Pros & Cons of Pet Vaccinations

Vaccinating dogs and cats has long been a topic of debate. Many veterinarians consider routine pet vaccinations to be crucial for good long-term health. Other veterinarians feel that vaccinations can actually cause the diseases and chronic ailments that they strive to prevent. Although there is research supporting both sides of the debate, ultimately it is up to the pet owner to decide.

  1. Risks of Over-vaccination

    • Some veterinarians claim that vaccinating pets can actually weaken the immune system's response to disease. These doctors believe that instead of strengthening the body's immune system, multiple vaccinations can lead to chronic problems. Some of the health problems said to be connected to vaccinations include degenerative joint disease, immune mediated disease and cancerous growths at the injection sites. In addition, veterinarians on this side of the debate claim that pharmaceutical companies push vaccines on the medical community simply to sell more product. Non-vaccinating veterinarians say that many pets are over-vaccinated because they are given injections for diseases that they are unlikely to ever encounter.

    Allergic Reactions

    • Another reason some veterinarians avoid giving animals vaccinations is the risk of inducing a seizure. Often the seizure is an allergic reaction to the vaccine. The seizure may begin simply as swelling at the injection site, then progress to labored breathing, facial swelling and respiratory distress. This is often anaphylactic shock, the same condition that bee stings and foods such as peanuts and shellfish cause in some humans. If the pet owner is not there to get the animal to a vet when symptoms begin, the animal could die.

    Immunity from Deadly Diseases

    • Most veterinarians do vaccinate their patients. They typically believe that the positive aspects of vaccinations outweigh the possible dangers. Vaccinations are designed to provide protection from diseases that are often fatal, such as rabies, distemper, parvo and Lyme disease. By exposing the animal to small amounts of the disease during vaccination, it builds protection.