Wendell O. Belfield
Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana
Wendell O. Belfield: Veterinarian
*** read this link: http://www.belfield.com/pdfs/Hip_dysplasia.pdf ***
Wendell O. Belfield, a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, is leading the way in revolutionizing veterinary practices. He attended McDonogh #35 High School, studied pharmacy at Xavier University, New Orleans and graduated with a Ph.D. of Veterinary Medicine from Tuskegee Institute. Dr. Belfield is owner and Director of Bel-Mar Orthomolecular Veterinary Hospital in San Jose, California. His hospital is the first veterinary hospital to practice orthomolecular medicine.
Dogs and cats are treated with varying concentrations of normal body substances which are required for health, rather than with toxic drugs and chemical foreign to the body. Clinical research conducted at Dr. Belfield's hospital resulted in the publication of new and unorthodox surgical procedures. Dramatic cures for distemper, hip dysplasia, allergies, epilepsy, etc., in sick dogs and cats have been obtained by simply injecting large does of sodium ascorbate (Vitamin C). Dr. Belfield describes in "Dysplasia's End" reading in a reprinted copy of the 1753 book A Treatise On Scurvy, by Captain James Lind (a surgeon in the British Royal Navy). The book described symptoms of scurvy as:
bleeding gums
loose teeth
foul breath
nose bleeding
swollen eyelids
brittle bones
Dr. Belfield compared these descriptions with the results of an autopsy report made in 1699 at St. Louis Hospital, Paris
"The ligaments of the joints were corroded and loose. Instead of finding in the cavities of the joint ere the usual sweet oil mucilage, there was only a greenish liquor; which by its caustic quality had corroded the ligaments."
The symptoms described in the autopsy report were similar to the conditions in dogs with hip dysplasia. Dr. Belfield hypothesized the condition to be a form of scurvy, which could be treated as a lack of Vitamin C. Belfield had learned about the use of ascorbic acid by Dr. Fred Klenner, who, faces with a polio epidemic and no available vaccine or cure, used Vitamin C in the 1940s for polio with some success. Yet, Vitamin C is synthesized naturally in a dog's liver, which should be able to provide sufficient quantities in healthy animals. In contrast, human livers do not synthesize Vitamin C but must acquire sufficient quantities through diet. Dr. Belfield used large doses of Vitamin C with positive results, suggesting that the ill animals were not able to heal normally without additional supplements. The dogs bodies were producing just enough Vitamin C to keep them at subchronic scurvy levels but not enough to return to normal health.
Aside: The Role of Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) in Biochemistry.
Vitamin C is involved in three hundred different functions in the biochemistry, in both animals and humans. An important job is the production of collagen, used to build muscle and bone tissue. In building bones, collagen forms the honeycomb structures holding minerals in place within the bones. Without sufficient Vitamin C, the quality of the manufactured collagen will be weak, thus causing the bones and muscle tissues to weaken.
A second function of ascorbic acid is to cope with the effects of stress on animal physiology. Ascorbic acid is used by the body to support adrenal gland functions and helping the body produce its own cortisone, which limits the production of histamines produced by dying cells.
Dr. Belfield has used insulin in ointment form to heal open wounds. This treatment eliminates scarring of wounded tissue.
Dr. Belfield also used large doses sodium ascorbate therapy to treat high fevers and distemper. The dose level was begun at one-half gram twice daily per pound of body weight administered intravenously. With dosages this high, Dr. Belfield uses the sodium ascorbate form of Vitamin C as opposed to the ascorbic acid form. The intravenous preparations used were made from crystals to avoid sodium bisulphate, a preservative in the commercially available intravenous products, which can cause nerve problems when given at high dosages. Dr. Belfield published his results in his first professional paper in 1967.
Having success with controlling fevers and distemper, Dr. Belfield began treating parvo virus with the same technique of vitamin and mineral supplement therapy. He is a proponent of nutritional therapy to achieve benefits of treatment without side effects. He has used B complex to cure seizures and treats liver and kidney problems with antioxidant vitamins, namely Vitamin A (beta-carotene), Vitamin C and Vitamin E; enzymes including glutathione peroxide, superoxide dismutase (S.O.D.), and catalase; and minerals selenium, manganese, and zinc, which act to promote enzyme metabolism.
Dr. Belfield and his colleagues are challenging traditional veterinary practices. They are introducing completely new methods of overcoming diseases. These methods are controversial and many scientists question the validity of these practices. However, Dr. Belfield can point to numerous examples of successful use of his methods. Although more research needs to de done, these advancements in veterinary medicine may lead to breakthroughs in human medicine.
Dr. Belfield was first encouraged to enter veterinary medicine by one of his professors, Dr. Charles Buggs who pioneered research in the use of streptomycin.
Selected Publications
Belfield WO. Chronic Subclinical Scurvy And Canine Hip Dysplasia.
Veterinary Medicine, Small Animal Clinician 1976 October 71 (10): 1399-403
ISSN: 0042-4889
Belfield WO. Canine Orchiopexy: Surgical Fixation, In The Scrotum, Of An Undescended Testicle.
Veterinary Medicine, Small Animal Clinician1975 February 70 (2): 157-61
ISSN: 0042-4889
Belfield WO. For A More Normal Life For A Pet: Partial Spay (Hysterectomy).
Veterinary Medicine, Small Animal Clinician 1972 November 67 (11): 1223-4
ISSN: 0042-4889
Belfield WO. The Dysplastic Dog. Can be Helped.
Veterinary Medicine, Small Animal Clinician 1971 September 66 (9): 883-6
ISSN: 0042-4889
Belfield WO; Golinsky S; Compton MD. The Use Of Insulin In Open-Wound Healing.
Veterinary Medicine, Small Animal Clinician 1970 May; 65 (5): 455-60
ISSN: 0042-4889
Belfield WO. Vitamin C In Treatment Of Canine And Feline Distemper Complex.
Veterinary Medicine, Small Animal Clinician 1967 April 62 (4): 345-8
ISSN: 0042-4889
Dr. Wendell Belfield and Martin Zucker co-authored two books on nutritional supplementation for pets
How To Have A Healthier Dog.
The Very Healthy Cat Book.
Observations On the Dose and Administration of Ascorbic Acid When Employed Beyond the Range Of A Vitamin In Human Pathology
Frederick R. Klenner, M.D., F.C.C.P.
URL: http://www.orthomed.com/klenner.htm
Journal of Applied Nutrition Vol. 23, No's 3 & 4, Winter 1971
Bibliography:
Blacks in Science: Astrophysicist to Zoologist.
Hattie Carwell. (Hicksville, N.Y.: Exposition Press), 1977. p. 64-65.
Wendell O. Belfield and Irving Stone.
Journal of the International Academy of Preventive Medicine. Vol.II, no.3 (1975)
Booklet produced by Dr. Belfield on the treatment of animals with Vitamin C.
Send $1.00 for more information:
Orthomolecular Specialities.
P.O. Box 32232, San Jose, CA 95152 (May, 1996)
Tele: (408) 277-9334
Fax: (408) 227-2732
Phone Hours: 10:30am-12:30pm PST & 2:00-3:00pm PST (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday)
VISA and MasterCard accepted
Your Animal's Health, with Wendell O. Belfield, DVM
Sponsored by Orthomolecular Specialities ... http://www.belfield.com
Suggested by Jeffrey P. Mainville, Human Dimensions ; e-mail communication (July 31, 1996)
Magazine Articles
Larry Mueller. Miracle Cure For Hip Dysplasia. Use Of Vitamin C In Dogs.
Outdoor Life (January, 1996), 197(1): 27+.
Larry Mueller. Kindness That Can Kill.
Outdoor Life (December 1990), 190(6): 56-59.
John Eckhouse. Why Pet-Food Labels Baffle Most Consumers.
The San Francisco Chronicle (February 20, 1990), Tuesday, Final Edition, B1.
Larry Mueller. Dysplasia's End.
Outdoor Life (April 1989), 183(2): 46,50.
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
Monday, 13 February 2012
honest kitchen pet care manual
http://issuu.com/honestkitchen/docs/honest_kitchen_healthy_pet?mode=window&printButtonEnabled=false&shareButtonEnabled=false&searchButtonEnabled=false&backgroundColor=%23222222
Wednesday, 22 June 2011
Vaccinations / rabbies shots for dogs
How Often Should You Vaccinate Your Cat or Dog?
**** PART ONE OF FOUR ***
Today I'm interviewing a very special guest at his facility, Dr. Ronald Schultz, Professor and Chair, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Science at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
Some Background on Dr. Schultz
Dr. Schultz has been at University of Wisconsin – Madison for 29 years.
He explained there are about 150 faculty staff and students in his department, which is one of the four largest departments at the university, and a very important element of any veterinary school. The Department of Pathobiological Sciences is involved in a variety of scientific subjects, including bacteriology, immunology, virology, parasitology, public health, epidemiology and clinical and anatomic pathology.
Dr. Schultz's specialty is veterinary immunology. One of the reasons I'm excited to interview him for MercolaHealthyPets.com is because as readers here learn to make better decisions about vaccinating their pets, they will undoubtedly come across Dr. Schultz's name and his work in the field.
The doctor is involved in every aspect of the topic of veterinary vaccines – he has worked alongside vaccine manufacturers, developed vaccination protocols, and tested protocols.
