Comments on Getting What You Want From Your Vet

After losing my husky of 9 yrs and my golden of 12 yrs in a matter of five months of each other to a rabies vaccine ( to board them for 2 days) my view has changed on vaccinations. They both got a rabies vaccination in December of 2014 and I buried my husky in May 2015 and my golden in November 2015. Our hearts were broken when not only one but both were diagnosed with hermangiosarcoma, and had horribly quick death once diagnosed.
We had to heal our hearts from saddness and just got a 4 month old husky. She had her puppy shots already but no rabies yet. I now travel 1 1/2 hours to a holistic vet , we have our first visit Dec 18th. He said we need to do a rabies shot at 6 months (Jan 18) especially since we will be traveling for a month in February and staying in a rv park that has dogs. He suggested we do a titers on the distemper before the booster to see what level she is at, and I am on board with that for sure. I just don't want to vaccinate any more. I saw what it did to my perfectly healthy dogs. Doctor, if a titers is checked for rabies and the levels are good is an addition rabies necessary? We have time but just wondering for peace of mind.

I knew my "alternative" vet of 10 years was someone I felt comfortable speaking with about my deepest wish for the changes to take place with vaccination protocol and the valid use of titer testing. I thought we were on the same page. Over a 3 year period and with our final meeting, I realized that all that I shared with him and discussed with him became fuel for him to COUNTER his policy. I was then notified when my dog needed dental surgery to remove a broken tooth: We Don't Hospitalize Non-Vaccinated Pets and we DO NOT accept titer tests as valid protection against rabies for our workers. This was all news to me. Wow. I felt like an idiot. I remembered in the past how my vet spoke with me about his attending conferences with Dr. Jean Dodd's and Dr. Ron Schultz as head speakers. I thought we were on the same team - but apparently he used all info he could muster to keep Dr. Whitecoat's place in the industry. I had to find another vet and quickly. I also discovered it is important to LOOK at your vets records because they include almost everything you say and surprisingly - conversations on the PHONE. I did find many inaccurate statements on my pets records so I will ask for a copy of each interaction from now on. Incidentally, my dog was only 9 months overdue for his rabies shot. I won't vaccinate him - he had a reaction to his last rabies vaccine. Each year I have lab work to ck for heartworm/lymes and I ask them to please come into the room so I can stay with my dog. Greed has warped this industry. Nature heals. Speak up or be duped. My bad - I discovered this in hindsight - My dogs vet, "Dr. Whitecoat" was president of the Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association from 2001-2002 and received its Veterinarian of the Year Award the following year. I think his "protocol" was clearly his need to uphold his "fine" standing and lead his associates. I then realized I was not the one to be labeled an idiot.
Thanks, Dr. Falconer for all that you do and for this chance to share what is very very important to me - sharing info and forging out a better way to care for pets.

When I adopted my German Shepherd, who was neutered by the shelter at 3.5 months old and then given the "1" year Rabies vaccine the next day. After getting a 5-way at the shelter at 3 months old. He came out of the shelter with Giardia. And soon enough had kennel cough. The vet wanted to give him a booster vaccine but I refused and then Titer tested him at 5 months old and he had high Titers. He did get one more Rabies vaccine a year later. But he's now 7 and those are all the vaccinations he's had. Don't feel a need to Titer test anymore, though will get a Rabies Titer. As I believe in memory cell immunity, so antibodies will be produced if he is exposed to a disease.

Before i "saw the light" of no poisons in/on my pets and feeding a balanced raw diet, i used to just hand my dog/cat over to the tech who'd take them "out back" to get all their shots ect. Now, i won't let my pets out of my sight! Back when i vaxxed, and the reason i stopped was my dog had a very severe reaction to a rabies vaccine. 3 months later after weekly behaviour modification sessions, i decided to neuter him as the hypersexual portion of the reaction wasn't getting better. I gave the vet his rabies certificate from 3 months prior, and sent my boy "back with the tech". The VAXXED HIM AGAIN FOR RABIES WHILE HE WAS UNDER, "because we vax every animal for rabies!" I was livid! Took a year of homeopathy, but hes 99% back to normal. I will NEVER let my pets out of my sight at a vet or trainers again!

