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features shooting 24 Safe 46 Aofmarriage A vaccine strategy that opposites minimizes their risk
he a 30 Is“border hopper�? Boundary training ensures your dog stays put when freedom beckons
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you need to winter boredom 56 What 76 3beaters know about antibiotics for your dog They have their place, but are often overused
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to 71 Homeopathy the rescue
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Treatment and prevention options for this common ailment
93 Wildcats! What you need to know about managing a feral cat colony
Ontario Section
animal wellness
SAFE shooting How to protect them and minimize their risk by Ann Brightman
One cold morning, a couple of stray kittens showed up in Sheryl’s backyard looking for food. Moved by their starving appearance, she decided to adopt them. Her first task was to take them to the vet for a checkup, but she felt hesitant about having them vaccinated. “I’ve heard so many stories about animals that had bad reactions to shots,” she says. “I wanted to know if I could get away without getting my kittens vaccinated.” Sheryl’s anxieties are understandable. However, she learned from her vet that common contagious diseases such as feline panleukopenia and herpesvirus
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can be serious in young kittens, and that it was important to protect her new charges from infection. “I realized that vaccinations have their
The core vaccines Dogs Vaccine
CATs
Disease description
Canine distemper (CDV)
Attacks the respiratory, GI and central nervous systems; pups up to six months most susceptible
Canine parvovirus-2 (CPV-2)
Very contagious; attacks intestinal tract, causing vomiting, diarrhea, fever, dehydration and often death; mortality rates can reach 100% in pups under one year
Canine adenovirus-2 (CAV-2)
A respiratory infection that produces tracheal and bronchial inflammation; associated with kennel cough
Rabies (RV)
Infects central nervous system, causing encephalitis and death
place,” she says. “The problem is when animals get too many different ones too close together, or are given booster shots when they don’t need them.” Sheryl is correct. While it’s necessary to protect dogs and cats from infectious diseases (which unchecked can spread rapidly and with devastating effects through animal populations) mainstream veterinary medicine has gone too far the other way in controlling these illnesses. Millions of animals are not only vaccinated for a multitude of diseases they’d probably never contract anyhow, but are also re-vaccinated far too often. The result is a host of health problems that are sometimes even worse than the disease the animal is being protected from in the first place. Reactions to over-vaccination can range from fever, stiffness and sore joints to seizures and nervous system disorders, liver and kidney problems, vaccine site sarcomas, and a variety of autoimmune issues.
Vaccine
Disease description
Feline panleukopenia or parvovirus (FPV)
Attacks and destroys growing cells in intestine, blood and nervous system; can be fatal in kittens up to six months
Feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1)
Most common URI in cats; very contagious, spread by direct contact, sneezing & contaminated surfaces; kittens often die from the disease
Feline calicivirus (FCV)
Another common URI in felines; spread by direct and indirect contact; the younger the cat, the more severe the disease; can cause chronic gingivitis
Rabies (RV)
Infects central nervous system, causing encephalitis and death
Finding a happy medium So what’s the solution? How do you protect your animal from infectious diseases while minimizing the risk of vaccine reactions?
Here’s the best plan of action:
1
Only give your dog or cat the core vaccines (see chart); in other words, those that protect against diseases with a high mortality rate and wide distribution area.
2
Avoid annual boosters. Most vaccines have duration of immunity ranging seven to nine years, which means your animal’s initial shots are enough to protect him for most of his life! Only have your animal revaccinated when titer tests indicate it’s necessary.
Looking for advice about
Natural Medicine? Holistic Pet Info can help. HPI is rated #1 because: •We are committed to helping you make informed decisions about your pet’s healthcare. •We offer high quality, vet-recommended products to help heal your pets. •We provide the highest level of customer service in the industry.
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When should core vaccines be administered?
Call 877-573-8227
“The core vaccines should be given three to four weeks apart, starting
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