Vaccination Guidelines
Many owners and professionals are concerned about the risks of excessive vaccination. Do not vaccinate until we have discussed the pros and cons of this procedure. Rabies vaccination however, is required by law because of the public health significance and must be given by a veterinarian. We use a killed (Rabies) vaccine and can counteract the possible negative effects with a homeopathic remedy, so be sure to call us before your pet is due for a Rabies vaccination.
Our recommendation is not to vaccinate for diseases other than Rabies after pets are one year old unless they are highly exposed to a particular disease. We do recommend, however, immunizing young animals.
Our Vaccination schedule is as follows:
| Vaccine Type |
Age of Pet |
Type of Appointment |
| 1st Distemper |
9 weeks |
Doctor’s Exam |
| 1st Parvo |
10 weeks |
Technician Appointment |
| 2nd Distemper |
12 weeks |
Doctor’s Exam |
| 2nd Parvo |
13 weeks |
Technician Appointment |
| ** Rabies Vaccine |
5 or 6 Months |
Doctor’s Exam |
**It is recommended that blood work be done during this time to assess your pet’s Distemper and Parvo titers. The titers performed are an actual measure of immunity that each individual animal possesses as a result of previous vaccinations. Since protection from clinical disease varies from animal to animal, it is a more accurate tool used to determine whether or not any given animal is really protected. **
Some clients may choose not to vaccinate their pets against distemper or the parvo virus. We will support this decision, however VHC will not assume responsibly if the pets in question become ill with Distemper, or the Parvo virus. Although homeopathic prevention has been used for many years, especially in Europe, it is not yet a standard approach and must be considered experimental. The December 1990 issue of DVM magazine has a very good article by a leading researcher, Jean Dodds, DVM, which questions current vaccination procedures.
Kirk’s Current Veterinary Therapy (Volume 11, p. 205) says “There is no immunological requirement for annual revaccination… The practice of annual vaccination in our opinion should be considered of questionable efficacy…” This information may help you converse with your regular veterinarian about the vaccination issue.
2. If you do vaccinate, we recommend the use of a homeopathic nosode (30C potency) to try to help counter the vaccine’s stress to the immune system (e. g., a dose of Lyssin 30C within two hours of the Rabies vaccine), unless your pet is under homeopathic constitutional treatment.
Be sure to watch for any problems occurring after vaccinations, anywhere from the day after vaccination to four months after the vaccination. If there is a problem, seek homeopathic treatment for that specific problem. The best approach is to treat any reactions on a case-by-case basis.
No vaccine should be given within three weeks of (before or after) surgery or anesthesia. All vaccines should be killed vaccines (when available), and should be given only when your pet is healthy. Combination vaccines should be avoided. Chronically ill animals should not receive vaccinations at all. If vaccination is requested (by kennels or for licensing), Distemper or Rabies titers are available through the clinic. The distemper titer is available through Cornell University, and the rabies titer through Kansas State University. For a list of kennels that accept titers as proof of vaccination, please see a receptionist.
Before boarding your pet, some kennels may request a Bordetella (kennel cough) vaccine. The vaccination can be given intranasally or orally, to promote local immunity. It will not stress the immune system as the subcutaneous or intramuscular vaccines will.