Dr. Schultz is a hands-on researcher in the field of veterinary vaccines, and it's an honor to be able to speak with him today.
A Little Veterinary Vaccine History
Vaccination is one of the most hotly debated topics in veterinary medicine today. The reason is because while on the one hand we want to protect companion animals from deadly infectious diseases, we are also very concerned with the problems created by over-vaccination.
When humans are vaccinated against diseases like measles, mumps, rubella and DPT, the immunizations given in childhood provide lifetime protection. They are not given again in that child's entire life, much less repeated every year.
When I worked at a humane society 20 years ago, our protocol was to give puppies a five-way combination vaccine at 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 weeks, followed by an annual booster every year for the rest of their lives.
When I got to veterinary school and learned vaccines never wear off, I became quite confused about why vets recommend yearly re-vaccinations. So I asked Dr. Schultz how dogs and cats develop immunity.
Dr. Schultz explained that my questions were the same ones he asked back in the 1970s – how often do dogs and cats need to be vaccinated, and what vaccines are really required?
In the 1970s there weren't a lot of vaccines available for pets, so according to Dr. Schultz, every time a new one became available, it was added to the syringe.
By the 1980s, there were 12 or 14 different vaccines being delivered as combination products. As an immunologist, Dr. Schultz knew that was not a good idea. And vaccinated pets were beginning to develop adverse reactions, so their bodies also knew the combination vaccines were a bad idea.
In 1978, Dr. Schultz and a colleague, Dr. Fred Scott developed and published a vaccination protocol. It called for pets to receive puppy or kitten shots, be vaccinated again at a year of age, and then be re-vaccinated every three years or less frequently thereafter.
Change is often a very slow process, and it wasn't until 1998 that the American Association of Feline Practitioners issued guidelines very similar to what Dr. Schultz and Dr. Scott published 20 years earlier.
Core vs. Non-Core Vaccines
There are a lot more vaccines available today than there were back in the 1970s, but we now know there are certain vaccines, called the 'core vaccines,' that every dog and cat should receive.
Canine core vaccines include:
•Distemper
•Parvo
•Adenovirus
•Rabies
Feline core vaccines:
•Panleukopenia
•Calici
•Herpes
•Rabies
The diseases these vaccines protect against are very serious, with mortality as high as 60 to 80 percent in young animals. That's why every kitten and puppy should receive these core vaccines very early in life.
All other vaccines are known as non-core, or optional. Only certain animals need non-core vaccines, as opposed to every animal needing the core vaccines.
I next asked Dr. Schultz for his thoughts on what vaccines are necessary for indoor-only cats that never come into contact with outdoor cats.
Dr. Schultz recommends only the core vaccine panleukopenia for indoor kitties. He explained the last dose should be at 14 to 16 weeks, because by that time the kitten will no longer have the protection passed from the mother cat.
Litters from immunized cats and dogs have some protective antibodies from their mothers at birth. These antibodies are systemic, but they have a finite life. They ultimately die off, but the level of immunity in the mother determines when that die-off occurs in the kittens or puppies. It is only when the antibodies from the mother die off that a vaccination actually immunizes the puppy or kitten.
Vaccination vs. Immunization
I asked Dr. Schultz to expand on the difference between being vaccinated and being immunized. According to Dr. Schultz, and I certainly agree, we tend to do a lot of vaccinating, but at times we don't do much immunizing – especially when it comes to kittens and puppies.
The maternally-derived antibodies passed to puppies and kittens can actually block vaccines from working. It's one of the reasons we give a series of vaccines to young animals.
In the 1960s and 1970s when we first started using vaccines, vets would create a nomograph for litters to determine when they could be effectively vaccinated. The nomograph was based on the antibody titers of the mothers. Using half-life to predict when the mother's antibodies would wear off in her babies, we could determine exactly when the puppies or kittens should be immunized. Maternally-derived antibodies wear off between about five and a half and nine weeks.
The time period between when the maternal antibodies die off and the baby's immune system is strong enough to protect it provides a window of opportunity in which if the puppies or kittens are exposed to a virus it can kill them.
The purpose of vaccines is to stimulate the immature immune system to make antibodies so if in the event a puppy or kitten is exposed to an infectious disease, it will be able to mount an immune response to fight it off.
The beauty of the nomograph is it provides the information needed to vaccinate a puppy or kitten only once, because it predicts pretty much exactly when the litter will no longer be protected by maternal antibodies. This allows you to give the kitten or puppy the correct vaccines at the appropriate times, and avoids giving unnecessary vaccines.
A drawback to use of the nomograph method is that it takes a fair amount of time to get the results. Another drawback is the maternally derived antibodies for the various viruses die off in the puppy or kitten at different times. For example, a puppy might respond to distemper at 8 weeks, but not to parvo until 12 or 14 weeks.
If you work with a holistic vet that uses single vaccines, this is a perfect way to custom formulate an ideal vaccine schedule, however, the majority of people don't, and that's why the puppy or kitten series of vaccinations became popular – there was no waiting and it was much less expensive as compared to titering.
Stay tuned next week for part 2 of this 4-part interview with Dr. Ronald Schultz. Next week Dr. Becker talks with Dr. Schultz about recommended vaccination protocols and vaccine non-responders
*** PART 2 OF 4 ***
Today I'm continuing my interview with Dr. Ronald Schultz, Professor and Chair, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Science at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
Last week in part 1, Dr. Schultz and I talked about core and non-core vaccines and the difference between vaccinating and immunizing. Today we continue our discussion of core vaccines for puppies and kittens and the length of immunity received from these vaccinations.
Core Vaccine Recommendations for Puppies and Kittens
Dr. Schultz recommends not starting a puppy or kitten vaccination program before 6 to 8 weeks of age, with re-vaccinations no more frequent than every four weeks. For example, if you start the program when a puppy is 8 weeks old, you would give another dose of the core vaccines at 12 weeks, and the third dose at 16 weeks.
What I do at my Natural Pet animal clinic is a first round of the cores before 12 weeks of age, like at 9 to 10 weeks. Then we boost between 15 and 16 weeks. Then we titer two weeks after the last round to see if there's been a response.
Dr. Schultz points out that we want to make sure the vaccinations have actually induced an immune response in the puppy or kitten. The best way to make that determination is with antibody titer tests for distemper and parvo in puppies, or panleukopenia in kittens, done between two to four weeks after the last vaccination.
When a puppy or kitten is between 14 and 16 weeks, the maternally-derived antibodies have dropped off, so there's no need to worry about residual antibodies left over from mom. If there's antibody present in the titer test, we know the baby's immune system has responded to the vaccine. This means we've not only vaccinated, but we've actually immunized as well.
Achieving immunity is the goal. We can put a lot of vaccines into pets, but if the dog or cat doesn't have a functional immunologic response, it's useless. Which means the animal has received all the toxicity of the vaccines and none of the benefit. The reason for vaccinations is to provide protective immunity against life-threatening diseases.
Vaccine Non-Responders
I asked Dr. Schultz at this point to briefly explain the rare circumstance in which there's a non-response to vaccination.
Unfortunately, there are genetic non-responders, which are animals that won't be immunized through vaccination no matter when they are injected.
Dr. Schultz estimates that about 1 in 1,000 puppies in the general population of dogs is a parvo non-responder. But because this is a function of genetics, certain breeds and more importantly, certain families (lineages) of dogs will have a much higher ratio than 1 in every 1,000. It might be 1 in 100, or even 1 in 10 that have no response.
Fortunately, animals that don't respond to one vaccine usually respond beautifully to the others. The non-response seems very strictly defined to a specific vaccine for a specific disease.
For distemper, the non-responders are about 1 in 5,000 in the general population. Dr. Schultz thinks this is probably due to the fact distemper has been in the canine species for much longer than parvo. Parvo didn't become a problem for canines until the late 1970s.
Puppy and Kitten Shots Often Provide Lifelong Immunity
Back to the subject of core vaccines and establishing immunity in puppies and kittens …
After we've established protective immunity with a modified vaccine protocol and titers to insure an immune system response to the vaccines, those pets are protected for life.
If we follow the protocol as laid out above, titering two to four weeks after the last round of vaccines at 14 to 16 weeks of age, and we confirm the babies' immune systems have responded to the vaccinations, there is no reason to continue to re-vaccinate those animals.
There's no reason to re-vaccinate, because giving a dog or cat boosters of the same vaccines doesn't mean he's more protected. Many pet owners are led to believe -- often by the reminders sent by their veterinarian's office -- that the vaccines 'expire.' It's frustrating, because these reminders are intended to provoke fear in responsible pet owners.
Dr. Schultz points out that like the MMR vaccine for children, the three core vaccines for puppies and kittens have the potential to provide lifelong immunity. We're not positive that every animal receives lifelong immunity, which is why we vaccinate a few times during that animal's life.
It depends on whether you want to take a minimalistic approach to vaccinating, which both Dr. Schultz and I take with our pets. But a lot of pet owners aren't comfortable with that approach.
What Dr. Schultz recommends for puppies and kittens that don't receive antibody titers two or more weeks after the last puppy shot, re-vaccination should be done in a year, which is what the American Animal Hospital Association and the American Association of Feline Practitioners recommend.
Going forward, Dr. Schultz recommends re-vaccination after 3 years or longer, but not more often than 3 years. Since the majority of these pets will have received immunity for life, many pet owners end up opting to titer at three years rather than to automatically vaccinate. The option with the 3-year guideline, then, is whether to titer to test immunity or go ahead and vaccinate.
