Hi
I've got a 3 year old male gsd that rec'd a 5 way vaccine on a very stressful day at 7 1/2 weeks old - the day we picked him up. He has had a history of chronic diarrhea which I managed with fasting & pumpkin. About 18 months ago I started working with a homeopathic vet who tells me that she believes he has IBD caused by the poorly timed vaccine. We put the dog on a restricted diet - raw beef, cooked rice, bone meal, fish oil & healthy powder. About a year ago we put him on 3 supplements all made by Standard Process - Zypan, LactEnz and CalMa+. These have worked wonders and my dog has gone months at a time with no loose stools. The homeopathic vet confuses me though. On one hand she says the IBD is the result of the vaccines. Then she turns around & says it's genetic. The breeder swears none of the other pups from his litter have this problem. I have a question - If this IBD was caused by vaccines would my dog necessarily pass the problem onto any potential offspring?

Only genes can pass on a genetic condition. A health proble caused by environment, and not genetics cannot be passed on.


With that said, I would not breed any dog that was not in 100% good health. There is no way to truly know, despite what any vet says, whether a health problem is genetic or environmental.

IBD is caused by many things. It's impossible to know if it was weak genetics causing the immune comprimise (GSDs are known for a few immune disorders), if it was the vaccine, or the enviro combined with the stress. Either way your dog does have IBD and as such I would not breed the dog if it were mine. What would you do if it were genetic and you ended up with a litter of 9 or more puppies with the same disorder? Is this fair to pass on to a puppy buyer?

It may be a bummer to get this as the answer but the hard truth of things is that often dogs don't work out as breeding stock even when purchasing from the best stock you can.

 Quote: cathy kowalski

Hi
The homeopathic vet confuses me though. On one hand she says the IBD is the result of the vaccines. Then she turns around & says it's genetic. The breeder swears none of the other pups from his litter have this problem. I have a question - If this IBD was caused by vaccines would my dog necessarily pass the problem onto any potential offspring?

This is very similar to the general nature/nuture controversy, which has pretty much resolved to "it's both, you can't separate them completely."

Unfortunately, these kinds of health issues aren't always cut and dried...what your dog most likely inherited is the tendency to develop IBD, given the right conditions. That's the genetic component. Then, the vaccines may have been the environmental trigger that, in combination with the stress and who knows what other factors, made the potentiality a reality.

Would your dog have developed IBD without the vaccine trigger? No way to ever know, as you can't unring that bell.

All of us inherit tendencies in our genetic makeup; under stress, each of us will manifest those tendencies accordingly. One person (or dog) may develop skin issues due to stress, another may develop stomach issues, etc. A third may not develop any physical issues, even tho the tendencies exist from a genetic standpoint. Also, what is too much stress for one organism may not be too much for the next.

So, the possibility that your dog would pass on the genetic potential for IBD is significant enough that breeding wouldn't make sense.


leih

Here is an interesting article on vaccine damage.

In my opinion, this damage can be passed from generation to generation. (which is why I no longer vaccinate any of my dogs)

http://www.vaclib.org/pdf/vaxscience-in-dogs.htm

Alyssa, like Cindy alludes to, more than genes can be passed on. Negative environmental impacts can affect more than the generation exposed to them. I read an article in my chiropractor's office once about people having conditions caused by exposure to things they'd never come in contact with...but their grandparents had. Scary.

I firmly believe vaccinating weakens not only the dog in front of you, but also future generations. Not only that, but look at how much worse we're making these strains of harmful viruses/bacterial infections. Parvo, anyone?

About the IBD, specifically, I had the exact same experience (with a cat though). Healthiest cat in the world, until he met the vet! Controlled by a 100% raw diet, btw. Vaccines tend to cause a lower-grade chronic version of the illness they were meant to prevent.

GREAT article.

Thanks for the article Cindy.

I have recently had a bad experience with a 4yr. old dog that I raised. Mother was raw fed, he has been raw fed with no vaccines. Since he has been known to kill an occasional raccoon, skunk, etc. I felt that he should maybe have one rabies vaccination. That was three months ago, now he has lost some weight,has flaky skin with hair loss and is having bowel problems. He was healthy dog before.

Thanks everyone. I already knew the answer, but, well you know. It's really a shame. This is a beautiful, confident, intelligent dog who is a natural on the agility equipment, eager to go for the sleeve, with OFA Good hips & he's so good around cats & kids. It looks like he'll be getting neutered very soon tho. Perhaps when the sexual tension goes away his belly will feel better too.

Also thanks for the article. Really vaccines have been weakening the gene pool of humans, cats, dogs, horses & everything else we've exposed. If large masses (of every species) were killed off by disease of course only the fittest would survive and reproduce. Vaccines have messed with natural selection & I suppose that's why we have so many sick individuals. Very sad.

So what are we doing to our elders by sending them for a flu shot every year? Is this a conspiracy to kill off the people on Social Security & Medicare? (just kidding - I think) I don't think I'll ever get another vaccine, nor will I subject any of my pets to them again.

Thanks again.