The
Dangers of Vaccinations and the Advantages of Nosodes for Disease
Prevention
The purpose of vaccination is to protect your pet from potentially
fatal infections by pathogenic (disease-causing) viruses such as
distemper, rabies,and others. The way this is done is to inject either
a killed or a "modified" (non-pathogenic) live virus, which
sensitizes the immune system to that particular virus. Thereafter, if
your dog or cat is exposed to, let's say, parvo virus, s/he will be
able to respond quickly and vigorously, producing antibodies to
overcome the infection.
This sounds like a pretty good plan, on the surface. However, as
with any medical procedure, we must ask the simple and direct
questions, "Is it safe? Is it effective? Do the benefits outweigh
the risks?"
The Problems With Vaccinations
Routine" vaccination, as it is practiced today, is not always
effective (especially in the case of the feline leukemia vaccine), and
frequently has adverse side-effects, either short or long term. With
the use of multivalent (combination: 4 in 1, 6 in 1, etc.) vaccines
that are repeated year after year, the frequency and severity of these
side-effects in our pets has increased dramatically.
Not surprisingly, most of the problems involve the immune system.
After all, the immune system is what vaccines are designed to
stimulate. But they do so in a very unnatural way that can overwhelm
and confuse the immune system. The body may overreact to normally
harmless substances (allergies, especially flea allergies and other
skin problems), or even produce antibodies to itself (autoimmune
disease). At the same time, the body may be sluggish in responding to
those things that it should reject, such as common viruses, bacteria,
fungi, and parasites. This can result in increased susceptibility to
acute infections (such as ear infections in dogs, bladder infections
in cats), chronic tapeworm problems, or in more degenerative cases,
cancer.
Lack of Alternatives
The big question has always been: What alternative is there? Despite
these potential problems, vaccination must surely be preferable to
losing puppies and kittens to distemper, parvo, and other fatal
diseases! Until recently, there have been no practical alternatives,
so the short term benefits of vaccination have seemed to outweigh the
long term risks. Now, however, there is a safe and effective
alternative to vaccination: homeopathic nosodes.
Homeopathic Nosodes: a Better Alternative
A nosode is simply a homeopathic remedy that is made from a disease
product. Nosodes are not in any way infections, and can be used in the
same way as vaccines, that is, to prevent viral infection. Like
vaccines, nosodes sensitize the body to a particular virus, so the
immune system can react quickly and effectively to natural exposure.
Nosodes are at least as effective as vaccines, and in some cases have
been shown to be significantly more effective than vaccines in
preventing infection.
The biggest advantage of nosodes over vaccines is the fact that
they are completely safe. There are no risks or side-effects whatever.
And they can be safely given to puppies and kittens much earlier than
vaccines can. In fact, the mother can be treated before she gives
birth, giving the puppies or kittens protection from the moment they
are born.
Nosodes, like all homeopathic remedies, are very easy to
administer: they are given by mouth, and don't even need to be
swallowed. They are also very economical - far less expensive, in
fact, than vaccination.
Limitations of Nosodes
There are some limitations to the use of nosodes. Rabies vaccination
for dogs is required by law in most counties, and the rabies nosode,
called Lyssin, will not satisfy that requirement. You should
know, however, for the health of your animal, that all vaccines,
including rabies are legally and medically approved for use in healthy
animals only! So if your dog is showing any signs of acute or chronic
disease, s/he is exempt from that requirement and should not be
vaccinated.
Despite the obvious advantages of nosodes, most
boarding kennels and veterinary hospitals will not accept them in lieu
of vaccination. If you need to board your dog or cat in a boarding
kennel or veterinary hospital, you may be forced to have him/her
vaccinated. This is a problem that will hopefully improve with time as
more kennel owners and veterinarians become familiar with nosodes.
If You Vaccinate
As a veterinary homeopath, I do not recommend routine vaccination for
dogs or cats, except for rabies in health dogs. If, for whatever
reason, you decide that you must vaccinate your pet, I would make the
following recommendations:
- Never vaccinate an animal with symptoms of acute or chronic
health problems, or at the time of surgery or any other physical
or emotional stress.