Most visitors to MercolaHealthyPets.com aren't interested in vaccinating their pets when it's not necessary, so that's when titering becomes a great option to have. At my animal hospital, we don't automatically revaccinate every 3 years for animals that were not tittered 2-4 weeks after their last puppy/kitten vaccine, we titer instead (to see if additional vaccines are needed).
Titering Methods
Next I wanted to talk with Dr. Schultz about the different methods of titering, as there are several.
The 'gold standard' titer tests are performed only in diagnostic labs associated with veterinary schools, whereas the commercial tests that are available use different methodologies. The commercial test results are correlated with gold standard test results so they can be understood.
Diagnostic labs report results in terms of numbers which they attach great importance to. Dr. Schultz believes the specific numbers don't mean anything as long as they're positive – which indicates the presence of an immune response. It's important to note that any measurable titer means the immune system responded. Some some labs recommend revaccination when a titer is present, but low. This is not what Dr. Schultz or I recommend.
If you have results on one of the gold standard tests -- like the Virus Neutralization Test for distemper – of, say, a 4 or an 8 or a 16 or a 32 or a 64, that means that animal's immune system has developed antibody, it is primed. And if the animal is exposed to distemper, if the distemper isn't immediately neutralized, there will be a secondary memory response and the animal will be protected.
Just like with you or I, if we encounter a flu virus we haven't been exposed to in 10 or 20 years, our immune system will retain memory to produce an adequate immunological response to the virus.
Stay tuned next week for part 3 of this 4-part interview with Dr. Ronald Schultz. Next week Dr. Becker talks with Dr. Schultz about rabies vaccines and recommendations for pets that have had a vaccine reaction.
** PART 3 OF 4 ***
Today I'm continuing my interview with Dr. Ronald Schultz, Professor and Chair, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Science at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
In part 1 of this series, Dr. Schultz and I talked about core and non-core vaccines and the difference between vaccinating and immunizing. In part 2 we continued our discussion of core vaccines and the length of protection they offer.
The next subject I wanted Dr. Schultz to talk to us about is the vaccine that is mandatory in every state in the U.S. – the rabies vaccine. I want to talk about why some states have 1-year and 3-year vaccination options.
Some of my Natural Pet clients think the 3-year vaccine is 3 times stronger. Others think it has been researched 3 times longer. So I asked Dr. Schultz to shed some light on the subject of rabies vaccines.
Rabies Vaccines
Dr. Schultz points out that the rabies shot is a good example of a noninfectious vaccine.
Prior to the mid-1980s, all canine and feline rabies vaccines were what is known as 'modified live.' One dose was adequate to immunize a puppy or kitten. We generally gave those vaccinations at 12 weeks or older, when there was no maternally-derived antibody left to interfere.
Back in those days, with the modified live vaccine, we re-vaccinated each year because we didn't know whether immunity lasted longer than a year.
In the late 1970s – early 1980s, some kittens given rabies vaccines in California actually acquired the disease. That situation caused the USDA to rethink the wisdom of the modified live rabies vaccine. In reality, though, rather than the modified live vaccine turning virulent, it could have been that the kittens were severely immunosuppressed. They might have been infected with feline leukemia and/or feline immune deficiency viruses, which made them susceptible to the rabies virus.
Whatever the cause of the kittens developing rabies, it was decided modified live or infectious rabies vaccines were no longer advisable. At that point, we moved entirely to a non-infectious, killed, inactivated rabies vaccine. Inactivated vaccines are not as potent as modified live products.
However, we never changed the rabies vaccination one-dose protocol, even though we changed the vaccine. My recommendation back in the mid 1970s when we made the switch to an inactivated product, was to give two doses, 2 to 4 weeks apart, and then re-vaccinate in a year. But that's not what happened.
Fortunately, the rabies glycoprotein antigen in the killed vaccine is very powerful. And an adjuvant was added, which is the case with most inactivated vaccines.
An adjuvant is a very strong immuno-stimulant, and the one added to the killed rabies vaccine provided enough boost to the glycoprotein that one dose was enough to immunize most pets for a year.
As a general rule for killed vaccines, if we go much beyond 6 to 8 weeks between the two doses, we're providing essentially no protection at all. The leptospirosis vaccine is a good example – we could never go beyond 6 weeks between the two doses, because immunity would not be established. The lepto antigen is very weak compared to the rabies antigen.
Adjuvants in Pet Vaccines
I asked Dr. Schultz to discuss the use of adjuvants in veterinary vaccines. We know that thimerosal, an adjuvant included in human vaccines, has been removed due to health concerns.
Dr. Schultz points out there are a number of substances commonly added to vaccines, for example preservatives. Thimerosal, which contains mercury, is a very effective preservative. It has been added to human vaccines for many years, however, it hasn't been used in many veterinary vaccines.
Thimerosal is a concern because it contains the heavy metal mercury, which can cause adverse reactions and is very neurotoxic at high levels. The majority of human vaccines no longer contain thimerosal, and Dr. Schultz is not aware of any veterinary vaccine that contains it.
Aluminum is commonly found in human vaccine adjuvants. It is also used in some veterinary vaccines, but according to Dr. Schultz there are many other options for adjuvants in veterinary medicine. Veterinary vaccines are actually far ahead of the curve as compared to human vaccines. There are veterinary vaccines with new technology that have yet to be approved for use in human vaccines.
Veterinary medicine has an edge over human medicine when it comes to research and application of new vaccine technologies, including adjuvants. One of the reasons for this is studies can be done on the animals for whom the vaccine is being developed rather than on, for example, rodents which is how initial studies are conducted in human medicine.
Adverse Reactions to Pet Vaccines
I next wanted to talk to Dr. Schultz about vaccine reactions. It happens, unfortunately. We see pets die from adverse reactions to veterinary vaccines.
There are different types of allergic reactions, for instance anaphylaxis and also long-term, progressive, degenerative auto-immune disease. I asked Dr. Schultz if he sees a correlation between over-vaccination and an increase in autoimmune conditions in pets.
Dr. Schultz agrees autoimmune disorders are more prevalent in both pets and humans than they were 20 or 30 years ago. He thinks there are a number of reasons for the increase, and without question, vaccines are among them. Dr. Schultz also blames the presence of intoxicants, environmental pollutants and chemicals in our world today.
He believes there are a lot of factors in the environment that in a genetically predisposed individual can trigger immune-mediated disease. He stresses the key role genetics plays in immune-mediated and hypersensitivity-type diseases.
Recommendations for Pets That Have Had a Vaccine Reaction
At my clinic, I follow a very minimalistic vaccination protocol which includes titering to insure immunity has been achieved. But when I see animals that have had vaccine reactions, under no circumstances will I continue to vaccinate. I simply won't do it.
I asked Dr. Schultz about his recommendations for pets that have had a reaction to a vaccination. He agrees my approach is the best one under most circumstances.
If the reaction is to a core vaccine and the pet is successfully immunized, Dr. Schultz recommends titering. If there's any measurable antibody in the titer, that vaccine should not be given again. If there's no antibody for one of the cores, he feels we have an obligation to make sure the animal is protected because the diseases the cores protect against are so deadly.
Dr. Schultz points out a few options, including pre-treating the pet depending on what the reaction has been, but that won't provide assurance the animal won't have another reaction.
We can also switch products and hope something in the prior vaccine that isn't in the replacement product is what caused the reaction. But that's also no guarantee there won't be another reaction. An animal may be, for example, hypersensitive to bovine serum albumin, which is very likely contained in every vaccine manufactured for a particular disease.
In terms of risks vs. benefits of re-vaccinating an animal that has had a reaction to a vaccine, I'm not personally comfortable with the risk and would not re-vaccinate due to the potential for a more severe reaction.
Dr. Schultz says we want to make sure the animal is immunized against the core diseases. If the adverse vaccine reaction is to a non-core product, which it very often is (core vaccines are much safer than non-core vaccines in terms of adverse reactions), Dr. Schultz's position to is forget about that optional vaccine, whether it's the lepto vaccine or the Lyme vaccine or injectable bordetella, for example.
And I agree. If your pet has had an adverse reaction to a non-core vaccine and your vet is still recommending it, refuse it.
Stay tuned next week for part 4 of this 4-part interview with Dr. Ronald Schultz. Next week Dr. Becker and Dr. Schultz return to the topic of rabies vaccines. The doctors also discuss the protocols they follow in vaccinating their own pets.
***** PART 4 OF 4 ****
Today I'm wrapping up my 4-part interview with Dr. Ronald Schultz, Professor and Chair, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Science at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
We're returning to the subject of rabies vaccines and Dr. Schultz's fascinating work in this area.
Are Rabies Vaccinations Really Needed Every Year or Three Years?
I asked Dr. Schultz to explain why there are 1-year and 3-year vaccines, but not, say, 7 or 12 or 20-year rabies vaccines.
Dr. Schultz explains he's conducting studies at the moment to successfully demonstrate a minimum duration of immunity for rabies at 7 years. This could enable us to extend the time between re-vaccinations. Up to now, no one has done the research to prove we can go beyond 3 years.
Part of the reason is because the studies are very expensive and take a lot of time. Currently Dr. Schultz is in year 4 of his 7 year study. You can read more about the study at the Rabies Challenge Fund. He is looking to be able to recommend that after an animal is vaccinated at from 12 to 24 weeks of age for rabies, it doesn't require a re-vaccination every 3 years.
