W. Jean Dodds, DVM
Protection against common infectious diseases is an important consideration in dealing with animal wellness and wholism. We’ll introduce the topic with two relevant questions: Do many veterinarians still advocate annual revaccination? And if so, have they not taken the time to understand the issues and new paradigm, or have they chosen to ignore it?
Overvaccination
Concerns about overvaccination have been raised for years in companion animals. Giving boosters annually – or even more frequently than recommended – when they are not necessary has the client paying for a service which is likely to be of little benefit to the animal’s existing level of protection against these infectious diseases. It also increases the risk of adverse reactions from the repeated exposure to foreign substances. The accumulated evidence indicates that vaccination protocols should no longer be considered a “one size fits all” program.
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