Vaccines are substances that are given to a patient in order to elicit a protective immune response against a specific disease. They have improved over the years to the point that they have a demonstrable, predictable and successful immune protection.

In veterinary medicine likewise, many necessary and effective vaccines have been developed in order to protect the health of our pets from the many potentially fatal or devastating diseases. However, there is little if any research that directs the veterinary community as to why we administer these vaccines on an annual basis. It has been a convenience, possibly, to send out notices for vaccines, in order to motivate people to actually make an appointment rather than to have people respond to notices for their annual health exam.

It appears that once we as humans are protected from mumps, smallpox or measles, we are likely protected for life. There are prominent veterinarians who have stated similar opinions regarding the dog and the cat; namely, once immunized, long term or lifelong protection is anticipated. Dr. Schultz, veterinarian and professor of immunology at the Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, has added fact to his long standing opinion: a colony of dogs that had their last vaccine approximately 8 years ago, when challenged with the organism, were able to successfully remain healthy.

Once I establish the fact that the body has successfully reacted to a vaccination, I do not recommend further vaccines to be given to the pet. There are exceptions to this, of course, one being the state-required rabies vaccine, as rabies is a significant human health concern. The form the rabies vaccine comes in makes it a slightly safer one, but any vaccine administered in our clinic is accompanied with oral homeopathic drops aimed at reducing the potential side effects of a vaccine.

Lupus, Pemphigus, Autoimmune Thyroiditis, Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia and Rheumatoid Arthritis are just some of the diseases that are known to be associated with vaccine administration. In addition, some cats are known to develop a vaccine-related cancer. Thus, the decision to give a vaccine "routinely" is a decision that may have considerable and unwanted consequences. My personal opinion, based on some of these known facts, is that we should, in a healthy animal, give the initial puppy or kitten vaccine series, followed by a laboratory blood test confirmation, indicating a successful response to the vaccine.