Every state in the U.S. now has a 3-year rabies law, however, depending on what city or municipality you live in, the laws may be more restrictive, requiring every-year or every two-year rabies vaccines.
Dr. Schultz reminds every pet owner that you are the one with the ability to get the laws changed if you live in a location that requires your pet be vaccinated more frequently than every 3 years for rabies. There is absolutely no scientific reason for anyone to vaccinate an animal more often than every 3 years with products that are licensed by the USDA to be given at 3 year intervals.
Re-vaccinating that animal more frequently will not enhance herd immunity or protection against rabies. Animal owners who never have their pets vaccinated will continue to avoid doing it, so the requirement for more frequent rabies vaccines is nothing more than a penalty handed out to pet owners who do get their animals vaccinated per the law. It is those pet owners who are potentially causing harm to their animals because they are complying with the every 1 or every 2 year vaccine mandate.
Is There a Difference Between the 1-Year and 3-Year Vaccines?
I asked Dr. Schultz if the 1 and 3-year rabies vaccine products are the same. His opinion is most of them are. There is also a 1-year feline rabies vaccine that has no adjuvant, but there is not at this time a similar 3-year product.
I asked Dr. Schultz why there isn't a 3-year non-adjuvanted product. His answer is the adjuvant-free 1-year feline rabies vaccine is new technology. It is a recombinant vaccine that is similar in nature to a modified live vaccine, but there's no live rabies in it. The cat's immune system sees this vaccine as live. The company that developed the adjuvant-free 1-year vaccine did studies that showed vaccinated cats were still protected 100 percent from rabies 3 years later.
However, a problem in the control (non-vaccinated) group of cats (not enough of them died) prevented the USDA from issuing a 3-year license for the vaccine. In a second round of studies, even fewer non-vaccinated cats died, so again, the USDA refused to issue a 3-year license for the product.
With regard to vaccine-associated sarcomas (VAS) in cats, Dr. Schultz believes it's preferable to give the non-adjuvanted 1-year rabies vaccine over the 3-year vaccine containing adjuvants. Whereas the non-adjuvanted 1-year vaccine created no inflammatory response at the injection site (a marker for tumor development), adjuvanted rabies vaccines are known to cause more VAS. So even in genetically predisposed kitties, it is assumed the non-adjuvanted product, even given yearly, is less harmful than the adjuvanted vaccine.
Since it is known that cats are more likely to develop vaccine injection site sarcomas, the direction for feline vaccines is toward non-adjuvanted products.
Adjuvanted products are more likely to cause adverse reactions in general, across all species.
So the overall goal in future vaccine development is to 1) have fewer adjuvanted vaccines and 2) to develop new adjuvants that are less likely to create adverse reactions.
The Vaccine Protocol Dr. Schultz Would Use with a New Puppy or Kitten in His Family
The last question I had for Dr. Schultz was how his vaccination protocol has changed over the years for his own pets and those of family members.
Dr. Schultz feels very confident about the effectiveness of vaccines. He is also a risk taker in his personal life (he rides motorcycles, has a pilot's license), and not everyone (including me) is as comfortable taking risks as he is. So his choices for vaccination of pets must be put into that context.
With that said, there are very few people who know more about veterinary vaccines than Dr. Schultz, so he is really not taking much of a risk with his pets, his children's pets, or his grandchildren's pets with the vaccine protocol he follows.
He does antibody titers on the mother to know the right time to effectively immunize (not just vaccinate) the puppy or kitten for the 3 core viruses. He titers the puppy or kitten 2 or more weeks post vaccine to make sure the animal responded, and as long as the response is adequate, he would probably not re-vaccinate for the rest of the dog's or cat's life. This is a protocol he has followed since 1974.
He would also give a rabies vaccine (which is technically also considered a core vaccine), the frequency of which is not dictated by Dr. Schultz's knowledge of immunology, but is dictated by the law. He gives the first rabies vaccine sometime after 4 months of age, re-vaccinates in a year, and then again in 3 years and every 3 years thereafter. Dr. Schultz reiterates his rabies vaccine protocol is because of the law, not because every 3 year vaccines are necessary immunologically.
The law is not interested in when an animal actually needs another rabies vaccine to be protected – the law simply demands every 1, 2 or 3 year vaccinations with no consideration for whether the animal's body is already immune to the rabies virus thanks to a prior vaccine.
If you choose not to re-vaccinate your pet for rabies, it is your choice, but you should be aware it is also against the law. Neither Dr. Schultz nor I are suggesting you do anything illegal. However, if you choose not to re-vaccinate, be aware your pet is probably protected for life from the virus anyway due to prior rabies vaccination.
If Dr. Schultz's 7-year rabies study can prove the vaccine is good for at least that long, prompting a change in current vaccination laws, then a dog might only receive 2 rabies vaccines in a lifetime.
My Sincere Thanks to Dr. Schultz
I want to point out to all of you that Dr. Schultz is single-handedly changing the face of immunologic veterinary medicine. I am so grateful for the work he does – his effort and his passion – and for helping all of us make better decisions for the animals in our care.
Dr. Schultz, in turn, thanks the veterinarians who've been willing to make changes to their vaccination programs, as well as the vaccine companies that conduct their own studies with their products. Every major veterinary vaccine manufacturer has completed a minimum 3-year vaccine study with the core vaccines, and they have all demonstrated their products provide a minimum of 3-years duration of immunity.
This should say something to any veterinarian out here who is wondering if it's really safe to go 3 years between vaccinations -- as well as any pet owner with similar concerns -- that yes, they can confidently go 3 years, regardless of the product used.
**** PART ONE OF FOUR ***
Today I'm interviewing a very special guest at his facility, Dr. Ronald Schultz, Professor and Chair, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Science at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
Some Background on Dr. Schultz
Dr. Schultz has been at University of Wisconsin – Madison for 29 years.
He explained there are about 150 faculty staff and students in his department, which is one of the four largest departments at the university, and a very important element of any veterinary school. The Department of Pathobiological Sciences is involved in a variety of scientific subjects, including bacteriology, immunology, virology, parasitology, public health, epidemiology and clinical and anatomic pathology.
Dr. Schultz's specialty is veterinary immunology. One of the reasons I'm excited to interview him for MercolaHealthyPets.com is because as readers here learn to make better decisions about vaccinating their pets, they will undoubtedly come across Dr. Schultz's name and his work in the field.
The doctor is involved in every aspect of the topic of veterinary vaccines – he has worked alongside vaccine manufacturers, developed vaccination protocols, and tested protocols.
Dr. Schultz is a hands-on researcher in the field of veterinary vaccines, and it's an honor to be able to speak with him today.
A Little Veterinary Vaccine History
Vaccination is one of the most hotly debated topics in veterinary medicine today. The reason is because while on the one hand we want to protect companion animals from deadly infectious diseases, we are also very concerned with the problems created by over-vaccination.
When humans are vaccinated against diseases like measles, mumps, rubella and DPT, the immunizations given in childhood provide lifetime protection. They are not given again in that child's entire life, much less repeated every year.
When I worked at a humane society 20 years ago, our protocol was to give puppies a five-way combination vaccine at 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 weeks, followed by an annual booster every year for the rest of their lives.
When I got to veterinary school and learned vaccines never wear off, I became quite confused about why vets recommend yearly re-vaccinations. So I asked Dr. Schultz how dogs and cats develop immunity.
Dr. Schultz explained that my questions were the same ones he asked back in the 1970s – how often do dogs and cats need to be vaccinated, and what vaccines are really required?
In the 1970s there weren't a lot of vaccines available for pets, so according to Dr. Schultz, every time a new one became available, it was added to the syringe.
By the 1980s, there were 12 or 14 different vaccines being delivered as combination products. As an immunologist, Dr. Schultz knew that was not a good idea. And vaccinated pets were beginning to develop adverse reactions, so their bodies also knew the combination vaccines were a bad idea.
In 1978, Dr. Schultz and a colleague, Dr. Fred Scott developed and published a vaccination protocol. It called for pets to receive puppy or kitten shots, be vaccinated again at a year of age, and then be re-vaccinated every three years or less frequently thereafter.
Change is often a very slow process, and it wasn't until 1998 that the American Association of Feline Practitioners issued guidelines very similar to what Dr. Schultz and Dr. Scott published 20 years earlier.
Core vs. Non-Core Vaccines
There are a lot more vaccines available today than there were back in the 1970s, but we now know there are certain vaccines, called the 'core vaccines,' that every dog and cat should receive.
Canine core vaccines include:
•Distemper
•Parvo
•Adenovirus
•Rabies
Feline core vaccines:
•Panleukopenia
•Calici
•Herpes
•Rabies
The diseases these vaccines protect against are very serious, with mortality as high as 60 to 80 percent in young animals. That's why every kitten and puppy should receive these core vaccines very early in life.
All other vaccines are known as non-core, or optional. Only certain animals need non-core vaccines, as opposed to every animal needing the core vaccines.
I next asked Dr. Schultz for his thoughts on what vaccines are necessary for indoor-only cats that never come into contact with outdoor cats.
Dr. Schultz recommends only the core vaccine panleukopenia for indoor kitties. He explained the last dose should be at 14 to 16 weeks, because by that time the kitten will no longer have the protection passed from the mother cat.
