12/02/2025
It is a very controversial topic...vaccines. I decided it was time to share our experiences to help motivate pet owners to educate themselves.
Over the past 25 years we have seen A LOT of dogs and their people. Chronic disease and shorter lifespans seem to be a trend in today's dogs. We have witnessed client's dogs become injured after vaccines, requiring emergency veterinary care. We've even witnessed dogs who have passed away following vaccines. This doesn't mean that parvo, distemper, and rabies aren't a real threat. However, the cost to our dogs has become tremendous.
For us personally, we don't "go to the vet" with our dogs unless medical attention is absolutely needed. We've learned how to treat most maladies at home. Feeding our dogs a fresh food diet (with high quality kibble to reduce cost), and not giving them any chemicals is our goal--that includes flea and tick treatments. If you want our personal experience with vaccines, I can tell you that our healthiest dogs we've owned have been those who did not receive them.
There are other factors that contribute to autoimmune and chronic inflammation, not just vaccines. We can also incorporate spay and neuter as contributors too, as it changes how the hormones function in the body, and removes essential hormones for the body to function at its best. Compile this stressor with a processed diet and loads of vaccines...your dog’s body is being stressed to the maximum. Do some or most dogs to do just fine with this regimen? Yes, we see a lot of dogs that do seemingly ok. But inflammation pops up in MANY different ways. Chronic allergies, infection, cancer, ear infections, hot spots, digestive issues, joint issues, etc. Dogs also used to live to 18, without much effort or vet care. You are lucky if a dog lives to 12 these days. It is not an easy decision, and the pros and cons have to be weighed by each individual.
Awareness is our only goal of this post. Educate yourself, and be well!
Some resources:
Dr. Ronald Schultz -- Veterinary Scientist at University of WI. Talks about how effective vaccines are.
Dr. Karen Becker --Nutritionist and holistic approach veterinarian
on IG
