Pet Vaccination: Discussing Vaccinosis


Dog and Cat Vaccines are Not Harmless Preventive Medicine
August 20 2012 
By Dr. Becker
I talk a lot about vaccine dangers here at MercolaHealthyPets, and I often mention a condition called vaccinosis.
Since vaccinosis isn't recognized by most traditional veterinarians and isn't something many pet owners have ever heard of before, I thought it would be helpful to do a short video to explain the condition.
Vaccinosis Defined
First, let's talk about what vaccinosis isn't.
It isn't an acute, often immediate adverse reaction to a vaccine. Adverse events, or hypersensitivities, whether mild (such as lethargy, flu-like symptoms, etc.), or severe (such as anaphylactic shock), that are clearly linked to a recent vaccination are widely acknowledged by the traditional veterinary community.
Unfortunately, these reactions are considered by traditional vets to be occasional aberrations that result from a basically safe procedure.
Vaccinosis, on the other hand, is a problem only holistic veterinarians seem willing to acknowledge. It is a reaction of a pet's body to vaccines that have been injected without the pet having experienced a notable adverse event or hypersensitivity. These are chronic reactions to not only the altered virus contained in the vaccine, but also to the chemicals, adjuvants, and other components of tissue culture cell lines -- as well as possible genetic changes -- that can be induced by vaccines.
Dr. Richard Pitcairn, who holds a PhD in immunology, defines it this way: "Vaccinosis is to be understood as the disturbance of the vital force by vaccination that results in mental, emotional, and a physical change that can, in some cases, be a permanent condition."
Dr. Pitcairn: Vaccines Create Chronic Disease
According to Dr. Pitcairn, vaccines intended to protect pets against acute natural diseases actually create chronic conditions with features of the disease the vaccine was supposed to prevent.
This transformation begins in the laboratory, where natural viruses are modified in order to make vaccines.
Whereas the natural virus would trigger a strong immune system response, the modified lab-created virus in the vaccine doesn't elicit much of a reaction by the animal's immune system. Instead, it creates chronic disease.
The delivery of a vaccine is also very different from how a natural disease develops in an animal's body.
Vaccines contain a number of toxic substances, including viruses, mutated bacteria, immune irritants, foreign proteins, and chemical preservatives. All of these toxins are delivered by injection directly into the blood and lymph, bypassing the usual first line of defenses, including the skin, mucous membranes, saliva, and so forth. So not only is the virus in the vaccine unnatural, the way it enters a pet's body is also very unnatural.
When you look at the situation from this perspective, it's easy to see how abnormal immune reactions are triggered by vaccinations.
Your Pet's Individual Risk of Vaccinosis
The strength and balance of every animal's immune system is different, so there's no way to predict – unless your dog or cat has had a reaction in the past -- how much danger your pet is in from exposure to the modified virus contained in any given vaccine or the many toxic ingredients it contains.
That's why I strongly encourage pet owners to avoid all unnecessary vaccines and re-vaccinations.
Symptoms of Vaccinosis
Common vaccine reactions include:
Lethargy
Stiffness
Hair loss
Lack of appetite
Hair color change at injection site
Conjunctivitis
Fever
Sneezing
Soreness
Oral ulcers

More serious reactions:
Immunosuppression
Granulomas and abscesses
Behavioral changes
Hives
Vitiligo
Facial swelling
Weight loss
Allergic hypersensitivity
Reduced milk production (females)
Respiratory disease
Lameness
Allergic uveitis

Very severe illness:
Injection-site sarcomas (cancer)
Glomerulonephritis
Anaphylaxis
Myocarditis
Autoimmune arthritis
Encephalitis or polyneuritis
Polyarthritis
Seizures
Hypertrophic osteodystrophy
Abortion
Autoimmune hemolytic anemia
Congenital abnormalities
Immune-mediated thrombocytopenia
Embryotic (fetal) death
Thyroiditis
Infertility
Dog and Cat Vaccines: The Importance of Exercising Caution
Since the introduction of dog and cat vaccines, the traditional view of their use has been that they are safe and can be given as frequently as once or twice a year. This approach, tragically, has caused a tremendous amount of suffering for millions of pets.
As the truth about the dangers of vaccines slowly emerges, even traditional veterinary organizations and practitioners are acknowledging that vaccines are not the benign, "better safe than sorry" veterinary tools they were thought to be.
My recommendations for vaccinating your pet can be found in several videos, articles, and interviews here at MercolaHealthyPets. Most importantly, I don't recommend automatic re-vaccinations at prescribed intervals for any pet.
If you believe your pet could be suffering from the negative effects of over-vaccination, I strongly recommend you work with a homeopathic or holistic vet to create a tailor-made vaccine detox program to assist your dog's or cat's body in recovering from vaccinosis.