Litters from immunized cats and dogs have some protective antibodies from their mothers at birth. These antibodies are systemic, but they have a finite life. They ultimately die off, but the level of immunity in the mother determines when that die-off occurs in the kittens or puppies. It is only when the antibodies from the mother die off that a vaccination actually immunizes the puppy or kitten.
Vaccination vs. Immunization
I asked Dr. Schultz to expand on the difference between being vaccinated and being immunized. According to Dr. Schultz, and I certainly agree, we tend to do a lot of vaccinating, but at times we don't do much immunizing – especially when it comes to kittens and puppies.
The maternally-derived antibodies passed to puppies and kittens can actually block vaccines from working. It's one of the reasons we give a series of vaccines to young animals.
In the 1960s and 1970s when we first started using vaccines, vets would create a nomograph for litters to determine when they could be effectively vaccinated. The nomograph was based on the antibody titers of the mothers. Using half-life to predict when the mother's antibodies would wear off in her babies, we could determine exactly when the puppies or kittens should be immunized. Maternally-derived antibodies wear off between about five and a half and nine weeks.
The time period between when the maternal antibodies die off and the baby's immune system is strong enough to protect it provides a window of opportunity in which if the puppies or kittens are exposed to a virus it can kill them.
The purpose of vaccines is to stimulate the immature immune system to make antibodies so if in the event a puppy or kitten is exposed to an infectious disease, it will be able to mount an immune response to fight it off.
The beauty of the nomograph is it provides the information needed to vaccinate a puppy or kitten only once, because it predicts pretty much exactly when the litter will no longer be protected by maternal antibodies. This allows you to give the kitten or puppy the correct vaccines at the appropriate times, and avoids giving unnecessary vaccines.
A drawback to use of the nomograph method is that it takes a fair amount of time to get the results. Another drawback is the maternally derived antibodies for the various viruses die off in the puppy or kitten at different times. For example, a puppy might respond to distemper at 8 weeks, but not to parvo until 12 or 14 weeks.
If you work with a holistic vet that uses single vaccines, this is a perfect way to custom formulate an ideal vaccine schedule, however, the majority of people don't, and that's why the puppy or kitten series of vaccinations became popular – there was no waiting and it was much less expensive as compared to titering.
Stay tuned next week for part 2 of this 4-part interview with Dr. Ronald Schultz. Next week Dr. Becker talks with Dr. Schultz about recommended vaccination protocols and vaccine non-responders
*** PART 2 OF 4 ***
Today I'm continuing my interview with Dr. Ronald Schultz, Professor and Chair, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Science at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
Last week in part 1, Dr. Schultz and I talked about core and non-core vaccines and the difference between vaccinating and immunizing. Today we continue our discussion of core vaccines for puppies and kittens and the length of immunity received from these vaccinations.
Core Vaccine Recommendations for Puppies and Kittens
Dr. Schultz recommends not starting a puppy or kitten vaccination program before 6 to 8 weeks of age, with re-vaccinations no more frequent than every four weeks. For example, if you start the program when a puppy is 8 weeks old, you would give another dose of the core vaccines at 12 weeks, and the third dose at 16 weeks.
What I do at my Natural Pet animal clinic is a first round of the cores before 12 weeks of age, like at 9 to 10 weeks. Then we boost between 15 and 16 weeks. Then we titer two weeks after the last round to see if there's been a response.
Dr. Schultz points out that we want to make sure the vaccinations have actually induced an immune response in the puppy or kitten. The best way to make that determination is with antibody titer tests for distemper and parvo in puppies, or panleukopenia in kittens, done between two to four weeks after the last vaccination.
When a puppy or kitten is between 14 and 16 weeks, the maternally-derived antibodies have dropped off, so there's no need to worry about residual antibodies left over from mom. If there's antibody present in the titer test, we know the baby's immune system has responded to the vaccine. This means we've not only vaccinated, but we've actually immunized as well.
Achieving immunity is the goal. We can put a lot of vaccines into pets, but if the dog or cat doesn't have a functional immunologic response, it's useless. Which means the animal has received all the toxicity of the vaccines and none of the benefit. The reason for vaccinations is to provide protective immunity against life-threatening diseases.
Vaccine Non-Responders
I asked Dr. Schultz at this point to briefly explain the rare circumstance in which there's a non-response to vaccination.
Unfortunately, there are genetic non-responders, which are animals that won't be immunized through vaccination no matter when they are injected.
Dr. Schultz estimates that about 1 in 1,000 puppies in the general population of dogs is a parvo non-responder. But because this is a function of genetics, certain breeds and more importantly, certain families (lineages) of dogs will have a much higher ratio than 1 in every 1,000. It might be 1 in 100, or even 1 in 10 that have no response.
Fortunately, animals that don't respond to one vaccine usually respond beautifully to the others. The non-response seems very strictly defined to a specific vaccine for a specific disease.
For distemper, the non-responders are about 1 in 5,000 in the general population. Dr. Schultz thinks this is probably due to the fact distemper has been in the canine species for much longer than parvo. Parvo didn't become a problem for canines until the late 1970s.
Puppy and Kitten Shots Often Provide Lifelong Immunity
Back to the subject of core vaccines and establishing immunity in puppies and kittens …
After we've established protective immunity with a modified vaccine protocol and titers to insure an immune system response to the vaccines, those pets are protected for life.
If we follow the protocol as laid out above, titering two to four weeks after the last round of vaccines at 14 to 16 weeks of age, and we confirm the babies' immune systems have responded to the vaccinations, there is no reason to continue to re-vaccinate those animals.
There's no reason to re-vaccinate, because giving a dog or cat boosters of the same vaccines doesn't mean he's more protected. Many pet owners are led to believe -- often by the reminders sent by their veterinarian's office -- that the vaccines 'expire.' It's frustrating, because these reminders are intended to provoke fear in responsible pet owners.
Dr. Schultz points out that like the MMR vaccine for children, the three core vaccines for puppies and kittens have the potential to provide lifelong immunity. We're not positive that every animal receives lifelong immunity, which is why we vaccinate a few times during that animal's life.
It depends on whether you want to take a minimalistic approach to vaccinating, which both Dr. Schultz and I take with our pets. But a lot of pet owners aren't comfortable with that approach.
What Dr. Schultz recommends for puppies and kittens that don't receive antibody titers two or more weeks after the last puppy shot, re-vaccination should be done in a year, which is what the American Animal Hospital Association and the American Association of Feline Practitioners recommend.
Going forward, Dr. Schultz recommends re-vaccination after 3 years or longer, but not more often than 3 years. Since the majority of these pets will have received immunity for life, many pet owners end up opting to titer at three years rather than to automatically vaccinate. The option with the 3-year guideline, then, is whether to titer to test immunity or go ahead and vaccinate.
Most visitors to MercolaHealthyPets.com aren't interested in vaccinating their pets when it's not necessary, so that's when titering becomes a great option to have. At my animal hospital, we don't automatically revaccinate every 3 years for animals that were not tittered 2-4 weeks after their last puppy/kitten vaccine, we titer instead (to see if additional vaccines are needed).
Titering Methods
Next I wanted to talk with Dr. Schultz about the different methods of titering, as there are several.
The 'gold standard' titer tests are performed only in diagnostic labs associated with veterinary schools, whereas the commercial tests that are available use different methodologies. The commercial test results are correlated with gold standard test results so they can be understood.
Diagnostic labs report results in terms of numbers which they attach great importance to. Dr. Schultz believes the specific numbers don't mean anything as long as they're positive – which indicates the presence of an immune response. It's important to note that any measurable titer means the immune system responded. Some some labs recommend revaccination when a titer is present, but low. This is not what Dr. Schultz or I recommend.
If you have results on one of the gold standard tests -- like the Virus Neutralization Test for distemper – of, say, a 4 or an 8 or a 16 or a 32 or a 64, that means that animal's immune system has developed antibody, it is primed. And if the animal is exposed to distemper, if the distemper isn't immediately neutralized, there will be a secondary memory response and the animal will be protected.
Just like with you or I, if we encounter a flu virus we haven't been exposed to in 10 or 20 years, our immune system will retain memory to produce an adequate immunological response to the virus.
Stay tuned next week for part 3 of this 4-part interview with Dr. Ronald Schultz. Next week Dr. Becker talks with Dr. Schultz about rabies vaccines and recommendations for pets that have had a vaccine reaction.
** PART 3 OF 4 ***
Today I'm continuing my interview with Dr. Ronald Schultz, Professor and Chair, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Science at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
In part 1 of this series, Dr. Schultz and I talked about core and non-core vaccines and the difference between vaccinating and immunizing. In part 2 we continued our discussion of core vaccines and the length of protection they offer.
The next subject I wanted Dr. Schultz to talk to us about is the vaccine that is mandatory in every state in the U.S. – the rabies vaccine. I want to talk about why some states have 1-year and 3-year vaccination options.
Some of my Natural Pet clients think the 3-year vaccine is 3 times stronger. Others think it has been researched 3 times longer. So I asked Dr. Schultz to shed some light on the subject of rabies vaccines.
Rabies Vaccines
Dr. Schultz points out that the rabies shot is a good example of a noninfectious vaccine.
