - which is still quite prevalent in the UK - I would definitely still vaccinate every year unless someone does a trial such as above to proove otherwise - its just not worth the risk - I vaccinate my pets every year and certainly wouldn't expect anyone else to take any risks I'm not prepared to take myself. All my pets/horses are perfectly healthy and suffer no ill effects following vaccination. I take my dogs to work with me and so they are in a situation where they are constantly challenged by viruses such as parvo and like I say are perfectly healthy.
 
Thanks for your replies. I certainly wasn't expecting a refund but wondered if the bill might be slightly lower, shall wait and see. I certainly don't think it was due to any negligence on the vets part, I saw the needle come out of the sterile wrapping. I'm not quite sure if the problem came from the injection or the vaccine,if that makes sense. If the vet thinks it is the vaccine I expect she will report it to drug company, as Murph had a rection to his flu jab in November (I'm getting paranoid about the things!) and she did contact the drug company about that. She put the shifting lameness down to infection in her joints, first a hock and then a foreleg. She also seemed to have a lot of pain in her back, walking quite hunched up. The joint fluid was quite infected in the sample from the knee. We're on day 2 without painkillers so I'm keeping fingers crossed she is going to be ok. But interestingly she is 6 too Milor.
 
Thank you. She's a lot more like her old self now which is reassuring. I lost her mum last august from cancer, also our lancashire heeler, (though she was 14 so a good age) and then our cat was killed on the road so it really has been a s**t time. I nearly lost the plot when she became ill so suddenly, but am really hoping things are on the up now. My daughter is in her 1st year at Liverpool Vet Uni and I keep telling her to hurry up and get qualified!
 
You are having a rough time of it but very well done to your daughter for getting into Liverpool. My mum used to tell me to hurry up too - she used to breed and show cockers so we had loads of dogs - bit of a full time job on its own.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top