More is Not Better: What Every Vet and Pet Owner Should Know About Vaccines: Dr. Robert Schultz Work

Infectious disease and prevention are vital public health issues which are why access to vaccines are essential to both humans and animals. That said, vaccines also have the potential to bring about harmful reactions that, when severe enough, have life-threatening consequences.

 

Within the veterinarian community, there is a mixed consensus on over-vaccination. Dr. Robert Schultz, an immunology and vaccine expert, does have a professional opinion which pet owners should take notice. Dr. Schultz, along with other leading canine experts, has developed new veterinarian recommendations which appeared in the March issue of AAHA’s Trends Journal.

 

Why is his opinion so valued? For decades, his research as Professor and Chair of the Department of Pathobiological Sciences at UWM’s School of Veterinary Medicine, has led the charge in studies that have proven over-vaccination is a detriment to animal health.

 

Dr. Schultz has also found that some yearly shots are not necessary since the initial vaccine provides immunity for an animal’s lifetime. Every year you vaccinate your dog, it receives about 16 vaccines in one injection. Only four of them protect against serious diseases. The rest of the vaccines are for minor diseases that only a small percentage of animals are exposed.

 

The issue is not with the prevention. The problem is that over-vaccinations threaten your pet’s health. In some cases, it even leads to death. Adverse side effects include allergies, skin conditions, and autoimmune diseases which Ample Nutrition products help to improve. In some animals, tumors were detected at injection sites which further complicates vaccination necessity.

Dr. Schultz has been at the forefront of these discussions since his professional research first developed which includes similarities between human and animal immune reactions to pathogens that are present in the body. Just as in the human body, pathogens that enter your animal’s body releases an antigen protein which the immune system reacts to and destroys.

The immune system also uses cells called lymphocytes to fight off and kill the pathogen. They also identify its characteristics and create an immunological imprint so that your pet is not susceptible to future attacks. It is a similar practice that enables vaccines to introduce pets to weakened pathogens so that the immune system reacts in the same manner.

As Dr. Schultz’s theories have proven, a single vaccine can protect people for entire lifetimes. Children only receive a single MMR vaccine. So, he qualifies the same theory to animals since the immune systems react to pathogen and disease in the same way. It has led some veterinarians to question if multiple vaccines are even necessary which led them to adopt three-year policies.

Today, Dr. Schultz recommends that vets take a more moderate approach to vaccinations by putting into place treatment plans based on a pet’s risk and immunity duration data. Dr. Schultz also recommends that animals receive the primary vaccines of CDV, CAV, and CPV-2 every seven years. He also cautions that vets should not administer vaccines yearly and should wait at least three years for health reasons. Rabies immunity lasts three years which state law supports.

For non-essential vaccines, immunity is one year, but dogs may not be at risk of exposure. A dog who lives in an area heavy with tick populations would likely require a vaccine for Lyme disease, but dogs who are not in danger would not. The vaccine can lead to arthritis, allergies, and immune diseases. Dr. Schultz also does not recommend kennel cough vaccines since the risk to animals is minimal. Risk should be the primary consideration to determine these vaccines.

Our primary concern at Ample Nutrition is pet health and well-being which is why we continuously work to develop products that meet the needs of our furry friends worldwide. We invite you to follow our blog to learn more about how our products counter-balance the negative effects of vaccines as well as remove harmful pathogens that often lead to

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