Prior to the mid-1980s, all canine and feline rabies vaccines were what is known as 'modified live.' One dose was adequate to immunize a puppy or kitten. We generally gave those vaccinations at 12 weeks or older, when there was no maternally-derived antibody left to interfere.
Back in those days, with the modified live vaccine, we re-vaccinated each year because we didn't know whether immunity lasted longer than a year.
In the late 1970s – early 1980s, some kittens given rabies vaccines in California actually acquired the disease. That situation caused the USDA to rethink the wisdom of the modified live rabies vaccine. In reality, though, rather than the modified live vaccine turning virulent, it could have been that the kittens were severely immunosuppressed. They might have been infected with feline leukemia and/or feline immune deficiency viruses, which made them susceptible to the rabies virus.
Whatever the cause of the kittens developing rabies, it was decided modified live or infectious rabies vaccines were no longer advisable. At that point, we moved entirely to a non-infectious, killed, inactivated rabies vaccine. Inactivated vaccines are not as potent as modified live products.
However, we never changed the rabies vaccination one-dose protocol, even though we changed the vaccine. My recommendation back in the mid 1970s when we made the switch to an inactivated product, was to give two doses, 2 to 4 weeks apart, and then re-vaccinate in a year. But that's not what happened.
Fortunately, the rabies glycoprotein antigen in the killed vaccine is very powerful. And an adjuvant was added, which is the case with most inactivated vaccines.
An adjuvant is a very strong immuno-stimulant, and the one added to the killed rabies vaccine provided enough boost to the glycoprotein that one dose was enough to immunize most pets for a year.
As a general rule for killed vaccines, if we go much beyond 6 to 8 weeks between the two doses, we're providing essentially no protection at all. The leptospirosis vaccine is a good example – we could never go beyond 6 weeks between the two doses, because immunity would not be established. The lepto antigen is very weak compared to the rabies antigen.
Adjuvants in Pet Vaccines
I asked Dr. Schultz to discuss the use of adjuvants in veterinary vaccines. We know that thimerosal, an adjuvant included in human vaccines, has been removed due to health concerns.
Dr. Schultz points out there are a number of substances commonly added to vaccines, for example preservatives. Thimerosal, which contains mercury, is a very effective preservative. It has been added to human vaccines for many years, however, it hasn't been used in many veterinary vaccines.
Thimerosal is a concern because it contains the heavy metal mercury, which can cause adverse reactions and is very neurotoxic at high levels. The majority of human vaccines no longer contain thimerosal, and Dr. Schultz is not aware of any veterinary vaccine that contains it.
Aluminum is commonly found in human vaccine adjuvants. It is also used in some veterinary vaccines, but according to Dr. Schultz there are many other options for adjuvants in veterinary medicine. Veterinary vaccines are actually far ahead of the curve as compared to human vaccines. There are veterinary vaccines with new technology that have yet to be approved for use in human vaccines.
Veterinary medicine has an edge over human medicine when it comes to research and application of new vaccine technologies, including adjuvants. One of the reasons for this is studies can be done on the animals for whom the vaccine is being developed rather than on, for example, rodents which is how initial studies are conducted in human medicine.
Adverse Reactions to Pet Vaccines
I next wanted to talk to Dr. Schultz about vaccine reactions. It happens, unfortunately. We see pets die from adverse reactions to veterinary vaccines.
There are different types of allergic reactions, for instance anaphylaxis and also long-term, progressive, degenerative auto-immune disease. I asked Dr. Schultz if he sees a correlation between over-vaccination and an increase in autoimmune conditions in pets.
Dr. Schultz agrees autoimmune disorders are more prevalent in both pets and humans than they were 20 or 30 years ago. He thinks there are a number of reasons for the increase, and without question, vaccines are among them. Dr. Schultz also blames the presence of intoxicants, environmental pollutants and chemicals in our world today.
He believes there are a lot of factors in the environment that in a genetically predisposed individual can trigger immune-mediated disease. He stresses the key role genetics plays in immune-mediated and hypersensitivity-type diseases.
Recommendations for Pets That Have Had a Vaccine Reaction
At my clinic, I follow a very minimalistic vaccination protocol which includes titering to insure immunity has been achieved. But when I see animals that have had vaccine reactions, under no circumstances will I continue to vaccinate. I simply won't do it.
I asked Dr. Schultz about his recommendations for pets that have had a reaction to a vaccination. He agrees my approach is the best one under most circumstances.
If the reaction is to a core vaccine and the pet is successfully immunized, Dr. Schultz recommends titering. If there's any measurable antibody in the titer, that vaccine should not be given again. If there's no antibody for one of the cores, he feels we have an obligation to make sure the animal is protected because the diseases the cores protect against are so deadly.
Dr. Schultz points out a few options, including pre-treating the pet depending on what the reaction has been, but that won't provide assurance the animal won't have another reaction.
We can also switch products and hope something in the prior vaccine that isn't in the replacement product is what caused the reaction. But that's also no guarantee there won't be another reaction. An animal may be, for example, hypersensitive to bovine serum albumin, which is very likely contained in every vaccine manufactured for a particular disease.
In terms of risks vs. benefits of re-vaccinating an animal that has had a reaction to a vaccine, I'm not personally comfortable with the risk and would not re-vaccinate due to the potential for a more severe reaction.
Dr. Schultz says we want to make sure the animal is immunized against the core diseases. If the adverse vaccine reaction is to a non-core product, which it very often is (core vaccines are much safer than non-core vaccines in terms of adverse reactions), Dr. Schultz's position to is forget about that optional vaccine, whether it's the lepto vaccine or the Lyme vaccine or injectable bordetella, for example.
And I agree. If your pet has had an adverse reaction to a non-core vaccine and your vet is still recommending it, refuse it.
Stay tuned next week for part 4 of this 4-part interview with Dr. Ronald Schultz. Next week Dr. Becker and Dr. Schultz return to the topic of rabies vaccines. The doctors also discuss the protocols they follow in vaccinating their own pets.
***** PART 4 OF 4 ****
Today I'm wrapping up my 4-part interview with Dr. Ronald Schultz, Professor and Chair, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Science at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
We're returning to the subject of rabies vaccines and Dr. Schultz's fascinating work in this area.
Are Rabies Vaccinations Really Needed Every Year or Three Years?
I asked Dr. Schultz to explain why there are 1-year and 3-year vaccines, but not, say, 7 or 12 or 20-year rabies vaccines.
Dr. Schultz explains he's conducting studies at the moment to successfully demonstrate a minimum duration of immunity for rabies at 7 years. This could enable us to extend the time between re-vaccinations. Up to now, no one has done the research to prove we can go beyond 3 years.
Part of the reason is because the studies are very expensive and take a lot of time. Currently Dr. Schultz is in year 4 of his 7 year study. You can read more about the study at the Rabies Challenge Fund. He is looking to be able to recommend that after an animal is vaccinated at from 12 to 24 weeks of age for rabies, it doesn't require a re-vaccination every 3 years.
Every state in the U.S. now has a 3-year rabies law, however, depending on what city or municipality you live in, the laws may be more restrictive, requiring every-year or every two-year rabies vaccines.
Dr. Schultz reminds every pet owner that you are the one with the ability to get the laws changed if you live in a location that requires your pet be vaccinated more frequently than every 3 years for rabies. There is absolutely no scientific reason for anyone to vaccinate an animal more often than every 3 years with products that are licensed by the USDA to be given at 3 year intervals.
Re-vaccinating that animal more frequently will not enhance herd immunity or protection against rabies. Animal owners who never have their pets vaccinated will continue to avoid doing it, so the requirement for more frequent rabies vaccines is nothing more than a penalty handed out to pet owners who do get their animals vaccinated per the law. It is those pet owners who are potentially causing harm to their animals because they are complying with the every 1 or every 2 year vaccine mandate.
Is There a Difference Between the 1-Year and 3-Year Vaccines?
I asked Dr. Schultz if the 1 and 3-year rabies vaccine products are the same. His opinion is most of them are. There is also a 1-year feline rabies vaccine that has no adjuvant, but there is not at this time a similar 3-year product.
I asked Dr. Schultz why there isn't a 3-year non-adjuvanted product. His answer is the adjuvant-free 1-year feline rabies vaccine is new technology. It is a recombinant vaccine that is similar in nature to a modified live vaccine, but there's no live rabies in it. The cat's immune system sees this vaccine as live. The company that developed the adjuvant-free 1-year vaccine did studies that showed vaccinated cats were still protected 100 percent from rabies 3 years later.
However, a problem in the control (non-vaccinated) group of cats (not enough of them died) prevented the USDA from issuing a 3-year license for the vaccine. In a second round of studies, even fewer non-vaccinated cats died, so again, the USDA refused to issue a 3-year license for the product.
With regard to vaccine-associated sarcomas (VAS) in cats, Dr. Schultz believes it's preferable to give the non-adjuvanted 1-year rabies vaccine over the 3-year vaccine containing adjuvants. Whereas the non-adjuvanted 1-year vaccine created no inflammatory response at the injection site (a marker for tumor development), adjuvanted rabies vaccines are known to cause more VAS. So even in genetically predisposed kitties, it is assumed the non-adjuvanted product, even given yearly, is less harmful than the adjuvanted vaccine.
Since it is known that cats are more likely to develop vaccine injection site sarcomas, the direction for feline vaccines is toward non-adjuvanted products.
Adjuvanted products are more likely to cause adverse reactions in general, across all species.