- Vaccinate for one disease at a time that is, avoid multivalent
(combination) vaccines. For cats, vaccinate for feline
panleukopenia alone. The vaccines for the two upper respiratory
viruses (calicivirus and rhinotracheitis) can be given together. I
strongly recommend against vaccination for feline leukemia or
feline infectious peritonitis virus. The vaccine is ineffective,
and in my opinion, extremely hazardous. For dogs, give parvo
separately from distemper. Do not vaccinate for leptospirosis,
hepatitis, or parainfluenza. Never give the rabies vaccine at the
same time as any other vaccine.
- Avoid modified live virus vaccines whenever possible. Get killed
virus vaccines, especially for rabies, canine parvo virus, and
feline panleukopenia. (The canine distemper/hepatitis vaccine is
not available in a killed virus form).
- For middle ages dogs and cats, vaccinate every 2-3 years,
instead of yearly.
- After vaccination, give a dose of Thuja 30c.
Wait one week, then give a dose of Sulfur 6x once daily for 7
days.
Therapeutic Use of Nosodes
In addition to helping prevent specific viral diseases with
prophylactic use, nosodes can be used even after exposure to a virus
has taken place. If given immediately after exposure, before symptoms
develop, these nosodes can prevent the development of clinical
disease.
Viral diseases such a feline leukemia, feline infectious
peritonitis, canine distemper and canine parvo virus are usually
incurable with conventional medical treatment (antibiotics, steroids,
etc.). However, they frequently respond very quickly and favorably to
homeopathic treatment. If your pet shows any symptoms of illness,
specific, individualized homeopathic treatment will be needed. Due to
the potential seriousness of these conditions, you should seek
professional help.
Homeopathic Vaccination with Nosodes
SCHEDULE FOR IMMUNIZATION WITH NOSODES
"Puppies can be given homeopathic nosodes beginning
at three weeks of age..."
The suggested dosage for dogs of all ages irrespective of previous
orthodox vaccinations is the same.
One tablet to be given twice daily by mouth for the first three days
then…
One tablet to be given once a week for six weeks then…
One tablet to be given once a month continually.
Nosodes are
prepared from sterilized vaccines by the traditional process of
sequential dilution and succession employed in homoeopathic
manufacture. They are designed to be administered by mouth rather than
by injection. Since the micro doses of the remedy are embedded on the
tablet surface you are advised not to handle them. To administer a
dose simply tip the tablet into the cap of the vial and from there
onto your dogs tongue. If necessary crush a tablet between two clean
spoons and dissolve the powder in water. This can then be syringed
into the mouth or deposited in the water bowl.
Homeopathy, immunity, vaccinations, and nosodes
An animal, properly fed and cared for, will have a significantly
enhanced resistance to disease. The degree of resistance relies
principally on nutrition and total care.
Treatment of Disease
Nosodes are typically used in a therapeutic manner, to treat
patients with the same illness (isopathic), or a similar disease
(homeopathic). For example, Psorinum, the mange remedy, is made from
human scabies, and is useful in treating other skin conditions as
well.
Nosodes, when properly prescribed, are useful and safe for young
animals who, while below the recommended age for vaccinations, have
become ill with a particular preventable disease, or similar disease
symptoms.
When using nosodes to treat an existing illness, such as EPM and
other seriously debilitating diseases, however, it would be a mistake
to look at a nosode, or any other homeopathic remedy, as the only
solution. One or more veterinarians should be consulted to evaluate
the animal's situation, and the results that follow treatment. For
instance, if Hypericum and the EPM nosode are given to two different
horses, one horse may have tremendous improvement, and another horse
may appear much worse. It is also vitally important to balance the
nutrition, to support the horse with vitamin and possibly herb
therapy, and to consider other therapies, to get him in a state of
recovery. Finding a well-trained homeopathic veterinarian is important
if you choose this route. A list of homeopathic veterinarians is
available through the AVH and the AHVMA (see SIDE BAR).
Regarding vaccinosis, if your animal is suffering from the
ill-effects of a particular vaccination, the nosode of that particular
disease could be used to antidote the effects. Some of the other
remedies that may help the body rid itself of vaccinosis include
Lachesis, Pulsatilla, Silicea, Sulphur, and Thuja. Chronic conditions,
especially, are best left to the professional homeopath.
