To Vaccinate or not To Vaccinate: That Is The Question

Pro
Vaccines have been the cornerstone of modern preventative medicine in humans and animals. However, it has been argued that improved hygiene and better nutrition rather than vaccines have been the main cause for the reduction in infectious diseases seen in modern times.

Improved hygiene may play a more important role in humans than in animals, simply because it is easier to promote and maintain good hygiene habits in a human than in an animal. Normal dogs have the tendency to sniff every spot where others have urinated or defecated and greet others by sniffing their butts. These are behaviors that facilitate infection but are very difficult to curb. Parvovirosis, a viral disease of dogs characterized by bloody diarrhea and vomiting is less commonly seen in Nova Scotia where most dogs are vaccinated. However in Colombia, where I grew up, dogs are not vaccinated regularly and parvovirosis is very common in young dogs. Consequently, I do believe that vaccines effectively prevent infectious diseases.

Con
Negative reactions to vaccinations have been well documented. The reaction may be acute, developing within a few hours after a vaccination and disappearing within a few hours. Acute reactions are relatively rare and vary from a lump and soreness on the site of injection to fever, listlessness, vomiting, and muscle soreness. I have also seen swelling of the face, hives all over the body, and generalized rashes. However, more commonly vaccines can be linked to a range of chronic diseases that are the result of a malfunctioning immune system. From a homeopathic perspective, vaccines prevent infectious diseases by causing chronic diseases.

What to do
The use of so called "homeopathic vaccines" has been promoted by some as a benign substitute for vaccines. These products are technically known as nosodes, which are potentized solutions of pathogens that are believed to induce specific immunity. However, there is no evidence that nosodes can have as long-lasting a protective effect as an standard vaccine does. Experimentation with rats done in France, and my own experiments in livestock, suggest that nosodes are able to prevent infection but their protective action is very short. Consequently, nosodes may be used to protect pets against infectious diseases when they are part of a whole preventative program involving annual holistic “tune ups” and perhaps limited immunization with standard vaccinations.

Holistic prevention program
There are no magic bullets. Ensuring that your animal is in an optimal state of health is more important than any drug. The organism has the ability to defend itself from pathogens and to repair any tissue damaged by a pathogen. All of the organs participate in this function, supporting each other. Consequently, a healthily and strong animal is one whose organs are operating in a harmonious balance.

The balance of the internal organs is assessed in a holistic examination, performed by a veterinarian trained in acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).This includes palpation of a series of acupuncture points located on the surface of the body that reflect the state of internal organs, and evaluation of the characteristics of the tongue and the pulse. Thus, the holistic vet determines whether there are any organ imbalances long before there are any signs of disease. Your pet may appear healthy to your eyes but the acupuncture points may reflect early signs of imbalance. The “tune up” consists of applying a few acupuncture needles to restore balance. Minor nutritional changes may also be recommended.

The need for vaccination needs to be evaluated individually. It all comes down to risk management. For instance, I would not recommend vaccinations for a rex cat who is more likely to have reactions, and who lives indoors. However, a dog that will be living outdoors and will likely interact with other dogs and with wildlife should be vaccinated. I would delay the vaccination and use a nosode until the animal is over nine weeks old. Revaccination should not be done according to schedule but rather, it should be based on the response to the initial vaccine and the risk of infection.

In summary, vaccinations must be part of a holistic preventative program that includes nutritional supplements, targeted use of nosodes and vaccines, and more importantly, regular “tune ups.”

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