So the overall goal in future vaccine development is to 1) have fewer adjuvanted vaccines and 2) to develop new adjuvants that are less likely to create adverse reactions.
The Vaccine Protocol Dr. Schultz Would Use with a New Puppy or Kitten in His Family
The last question I had for Dr. Schultz was how his vaccination protocol has changed over the years for his own pets and those of family members.
Dr. Schultz feels very confident about the effectiveness of vaccines. He is also a risk taker in his personal life (he rides motorcycles, has a pilot's license), and not everyone (including me) is as comfortable taking risks as he is. So his choices for vaccination of pets must be put into that context.
With that said, there are very few people who know more about veterinary vaccines than Dr. Schultz, so he is really not taking much of a risk with his pets, his children's pets, or his grandchildren's pets with the vaccine protocol he follows.
He does antibody titers on the mother to know the right time to effectively immunize (not just vaccinate) the puppy or kitten for the 3 core viruses. He titers the puppy or kitten 2 or more weeks post vaccine to make sure the animal responded, and as long as the response is adequate, he would probably not re-vaccinate for the rest of the dog's or cat's life. This is a protocol he has followed since 1974.
He would also give a rabies vaccine (which is technically also considered a core vaccine), the frequency of which is not dictated by Dr. Schultz's knowledge of immunology, but is dictated by the law. He gives the first rabies vaccine sometime after 4 months of age, re-vaccinates in a year, and then again in 3 years and every 3 years thereafter. Dr. Schultz reiterates his rabies vaccine protocol is because of the law, not because every 3 year vaccines are necessary immunologically.
The law is not interested in when an animal actually needs another rabies vaccine to be protected – the law simply demands every 1, 2 or 3 year vaccinations with no consideration for whether the animal's body is already immune to the rabies virus thanks to a prior vaccine.
If you choose not to re-vaccinate your pet for rabies, it is your choice, but you should be aware it is also against the law. Neither Dr. Schultz nor I are suggesting you do anything illegal. However, if you choose not to re-vaccinate, be aware your pet is probably protected for life from the virus anyway due to prior rabies vaccination.
If Dr. Schultz's 7-year rabies study can prove the vaccine is good for at least that long, prompting a change in current vaccination laws, then a dog might only receive 2 rabies vaccines in a lifetime.
My Sincere Thanks to Dr. Schultz
I want to point out to all of you that Dr. Schultz is single-handedly changing the face of immunologic veterinary medicine. I am so grateful for the work he does – his effort and his passion – and for helping all of us make better decisions for the animals in our care.
Dr. Schultz, in turn, thanks the veterinarians who've been willing to make changes to their vaccination programs, as well as the vaccine companies that conduct their own studies with their products. Every major veterinary vaccine manufacturer has completed a minimum 3-year vaccine study with the core vaccines, and they have all demonstrated their products provide a minimum of 3-years duration of immunity.
This should say something to any veterinarian out here who is wondering if it's really safe to go 3 years between vaccinations -- as well as any pet owner with similar concerns -- that yes, they can confidently go 3 years, regardless of the product used.
Tuesday, 21 June 2011
More info. on HD and ACL - Holistic Treatments to try...
Piglet's Story ( http://www.dogaware.com/ )
My dog Piglet (whose picture appears at the top of this page) had surgery for elbow dysplasia on both elbows before her second birthday, followed by surgery for a ruptured cruciate at age 3. She was on daily Rimadyl/Etogesic with occasional doses of prednisone up until age 7. At that time, I switched her to a raw, grain-free diet with natural supplements. She improved so much that I was able to discontinue all medications. At age 10, she ruptured her other cruciate and again had surgery (April, 2002). It took about three months for us to build back up to her usual 2 mile daily walks, but she did extremely well, became just as active as ever, and was still on no medications for her arthritis, despite the fact that x-rays confirmed severe degenerative joint disease in both elbows. At age 11, she became lamer in one elbow, and after many months of struggling to get her back to where she had been before, I put her back on NSAIDs (Metacam). She continued to be slower than before and I had to cut back on walks because she couldn't go as far. After about a year, she improved again, and while still slower than she used to be, could go on full length walks again at age 13. Then I discovered a very small tumor in her foot, between her toes. It was removed immediately, and when she recovered, she began taking very long walks, longer than ever before. Now, at age 14, she walks 1 1/2 to 2 hours at a time, going sometimes 3-4 miles, almost every day. I suspect that the tumor had been bothering her to walk on. It never hurts to keep looking for other possible causes of lameness, even when you know your dog has bad joints.
Here is what I have done with her:
- First, I feed a raw, grain-free diet. I also weigh all her food using a small postage scale, originally to gradually reduce her weight and now to maintain it (she weighs about 33 pounds and is lean but not skinny; she weighed 36 pounds at the age of 10 months and has been as high as 42 pounds). Keeping dogs with arthritis lean is one of the best things you can do to help them. Also, grains tend to increase inflammation and aggravate arthritis. Many dogs improve when grains are removed from the diet (most dry foods are high in grains, though there are a number of grain-free foods being offered, see my Dry Dog Foods web page for more info; note that there are also some canned foods that are grain free).
- I give fish oil(body oil, not liver oil), Vitamin E(which should always be given when supplementing oils), and antioxidants, usually Cell Revive 880 (same as Cell Advance 880) or sometimes Thorne Veterinary Immugen. I also give a Vitamin B-50 complex daily -- note that niacinamide (a form of vitamin B3) has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and may help to rebuild cartilage. According to a vet who recommended it to me, the dosage for Piglet's size (35 lbs) is 50 mg, which is what I get in the B-50 vitamin complex that I use. See Nutrition Q & A (scroll down to the last question) for more information on niacinamide.
- It is important that dogs with arthritis get adequate, but not excessive amounts of calcium, vitamin D and magnesium. If you are feeding a commercial diet, there should be no need to supplement with any of these. If you are feeding a home made diet, it might be helpful to supplement with small amounts of vitamin D (such as from cod liver oil) and magnesium. If your diet includes raw meaty bones, they should not account for more than around 50% of the diet. If your diet does not include bones, then you need to add calcium at the rate of around 1000 mg per pound of food (1/2 teaspoon of ground eggshell yields about 1000 mg of calcium). Piglet gets raw meaty bones as about half of her diet, and I have not been supplementing with magnesium or vitamin D.
- I have rotated among Yucca Intensive, Bromelain, Quercetin, Boswellia, Turmeric (or its extract, Curcumin), Sam-E, Borage Oil and other natural anti-inflammatory herbs and Nutraceuticals. It is difficult for me to tell how much any of these have helped, but I believe all have had some benefit. Note that Bromelain is most effective when given away from meals for an anti-inflammatory effect (otherwise, it is used for digestion), and may work best when combined with Quercetin. See Natural Anti-inflammatories for more information.
- Piglet has been on a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement for most of her life. I believe this is one of the most important things you can do, as these substance don't just treat the symptoms, they can actually help rebuild cartilage and restore synovial (joint) fluid. I currently use Arthroplex, which includes bromelain, boswellia, Green Mussel (Perna Canaliculus, which is a source of chondroitin) and DLPA for chronic pain. I give these supplements away from meals, which may make them more effective.
- Piglet also gets fresh crushed raw garlic (one small clove per day), alfalfa, organic (raw) apple cider vinegar (about half a tablespoon daily) and fresh raw ginger in her food, all of which may help with arthritis.
- Before starting Piglet on Metacam, we used Willow Bark instead of Aspirin for occasional pain relief when she overdoes it, as it is easier on the stomach. You can also use buffered aspirin, such as Ascriptin or Vetrin (which comes in smaller doses). Giving with food may help prevent stomach upset, but not ulceration. Do not combine Aspirin with Willow Bark or any NSAID, such as Rimadyl or Etogesic. Also, do not use enteric coated aspirin, which can be dangerous for dogs. See Chronic Pain for more info on aspirin and other NSAIDs.
- Piglet got something called DogLeggs for Christmas. They keep her elbows warm and padded at all times. They appear to be comfortable, she wears them all of the time except when we go on our walks and during the day when it is hot, and she seems to enjoy them.
- In June, 2003, I started Piglet on a supplement called Arthroplex, and have been very happy with the results. For a couple of months, she had been favoring her left elbow -- it's usually her right that gives her the most trouble, so having to favor the left made her fairly lame. I chose Arthroplex because of the DLPA, but it also includes glucosamine, green-lipped mussel, bromelain and boswellia, so I discontinued the Flexile Plus and Green Mussel and instead gave her two capsules Arthroplex twice a day (maximum dosage for her size). Within four days, she was no longer lagging on our walks, and within a week, there was no longer a noticeable limp. She also still gets Yucca Intensive and fish oil, but no other supplements for arthritis currently. Unfortunately, after about a month of doing well, Piglet got worse again. We have continued the same regimen of supplements, including the DLPA.
- In June, 2004, I tried switching from Arthroplex to SynoviG3, which several people had reported good success with. Unfortunately, it did not work for us and Piglet immediately got worse, even when I started adding DLPA back in separately. We have since returned to the Arthroplex, and also Yucca Intensive, which I had discontinued after starting Metacam. In fact, I am not sure how much the Metacam is helping, and have discontinued it for now, she seems to do as well on Arthroplex and Yucca Intensive as she did with Arthroplex and Metacam.