Prevention of Disease
Nosodes are also being used in a prophylactic, or preventive,
manner, such as in healthy young animals below vaccination age. It is
viewed by some as a way to expose the immune system to the energies of
a disease, without exposing it to the disease itself, thereby
stimulating an immune response. Unlike a vaccination, a nosode will
not introduce foreign, and possibly harmful, substances into the body.
It is believed by some homeopaths that energetic immunization can
be achieved with nosodes, orally, via contact with the nervous system.
There are more nerves in the mouth than anywhere else. In contrast to
vaccinations, nosodes activate the entire defense system,
energetically and physically, thereby yielding a more solid immunity.
Homeopathic Alternative to vaccines
Homeopathy is a complete system of healing, discovered 200 years
ago by a German physician, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann. It has its own method
of diagnosing and its own special remedies. The remedies are all
natural, rarely have side-effects and are not addictive. They are safe
for adults, the elderly as well as for infants and children. Even
pregnant women can take the remedies safely. Homeopathic remedies are
very effective in acute and chronic diseases. In the U.S., homeopathy
is a legally recognized method of healing.
Nosodes are homeopathic preparations made from cultures of microbes
and viruses. The nosode is prepared by serial dilution. Nosodes are
administered in different two basic ways. In the case of nosodes from
bacteria and viruses, the preparation carries the molecular imprint of
the proteins and other constituents of the pathological agent. The
working of the nosode is based on the fact that the immune system is
sensitized to this molecular imprint without being exposed to the
virulence of the living agent. The use of nosodes as a replacement for
vaccination is based on this mechanism.
A nosode from a pathological agent, such as the measles, whooping
cough (pertussis), etc., carries the molecular imprint of the agent
and therefore sensitizes the immune system in such a way as to prepare
the body for the defense against that same pathological agent. This is
important in the case of children's diseases, where a primary
infection is necessary to immunize the child, often for life, at a
moment when the baby is highly vulnerable.
Whether a baby will be immunized with a vaccine or not, the
administration of a nosode for each of the common children's diseases
is an ideal way to start building immunity. Because of the fact that
the agent is present in the nosode as an imprint and not as a virulent
entity, it is a safe and gentle way to sensitize the immune system. It
will protect against shock and serious consequences in the case of
infection or vaccination.
Please click on Alternative Vaccines for more information.
Vaccines and preventive medicines are available to parents in safe and
effective homeopathic form.
THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF HOMEOPATHY
A true understanding of homeopathy comes from understanding how an
individual becomes sick and how that individual relates to its
environment.
SYMPTOMS
Homeopathy maintains that the "vital forces" of the body may
be afflicted with inherent weaknesses. Triggers, such as viruses,
stress, bacteria, and poor diet, produce in the body certain
recognizable symptoms. Symptoms are signs that the body is trying to
heal itself. Treating symptoms of an illness only hides those signs of
illness for a short time; eventually, if the illness is still present,
those symptoms will reoccur. Homeopathy endeavors to treat the entire
patient, using the symptoms as clues, and to recognize the whole
patient in the context of its environment.
CHAIN OF EVENTS
When energy fields are upset, illness results and usually the
illness follows a pattern of progression. Recovery requires following
that pattern in reverse. Normal function of an individual may be
impaired, inflammation occurs, pain is sensed, and actual anatomical
or physical changes take place. Examples of these changes are bladder
stones, arthritic joint changes or thickening of organs with scar
tissue.
TIME TO TREAT
The best time to intervene with remedies is when the illness is in the
energetic, functional phase. Once pathology has occurred, the holistic
practitioner must be very patient and allow time for the pathology to
inflame and then heal at the energetic level. Healing may take a time
equal to the presence of the illness.
VITAL FORCE
In the early 1800s, a German physician named Samuel Hahnemann
described what is termed the "Vital Force" of the body
(called CHI by the Chinese). Many modern physicists say that
everything is energy or that everything changes from matter to energy.
Is it any wonder that energy changing medicines such as acupuncture
and homeopathy can affect cures at a more profound level than
matter-based medicine? Move that Vital Force out of balance and
diseases ensue. Different symptoms may appear in different parts of
the body. The goal of homeopathy is to treat the WHOLE individual, not
just individual symptoms.
