Vaccine Safety

Multivalent and monovalent vaccines
Dogs and cats can be vaccinated for one disease or for several diseases with a single injection. Vaccines that cover more than one disease are called multivalent vaccines, and vaccines containing materials that protect against a single disease are called monovalent vaccines. A common vaccine contains parvo, distemper, adenovirus, and parainfluenza (DAPP) so it is a multivalent vaccine.

The AVMA and conventional veterinarians
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), which sets standards for conventional veterinarians but not for holistic veterinarians, states that multivalent vaccines are safe. The AVMA cautions that when more than one vaccine injection is given, the vaccine should be injected in different locations, such as one on the right side and one on the left.

The AVMA acknowledges that vaccines can cause cancer, but instead of recommending against vaccinating, the AVMA suggest that veterinarians inject the vaccines into the legs, which can be amputated if cancer develops.

The AHVMA and holistic veterinarians
Holistic veterinarians, many of whom belong to the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (AHVMA), are more inclined to believe that vaccines can cause harm as well as do good, and that it’s better not to use them than to run the risk of cancer.

The AVMA does advise veterinarians not to use unnecessary multivalent vaccines and warns veterinarians that more dogs are sickened by multivalent vaccines than are sickened by monovalent vaccines that protect against only one disease at a time.

Vaccines mean money
Vaccinating dogs and cats has become a controversial, volatile topic. The realization that vaccines generate 20% of a conventional clinic’s income throws a Molotov cocktail into the discussion. Vaccine proponents may only state that they believe that vaccines make pets safe but they also believe that vaccines can help keep conventional practices solvent.

Problems caused by vaccinating
Holistic veterinarians and opponents to vaccines believe that money should not influence the decision to vaccinate. They believe that vaccines themselves may cause cancer and many of the chronic diseases we see in our pets today—
· allergies,
· epilepsy,
· hypothyroidism,
· immune-mediated thrombocytopenia,
· immune suppression,
· hypertrophic osteodystrophy,
· loss of the ability to smell (anosmia), and
· autoimmune hemolytic anemia.

You make the decision
Ultimately, you make the decision to vaccinate. If you don’t trust your veterinarian’s advice, find a veterinarian you do trust. With your veterinarian, review all the steps you can take to promote your pet’s health so that your pet isn’t relying on vaccines—a very controversial option—to stay healthy.