More on the Pet Vaccination Controversy

Here's some great advice that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it informative! –Kim

10 Thoughts on Vaccines
by Dr. Andrew Jones

Here's a what a large pet information website has to say about vaccines:

"One of the most important things you can do for your four-legged friend is to stay up to date with his vaccinations. Vaccinations protect our pets from a number of potentially deadly infectious diseases and ensure they stay healthy for years to come"

Really?

Here is what the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has to say:

"Vaccination is a potent medical procedure with both risks and benefits. While there is evidence that some vaccines provide immunity beyond one year, re-vaccination of patients with sufficient immunity does not necessarily add to their disease protection and may increase the potential risk of post-vaccination adverse events."

Adverse events may be associated with the antigen, adjuvant, carrier, preservative or a combination, thereof.

Possible adverse events include, but are not necessarily limited to:

• failure to immunize
• anaphylaxis
• immuno-suppression
• autoimmune disorders
• transient infections
• long-term infected carrier states
• and local development of tumors

My suggestions

1. QUESTION what you read – including me.
2. Make your own INFORMED decision.
3. ONLY vaccinate for the most common diseases in your area – and give the LEAST number of vaccines as INFREQUENTLY as possible.
4. ASK your veterinarian about the incidence of these 'life threatening' infectious diseases.
5. NEVER vaccinate a sick or weakened pet.
6. DO vaccinate your puppy against Parvovirus and Distemper – but only 2 series of vaccines at 8 and 12 weeks.
7. DO vaccinate your kitten against Panleuk, Herpes and Calici – again at 8 and 12 weeks.
8. The Rabies question depends upon state regulations and the chance of your pet EVER being exposed to it.
9. The question of when to re-vaccinate, and how frequent is changing – I would still re-boost 1 year later, then likely, never again.
10. Keep your dog and cat healthy with some of the ALTERNATE options that I frequently discuss.

DISCLAIMER: This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your own Veterinarian. Dr Andrew Jones resigned from the College of Veterinarians of B.C., effective December 1, 2010, meaning he cannot answer specific questions about your pet's medical issues or make specific medical recommendations for your pet.

http://www.theinternetpetvet.com
Copyright © 2011 Four Paws Online Ltd

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Dr. Andrew Jones, DVM has been a practicing Veterinarian for almost 20 years. He is a strong advocate of Natural Pet Health Care, and knows that the most important way to heal our pets and prevent disease is through proper nutrition. He developed Ultimate Canine to give our dogs that extra advantage – something that will provide them with everything they need to develop stronger immune systems to fight disease, heal sore or stiff joints, and help them live longer, happier lives. Dr. Andrew Jones' main focus is on alternative, non-traditional remedies for pets. His interest in alternative pet medicine culminated in the writing of his book, Veterinary Secrets Revealed.

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Also, see:

• DANGERS of Pet Vaccines!
• Vaccines May Not be Necessary
• Veterinary Secrets Revealed
  

The Real Man's Guide to Dog Training

Here's a great article that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it interesting! –Kim

The Real Man's Guide to Dog Training - Part 1
By Eric Goebelbecker

"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." –John Quincy Adams

Dog training is an activity that is clearly dominated (if you'll pardon the pun) by women. I don't have the actual numbers in front of me, but it's probably safe to say that at least 90% of the people involved in dog training are women.

Why is this? To be honest, I'm really not sure. The most recognizable dog trainer on television (and probably in printed media) right now is a man. He takes a very masculine approach to dog training, with a lot of "macho" language and posturing. He certainly makes it look like something that men (at least, sterotypical men) should not only be good at it, but also be attracted to it.

So why are there so many more women than men "down in the trenches?" Is there something about dog training that makes it more appealing to women than to men? Are women better at it? Is it just too hard for men to do well? Is dog training unappealing to men?

Having spent the better part of the last decade becoming a dog trainer, I think dog training is pretty cool – and I obviously think it is something that a man can do. For this reason, I have decided (with a little help and convincing from some friends) to put together "The Real Man's Guide To Dog Training."

(Based on the very demographics I just complained about, there's a good chance that you are a woman. Keep reading! You won't find this boring and you may find some of the information useful when you deal with men that are trying to figure out dogs.)

There is no reason why men shouldn't be interested in dog training. As a matter of fact, when you strip all of that "pack leader," "alpha wolf," "dominant" rigamarole away, dog training is really about the true essence of leadership.

Why Dog Training?

What makes a guy decide to become a dog trainer?

I first became interested in dog training when my wife and I adopted Caffeine, a 9-week-old puppy, who turned about to be quite a handful. This is a story I share with probably half of the dog trainers out there. The other half are the trainers that were always interested in some form of animal training and/or animal career.

