The Well Dog Place

Dr. Ken Tudor Holistic Veterinarian

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Dog Vaccine Primer 03 | Is There a Holistic Alternative?

I was recently asked if there was a holistic alternative to vaccinations for dogs. After much thought, I decided the answer was both no and yes. Let me explain.

No

In order to be protected against a specific fatal virus-like distemper or parvovirus, dogs must be exposed to the virus. This programs the immune cells to recognize the threat and produce more killer cells if the virus tries to invade the body later. Vaccines do this. They offer a safe exposure to the virus so the immune system can program the cells for future protection. To my knowledge, this is the only way to make sure a puppy or dog is safe from these nasty diseases.

Yes

But dogs do not need vaccines as frequently as they are presently being given by most veterinary hospitals. Protection has been shown to last at least 3 years for vaccines licensed as 1-year vaccines. A good diet, with immune-boosting supplements and a good exercise program, can help the immunity in your dog last longer than 3 years.

We recommend yearly blood testing (vaccine titer tests) after 3 years to check your dog’s immunity and vaccinate only when the test shows that your dog’s antibodies against distemper and parvo are below protective levels. Many dogs show protection for 5-6 years.

That way dogs are not over-vaccinated which is also unhealthy and may cause problems in later life. But just because your dog doesn’t need yearly vaccinations your dog does need yearly or ideally, twice yearly, exams by your veterinarian. This way other potential health problems can be prevented or successfully treated if spotted early.

Author

Ken Tudor DVM

Dr. Ken Tudor, Holistic Veterinarian

Dr. Ken Tudor is a recognized expert and leader in the field of pet nutrition and fitness. He has developed a pet weight management program and served on the American Animal Hospital Association task force to develop their Weight Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats. He is also a frequent guest on the Pet World Insider radio show and a popular guest on the televised Pet Ex Talks-Pet Experts Empowering Pet Parents show.

Dog Vaccine Primer 03 | Is There a Holistic Alternative?

Dog Vaccine Primer

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NEW - If you don't live close enough to visit our office...

If you are too far away to see Dr. Tudor in person, but still wish to make your own balanced dog food at home using Dr. Tudor's exclusive nutrient powder, omega 3 oil and recipes, we now offer two options for you:

Healthier Homemade for Dogs

When you need or want custom recipes that are personalized for your fur family, our sister site Healthier Homemade can help you out. Because this service is remote, we are unable to give medical advice or diagnosis, so we work with your veterinarian to make sure your fur family is well cared for.

At Healthier Homemade, we offer Medical Recipe Programs for 14 different conditions. See them in detail here.

There are an assortment of recipe formulations for dogs with diagnosed Food Allergies. They include, High Protein, Instant, and Economy options.

If you have all Normal Adult Dogs in your fur family and wish to have more control over the formulations of your recipes, we offer Economy, Instant, High Protein, and Ultra-High Protein (including a few all meat options).

With all of our custom recipes you may include up to 4 dogs (with the same health profile) and you may choose cooking frequency from every day to once a week. We do all the math, we even calculate serving size for each dog! We also have detailed tutorials for each step of cooking, mixing, and storing.

Hearthstone Homemade for Dogs

If you are an experienced cook, like flexibility, have a normal adult dog, and just need general guidelines, Hearthstone may be right for you. Before purchasing a Starter Kit, you can see a complete list of ingredient options that can be used.

Our EZ Meal Planner gives you a great starting point. You still get to pick out wholesome ingredients at the grocery store and you still get "The Well Dog Nutrient Powder" to make sure your dogs' meals are balanced.

The Getting Started page gives you a great road map for what you need to equip your kitchen, preparation, transitioning to a new food, and more.