not even rabies?

how do you get around local ordinances?

have any of your unvaccinated dogs ever gotten any of the diseases vets typically vaccinate for?

As far as I know, rabies is required by law in all states.

Wisconsin has a new law that will accept a vet's exemption letter in lieu of the rabies vaccine, of course this means that you need to have a great relationship with your vet and you dog does need to have some type of medical issue that would make giving the rabies detrimental. Being on antibiotics, thryroid medication, allergies, etc.. are all reasons to not be vaccinated.

You can also do titers, many states will accept those in place of the vaccine, but I think they must be done yearly.

My dogs have never gotten sick from any of the diseases that you vaccinate for. I have experience with one litter of pups that contracted parvo, and they were VACCINATED for parvo 7 days before they became ill....

cindy, do you guarantee the health on these pups to their new owners?

i ask, because my dog's breeder and i have been discussing this. she wants to vaccinate even less than she already does, but she's concerned about her responsibilities to her puppy buyers and how they will perceive the lack of vaccinations.

how do you handle this?

she's in a subtropical climate, so perhaps there is more cause for concern there.

what about heartworm preventive? do you administer that?

we vaccinate the Leerburg puppies, mostly because Ed makes me do it! <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I am starting to get interest from people who think along the same lines as I do about health and diet. I have 2 people on my waiting list for Malinois pups who are NO vac, raw feeders... I believe that helping a pup develop a healthy immune system the natural way (by gradual exposure) is the best.

I do give heartworm preventative, but have reservations about this also... the word preventative is misleading, because it doesn't prevent anything. It's merely another chemical that kills worms... <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Both Parvo and distemper scare me (for my pup 11 weeks old). Where I live (Phoenix) parvo has been a problem from what I've heard for the last few years especially. I happened to call the vet today for my pup's 2nd parvo/distemper (only) shot and was told they have a pup in there now with parvo (which now makes me wonder if I should take my pup there on appointment date 9/12 but figure every vet must have one case or another at some time - wish I could give my own injection). Was also told that since mornings and evenings now are nicer, parvo is an especially big problem. And as far as distemper, my first GSD pup died of it in the late 50's and it was an awful death for me as a child to see, she was suffering so much and had to be put down. Horrible discharge from the eyes, not able to stand because legs would splay out beneath her. I believe this was before the distemper vaccine came out. I guess I'm old fashioned - I would rather take the chance with the vaccine (we vaccinate our kids), than to see one of those diseases get my dog ever again. Especially distemper, since I believe it's airborne (?). No intent to sound contrary, so hope I don't but I know that before the distemper vaccine many pups died of it. I feel I would be taking a bigger risk hoping my pup's immune system would be strong enough to ever ward off something so virulent. Again, this is my opinion and don't want to come across as argumentative.

Fear of disease is what fuels the overvaccination of our animals (and kids, but that's way off topic, think autism and SIDS)

Parvo, distemper and other viruses are everywhere, it's up to the immune system to protect the dog. I believe health comes from good species appropriate nutrition, clean water, fresh air and exercise--not from something unnatural injected into an animal.

We all have to do what we are comfortable with, but like I said before, I will take my chances with diseases by raising our dogs in the healthiest manner I can. this comes from over 20 years of experience raising dogs, and working in the veterinary field... if you think vaccinating your dog guarantees they won't get parvo, then let me tell you about the whole litter I vacccinated and then watched suffer with the disease. There is NO doubt in my mind that their immune system was assaulted by the vaccine at a time when they couldn't handle it. (right after weaning)

You are right about the diseases being airborne, that's the natural mode of transmission. SO WHY would we INJECT it into a pup's body?? Does anyone but me question this?

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......You are right about the diseases being airborne, that's the natural mode of transmission. SO WHY would we INJECT it into a pup's body?? Does anyone but me question this?

Heck, YES!

Even more than that, I question the idea that "boosters" can make the dog "more immune."

Even for people who have decided that they must vaccinate, there is no authoritative argument anywhere that I have ever read that supports the idea of annual re-vaccinating (so-called boosters).

Yes, I've read the arguments for it, but never by a vet med school or as the results of research not funded by a party with a financial interest.

At the bottom of every "for" argument, I find the money in the background. The funding is often traced to the fat wallet of the pharmaceutical houses, even though I might have to go back through a few front names.

I'm sorry to say that sometimes the opinion comes from vets or vet orgs that (obviously) make money on the protocol...... but I do believe that many times, they are repeating what they are told, over and over in glossy brochures as well as published "studies," by the pharmaceutical houses.

Dont' forget free samples and the candy and fruit plates for the staff. Drug company reps have to compete against each other. Vets are probably as saturated with sales pitch as M.D's

I agree about the annual vaccinations, I don't think those are necessary. I know that as a dog gets older he's less vulnerable to these viruses. The last GSD I had only had the initial 2 or 3 parvo/distemper shots and nothing else after that. I took her everywhere and of course everywhere you go there has been dogs there who could spread the disease. She never contracted anything that was contagious. I just worry more about pups being so young and without a strong immune system yet. When my son went into kindergarten he had all his shots. Somehow the polio vaccine didn't show up so the school said I had to give him that for the second grade. Boy, was I ticked! Two boosters, I thought "no way"! I was very concerned about that. So I signed a waiver.
It's the little guys, the pups, I'm concerned about, cause of my experience with my first GSD pup getting distemper.
I would more than love to take my very high energy GSD pup Lear, out now to the park where I used to take my last GSD, but it's frequented by strays and those on leases, poop scattered around, and that fact alone is scary cause he may eat some and on a 20 ft line I won't be able to get there in time to stop him. The vet's office said not to until he has his 3 series of parvo/distemper. I won't vaccinate for other stuff like I know vets want you to; I just don't see a horrendous threat with the other diseases.