REMEDIES
Detailed study is required to understand the interaction of specific
remedies and how they interact with each individual symptom in that
particular patient. More stress will result in more symptoms, so
remedies may need to be modified throughout recovery from an illness.
Through the years remedies have been proven to be efficacious in
treating diseases that cause symptoms that would occur if that same
remedy were given to a healthy individual. This gives rise to the
saying "Like treats like". Remedies that create certain
symptoms can successfully be used to treat those symptoms that occur
due to abnormalities in the vital force.
Medicinal substances will restore the ill individual's energy
balance, causing a cure. Dr Hahnemann states: "…the stronger
disease destroys the weaker: It has a similar action, and because of
its predominance, takes over precisely those parts of the organism
until then affected by the weaker one, which since it can now no
longer act, disappears".
HOMEOPATHY'S GOAL
The goal is to cure - to completely rid the body of disease such
that no symptoms of the disease ever come back, to achieve a level of
wellness such that acute injuries heal quickly with no intervention,
and to acquire and maintain a level of vitality, health, and wellness
complementary to the whole being. As Dr. Hahnemann stated "Cure,
which is the elimination of all the perceptible signs and symptoms of
disease, means also the removal of the inner modifications of the
vital force which underlie them: In this way the whole disease has
been destroyed."
IN THE NEAR FUTURE CASE STUDIES WILL BE PRESENTED
Case studies based upon Dr. Chambreau's practice experience will be
displayed to show how the homeopathic approach to treating disease can
be beneficial to animal patients.
Most recently, an article appeared in the
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association entitled "Are
We Vaccinating Too Much?"
In this article we begin to address the subject of vaccinosis, the
general name for chronic dis-ease caused by vaccines. For some readers
the very idea that vaccines are anything but wonderful and life-saving
may come as a surprise, and it's not a very pleasant one. After all,
the general population pictures vaccines as one of modern medicine's
best and brightest moments, saving literally millions from the scourge
of diseases like poliomyelitis and smallpox. " Dr.
Pitcairn DVM, Ph.D
"Holistic veterinarians are finding that vaccines are causing
great harm to our animals (and ourselves). To cure an animal of any
problem we have found through experience that we must use homeopathic
remedies that are known to reverse vaccine related problems as well as
fit this individual."
Dr. McCluggage DVM,
covered the holistic perspective on vaccinations. He stated that
"...we must stop advocating yearly vaccines because of the harm
we are doing to the animals we vaccinate. He covered the homeopathic
concept of "vaccinosis". Vaccinosis is a disease entity that
may be introduced through vaccinating animals or people. Once
vaccinosis develops, there is a disturbance in the bodies vital forces
that leads to symptoms of chronic disease that can be very difficult
(and often impossible) to cure. Dr. McCluggage also stated that there
are no good reasons to recommend annual vaccinations for our companion
animals. "
Routine" vaccination has adverse
side-effects, either short or long term. With vaccines that are
repeated year after year, the frequency and severity of these
side-effects in our pets has increased dramatically. Most of the
problems involve the immune system. After all, the immune system is
what vaccines are designed to stimulate. But they do so in a very
unnatural way that can overwhelm and confuse the immune system and can
result in increased susceptibility to acute infections (such as ear
infections in dogs, bladder infections in cats), chronic tapeworm
problems, or in more degenerative cases, cancer."
THE VACCINATION DILEMMA and YOUR HEALTHY
COMPANIONS
Homeopathic veterinarians and other holistic practitioners have
maintained for some time that vaccinations do more harm than they
provide benefits. Vaccinations represent a major assault on the body's
immune system. Attentuated organisms or chemicalled killed viruses or
bacteria are injected directly into the blood stream, an unnatural
route of infection. This profound insult, avoiding the body's first
line of defenses, and flooding the system with millions of organisms
or viral particles, stresses the immune system in a way not of natures
design. This insult causes irregularities and abnormalities in the
immune system which then manifests as chronic diseases in animals.