Don't get me wrong, I have always been fascinated with dogs. But when I was a kid, I wasn't able to have one. When I finished high school and left home, it was straight into the Army for 8 years, where having a dog just wasn't practical. When I returned to the States with my wife (whom I met while in the Army), we lived in a few different apartments where pets weren't allowed.

Finally, we bought a house, and within a few months, a fence was installed and we adopted our first dog together, Sally.

Sally wasn't the kind of dog that makes you a trainer. She was already 5 or 6 when we brought her home. (We found this out later – we thought she was 2.) She was completely housetrained, had a notion of basic obedience, and never chewed or destroyed any property. She had ample energy that, with her brindle and white coat, contributed to the confusion over her age. But she had a great temperament and was always very agreeable – what some trainers call "biddable." My wife and I would watch the occasional dog training program on TV (hosted by a guy who now seems to spend all of his time writing how terrible other trainers are, nowadays), but we really didn't have any serious problems with Sally at all.

We lost Sally pretty quickly to cancer after six years or so. I don't think we lasted a month before we were looking at Petfinder and calling rescues.

We decided to get a puppy. We both knew that a puppy would be a lot of work, but not knowing how old Sally really was made us want to start with a dog from "scratch."

We brought Caffeine home on a Friday night. That Saturday morning, we woke to a horrible mess of vomit and feces. She had parvovirus, a frequently fatal viral infection. She spent three days in intensive care, and when she was sent home, our veterinarian said one of the funniest things (in retrospect) I have ever heard.

"She won't have the energy she should for a while."

Well, if that was true, thank heavens.

Caffeine was nuts! At the age of almost nine, she still is. This lead to a journey of sorts — which I will write more about in the next entry in this series.

• The Real Man's Guide to Dog Training: Part 2
• The Real Man's Guide To Dog Training: Part 3
• The 4 Secrets to Becoming a Supertrainer
• How to Train Your Dog at Home
• House-training Your Puppy or Adult Dog
• How to Litterbox Train Your Dog
• Recommended Books & DVDs
  

Source: http://www.dogspelledforward.com/dog-training-real-men-1/
© Dog Spelled Forward (Eric Goebelbecker) / CC BY-ND 3.0

Dog Parvo Symptoms

Here's an informative article that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it helpful! –Kim

Background of Dog Parvo

If you're like us, you probably fell in love with your puppy the very first time you looked at his/her tiny face. It's hard to imagine anything happening to them.

Dog parvo, short for parvovirus, is one of the most serious illnesses a dog can contract, and it's especially deadly in puppies. And it's highly contagious. It can jump from dog to dog very quickly, even with indirect contact.

First discovered in the late 1970's, it's similar in structure to the feline parvovirus, differing by only two amino acids. It effects most types of canids, including wolves and foxes. Two strands are the most common, but a third strand has supposedly been discovered in Italy, Vietnam and Spain.

There are two types of infection of parvo a dog can acquire, intestinal or cardiac, and the severity varies greatly. Some dogs show no symptoms, yet die within 72 hours. More commonly, in less volatile strains, the mortality rate is just 10%.

Along with contact with other infected dogs, parvo can get caught from oral ingestion of infected feces or soil. Other animals may also be carriers, even if they themselves cannot be affected by the virus. It has a high climate tolerance, and so can survive in almost any condition, shrugging off sunlight and moisture.

Dog parvo partly causes so many problems, even with modern veterinary medicine, because it has a high rate of evolution, unlike the feline variety. It mimics RNA virus like influenza. New vaccines have to be developed for the flu every year because of the changes, and parvo is no different.

Fortunately, a dog who survives a parvo infection is generally immune for life, similar to our chicken pox, so no silent carrier dogs exist.

If your dog, especially your new puppy, begins exhibiting any of these symptoms, see a veterinarian right away. When parvo is involved, every hour counts. The secret of survival is quick treatment, so don't ignore these symptoms! One or all of these will usually being showing after 3-10 days of infection.

• Lethargic. If your dog normally likes to play and has high energy, this is the clearest sign that something is wrong. You could say they act depressed.
• Lack of Appetite. The more common strains attack the digestive system.
• Vomiting with no change in diet. It usually looks clear and foamy.
• Bloody Diarrhea.
• Stronger Feces Odor. It's unmistakable and you will never forget it.

The vomiting and diarrhea are the most dangerous, as they can quickly lead to dehydration and malnutrition. This leads to other problems that eventually compound on top of each other to finally kill the dog...and fast.

Always be on the lookout these symptoms of parvo, especially if your puppy is over 10 weeks old.

Source: http://dogparvosymptoms.net
Copyright © 2008 Dog Parvo Symptoms

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Also, see: How to Treat a Dog With Parvo