I used to think it was hard to find a good alternative doctor for myself. Then I started looking for holistic vets for my dog and found it impossible. We have a broad choice of naturopaths and even a few holistic MD's for ourselves. But I have seen every one of the handful of "holistic" vets here and they all revert to mainstream medicine if my dogs get sick. And most will push shots at each visit, and inundate me with shot reminders between visits. There is no local naturopathic alternative for my dogs. I'm glad to be able to consult with Dr. Falconer, but when hands on care is needed I have to choose the lesser of the evils and try to enforce my approach to healing, without being labeled negligent in caring for my dogs. I once tried to take the British Institute course in veterinary homeopathy. They told me not to waste my money because the AVMA would prosecute anyone trying to treat animals who did not have a vet license. I'm not sure how this situation can ever be changed, and until it does, true holistic choices will be too limited.

My vet uses IDEXX and being curious about their products and methodology I signed up for on account to gain access to their information, it was very revealing.
For example, I quickly learned that every few months IDEXX runs a promotion for particular vaccines or tests and provides veterinarians with literature and seminars on how to "sell" to their clients.
Two years ago, for whatever reason, Leptospirosis was the hot vaccine to peddle. I take my dog in for an annual every year and wouldn't you know it my vet put on his "lepto" pitch. I had to laugh and of course told him "no."
What makes me sad, angry, and scared is realizing that the information that my vet provides me with has NOTHING to do with the well being of my dog but what IDEXX deems as "profitable" for the vet's practice.

It makes me sad for the veterinary industry, and for paying clients of that industry, that our best way to get our vet to work with us is to lie. This sits poorly with me. I am honest to a fault and would rather have the fight with my vet to get what I want/need for my animal. The veterinary schools need to WAKE UP and read posts like this. This is what is happening when the students aren't keeping up with good science. My holistic vet said my 'regular' vet can argue her points all she wants, but science (titre results) is science, and we can't currently fight that. The number say the truth (as we currently know it to be).

I will not give my little adopted Sophie any additional vaccines. I do not board her, do not bring her to dog parks etc. In NY it is the law, but when I tell any vet I will NOT under any circumstances and if they cannot abide, I will leave. I am her guardian, advocate and I will give her the best chance for a long healthy life.
I formulate home cooked dog food, and I do not use pesticides, but natural alternates such as listed here.
thk u 4 all your info for our best friends!

For everyone in the Milwaukee, Wi area, there is a 'very good' groomer in Milwaukee at Diamonz Pet Spa. Think she is on Bluemound Road, just east of Wauwatosa.

I always tell a vet that my dog had all its vaccines some 5 months earlier and pick out a date to write on the new patient form. If they ask the name, I just say, oh my mother took my dog in for his vaccines, not sure the name of the vet. I'll mail or fax over the records in the next week. Of course, they never remember to ask for them. If they did, I would say I am going out of town, etc and I'll send the records over in 2-3 weeks. I do switch vets regularly, as haven't had much luck in finding a vet willing to work with me. If a vet or vet staff continue to ask me for the vet records, then I say, would you like me to take my business to another vet? That shuts them up and they become more accommodating.
I am the Guardian for my pet, so one must say anything to protect pets against vaccines. I check off that my dog has received every vaccine, so the vet's office doesn't try to sell me another vaccine to save myself time and aggravation.
The number 1 thing to avoid cancer, is to avoid vaccines for both pets and people. Read more at cancerTutor.com
http://www.cancertutor.com/quest-for-cures-dirty-dozen-prevent-cancer/
An article about the rabies vaccine scam
http://www.naturalrearing.com/articles/GuestAuthors/RABIESSCAM.html
Everyone needs to become informed about the truth. If you believe the info on the mainstream media, then you do not have access to truthful info. Mainstream media is owned by 6 major corp that protect the gov and protect the f da, and all major corp to mislead those that get their info from mainstream media. Mainstream media is used to brainwash the followers who cannot think for themselves or are too lazy to seek out the truth.

Excellent tips - thank you! I recently found that many rescue groups won't let me adopt from them without proof of regular vaccines with my current dogs. I've tried explaining titers, how well I feed and care for my "kids", but to no avail. The good news is there are many other places that will let me adopt. Sad, the good homes that some these animals won't be "allowed" into.