These chronic diseases range from life-threatening conditions such
as auto-immune crises to conditions destroying the quality of life of
an animal as in chronic skin allergies. What we are now seeing are
generations of over-vaccinated animals and these current offspring are
suffering the penalty of this medical abuse. In an attempt to control
a naturally occurring process of population control and survival of
the fittest, the medical establishment has convinced people that mass
innoculations are for the good of all, overlooking the health of the
individual. Where vaccinations have helped in eradicating or reducing
the incidence of severe, acute disease processes, the result has been
to plague humanity with more insiduous, chronic diseases that are much
more difficult to treat and that lower the quality of life for many
individual animals and people. In all of this, there needs to be
BALANCE, and the following are my recommendations for vaccinating or
not vaccinating and some comments about diet. 1. Puppies under three
months of age should not be vaccinated. Vaccinations are much more
stressful on the underdeveloped immune system.
Also, these vaccinations are much less effective at providing
immunity before three months of age. If you feel you must vaccinate,
do so with one vaccination of Distemper at three months, followed by a
vaccination for Parvovirus at four months of age, and stop with that.
If you can't find a single Distemper vaccine use the Distemper-measles
combination. Use killed vaccines only.
2. Kittens should only be vaccinated for Panleukopenia and not
before three months of age. All other vaccinations should be avoided.
One vaccine is sufficient.
3. Puppies and kittens can be given homeopathic nosodes beginning
at three weeks of age, if there is a potential for exposure to
Distemper, Parvovirus, or Panleukopenia. These nosodes can be used
until vaccinations are given or continued periodically for the first
year of life, if vaccinations are not given. Common sense should be
used in avoiding exposure of very young animals to other, possible
unhealthy, animals of the same species.
4. Booster vaccinations are completely unnecessary. Studies are now
showing that these vaccinations are effective for many years and most
probably for life. Vaccinated animals do not need any boosters.
Homeopathic nosodes can be given periodically if you are concerned or
if you think your animals live a high risk, life style.
5. Rabies Vaccinations should be given as dictated by state laws.
Lyssin, the homeopathic nosode, should be given within a few hours
after the vaccination. Clearly, the rabies vaccination is effective
for many years more than state laws require booster vaccination.
6. Booster vaccinations can cause SEVERE set-backs when an animal
is being treated homeopathically for chronic problems. They can
completely erase any progress that has been made towards improving an
animal's health.
7. My personal recommendation is NOT to vaccinate at all. The best
road to good health is feeding a diet rich in fresh foods, raw meats
for the carnivores, and avoiding vaccinations and allopathic
medications. Antbiotics and other allopathic drugs should only be used
in situations where their use is clearly indicated, and this should be
only in potentially, life-threatening situations. Every time you
suppress a symptom the body produces, you are potentially lowering the
health status of the body system. Treating with the correctly
prescribed, homeopathic remedy, herbs, or other non-invasive
therapies, not of a chemical nature, will enhance your health and your
companions health.
Kennels in Germany
200+ dogs are given a distemper vaccine and a Parvovirus vaccine only,
at age 10 weeks and 1 year. No other vaccines are given except
occasionally rabies, when needed. Their diet varies from home-prepared
to commercial. These dogs are having litters and showing at 10 years
of age, and live to 16 or so. In the States, many Shepherds are dying
by the age of 10. Other breeders have found that stopping vaccination
has made their line much healthier, and usually immune (through good
health) to the infectious agents that usually cause disease. Not
always, of course. Some dogs or cats are very susceptible to disease
and will become infected and may die. Most survive epidemics with mild
disease, if treated holistically."
Improving Your Animal's Immune System and Overall
Health with Nutritional Support
A groundswell of nutrition conscious veterinarians are beginning to
recommend to their clients that they supplement their animals diet
with a daily dose of flaxseed oil and other important nutrients.When
the diets of animals were fortified with flax, within three weeks
their coats developed a beautiful sheen, and dandruff was greatly
diminished. There are amazing testimonials about animals recovering
from cancer, diabetes and other severe degenerative illnesses with a
nutritional product called Transfer Factor. "My
colleagues and I have found this product (transfer factor) to be very
effective in modulating the immune system. Transfer factor is a
"soup" of immune-modulating factors, which contains a
leukocyte-type molecule that can passively transfer immunity from one
mammal to another by stimulating cell-mediated immunity and is antigen
specific. Richard Bennett, Ph.D., an Infectious Disease
Microbiologist & Immunologist from the University of California,
Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, believes this could be the most
significant development in animal health care in decades. We have a
great number of veterinarians and clients who are experiencing very
positive results in a broad area of disorders, including periodontal.
"
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