- In October, 2004, she went back on Metacam, which really does seem to help Piglet's mobility. She's still not very fast, but she's going on much longer walks now than she was when things were bad. She continues on Arthroplex, and I switched from Yucca Intensive to an herbal blend that has yucca, alfalfa and some other ingredients (Animals' Apawthecary Alfalfa/Yucca Blend), so that may also be part of why she's doing better. I've been having very good luck recently using herbal blends in tincture form for dogs, including products from Animals' Apawthecary (Alfalfa/Yucca Blend and Senior Blend), Tasha's and Azmira. Piglet will be 13 in December.
- In September, 2005, I found a small tumor between her toes and had it removed. When she recovered from surgery, she began taking very long walks, going 1 1/2 to 2 hours at a time, often as far as 3-4 miles. As of January, 2006, at age 14, she is walking further and longer than ever before. She is not fast, but keeps a good walking pace and does not slow down toward the end. She continues on Metacam, though I take her off it periodically and she still does pretty well, but I figure she needs all the help she can get, and since she tolerates it very well (no digestive upset at all), I keep her on it most of the time. She remains on Arthroplex and is also currently getting curcumin.
- It's December, 2006, and Piglet has just turned 15. She continues to take me on 1 to 2 hour walks every day. I let her set the pace and decide how far we go, so as not to push her, though I occasionally have to ask her to turn back when we've gone a very long way and she wants to keep going. She currently takes Arthroplex (source of glucosamine, green-lipped mussel, DLPA, boswellia, bromelain and vitamin C), high dose fish oil, turmeric, SAM-e, vitamin E, as well as alternating between the herbal Senior Blend and Alfalfa/Yucca blend (both from Animal’s Apawthecary). In addition, she takes Metacam, and I give her one dose of Tramadol in the morning to help with walks. She is also on sertraline (Zoloft) for anxiety, which may help with pain as well.
- Piglet turned 16 in December, 2007. She slowed down quite a bit early in the year, taking shorter walks at a slower pace. We tried shock wave therapy in August and September, which has helped a little, letting her take longer walks (usually 45 minutes to an hour, with occasional longer walks up to 2 hours, which she had not done for six months prior to the therapy), and sometimes at a trot rather than her usual walk. She remains quite healthy. She currently takes Arthroplex (source of glucosamine, green-lipped mussel, DLPA, boswellia, bromelain and vitamin C), fish oil, turmeric, SAM-e, vitamin E, as well as alternating between the herbal Senior Blend and Alfalfa/Yucca blend (both from Animal’s Apawthecary). In addition, she takes Metacam, and I give her one dose of Tramadol in the morning to help with walks (I would give more but have to be cautious about combining it with Zoloft, which she gets for her generalized anxiety disorder). I also began giving her amantadine a couple of months ago, which is supposed to enhance the effects of other pain medications; I'm not sure if it's made any difference or not. I was able to get it in liquid form thru Costco (needed in order to get the correct dosage, as the pills are too high). Zoloft (sertraline) may help with pain as well. I should also note that I have gradually decreased the amount she is fed and the amount of fat in her diet as her exercise level has decreased to help her maintain her body weight at 34 lbs.
- July, 2008: Piglet is now 16 1/2, an amazing age for a Shar-Pei. She remains quite healthy and still enjoys her walks, but continues to be very slow. I've decided to try Pulsed Signal Therapy (PST) in the hopes that it will help her be able to go further. I stopped giving Piglet Arthroplex, as she has high blood pressure and the DLPA it contains can make that worse -- her kidneys and heart are fine, but she has some corneal degeneration and pigmentary keratitis that interfere with her vision, and I was afraid that she might blow out her retina due to the high blood pressure (she's also now on blood pressure medication). I first tried Dasuquin as a replacement, but she seemed a little worse on that, so I switched to Sea Mussel Plus and I've been happy with that. I also added three anti-inflammatory supplements in the hopes it might make enough difference that she would not need PST, but no such luck -- she may be a little better, but not a lot. The new supplements I added were Microlactin, Boswellia, and a combination Bromelain and Quercetin (I get all of these, including Sea Mussel Plus, at vitacost.com). That's in addition to her usual supplements of fish oil, turmeric (curcumin), SAM-e,CoQ10 and a multi-vitamin, and her usual medications, Metacam and Tramadol. Piglet starts PST next week, going every day for 9 consecutive days. I will update this site if I notice any improvement.
- October, 2008: Piglet has continued to be quite lame. The pulsed signal therapy (PST) did not help her at all. I tried switching her from Metacam to Previcox, which seemed to help but upset her stomach. I then tried prednisone, which helped a lot, but not being sure it was necessary, I tried another new NSAID, Zubrin. This one she tolerated well, but she returned to being quite lame. I've since switched her back to prednisone, which she is likely to remain on for the rest of her life. At almost 17, I don't have major concerns about its long term effects. Her dosage is every other day, which is also supposed to decrease side effects. Note that I kept her off all drugs for 72 hours in between each change in medication, as it's dangerous to switch from one NSAID to another, or to pred, too quickly.
- January, 2009: Piglet is now 17. She is doing well on the prednisone; although still favoring her right elbow, she is able to take long walks again, averaging around an hour a day, though she is very slow. I have discontinued all her other supplements, as it's unlikely that any natural anti-inflammatories would add anything over and above what prednisone provides, and she's developed some digestive problems that seem to do better when she's not getting supplements.
- March, 2009: Piglet is gone. She went downhill sharply in the last few weeks of her life, developing dementia and unable to cope with her limited vision. She was still mobile to the end, though very slow. She had a wonderful life, far longer than I ever dreamed when she was diagnosed with elbow dysplasia at a year old. Her condition helped me find the path to a natural diet and supplements, and to learning more about dog health and nutrition. She will always be in my heart.
From the age of 7 to 11, Piglet was in better shape with no medications than she had been at a younger age, and she did not slow down much at all. At age 11 1/2, her left elbow became quite a bit worse, and she began slowing down. In general, she has been very active and fit, but our walks decreased from an hour a day, to half an hour a day, down to 15 minutes on bad days, at age 12 1/2. She then improved again (I think she had injured her left elbow and it gradually got better), and at age 13, she went back to about 45 minutes a day. At age 14, following surgery to remove a small tumor, she began taking longer walks than ever. She slowed down again at age 15, but then gradually improved following shock wave therapy. Moderate exercise is good for dogs with arthritis, as long as you don't overdo it (tired muscles make for lax joints, which is not good).
There are email lists called OrthoDogs and CanineHD at Yahoo Groups that offer additional information about surgery for joint problems. Also see AbleDogs and Dodgerslist for dogs with back problems. There is a list called TPO that talks about surgical options for hip dysplasia and cruciate ligament repairs (also see the site at http://www.lauriebryce.com/tplo/ for a great deal of information and links about orthopedic surgery).
Note I am not advocating TPLO surgery for cruciate ligament injuries (and that is not what I had done on Piglet) -- it works well for some dogs, but I've heard of others where the joint doesn't heal properly and the dog is worse off than before. The skill of the surgeon may be a factor. Strict activity restriction is required, and failure to do so may contribute to complications. I have also heard reports, both directly and indirectly, of dogs developing bone cancer following this surgery, as well as other long-term complications. Removal of all implants six months to a year following the surgery may help to reduce this risk. I would seriously consider TPLO surgery for large, active dogs, but probably not for smaller or less active dogs, for whom conventional surgery seems to work well. See TPLO Awareness for more information. Also see Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy - TPLO for a good overview. There are other forms of leveling osteotomies available as well, such as TTA (tibial tuberosity advancement). See TPLO vs. TTA for Cranial Cruciate Ligament Repair for more information.
MSU has recently begun offering arthroscopic cruciate ligament (knee) surgery for dogs. This is combined with traditional cruciate repair, involving sutures to stabilize the knee.
There is a new cruciate surgical procedure developed in 2006 at the University of Missouri, called TightRope, named after the rope-like material used to link the two bones in the knee joint. While the material used is new, the procedure is similar to traditional extracapsular cruciate repair surgery, not like TPLO or TTA, which cut the bones. TightRope is considered an easier procedure than TPLO or TTA, especially for a general practitioner (as opposed to a surgical specialist). While the TightRope procedure is relatively new, the results look quite promising. It is more costly than traditional repair, but less expensive than TPLO and similar leveling osteotomy procedures. See the following for more information:
MU veterinarian develops 'TightRope' surgical technique
Walking the TightRope on cruciate repairs
Tightrope CCL for treating canine cranial cruciate deficiency
TIGHTROPE CCL FOR TREATMENT OF CRANIAL CRUCIATE DEFICIENCY IN DOGS: Technique and results of a prospective comparison to TPLO using a validated outcome measures
MU veterinarian develops 'TightRope' surgical technique
Walking the TightRope on cruciate repairs
Tightrope CCL for treating canine cranial cruciate deficiency
TIGHTROPE CCL FOR TREATMENT OF CRANIAL CRUCIATE DEFICIENCY IN DOGS: Technique and results of a prospective comparison to TPLO using a validated outcome measures
If your dog has orthopedic surgery, there are a couple of things you should be aware of that your vet may not be current on. The first is pain management, see my my section on Pre- and Post-Op Care for more information (I also have links at the bottom of that section to braces, slings and carts). Also ask about using intra-articular injections of either bupivacaine or morphine during surgery, which has been shown to provide more pain relief in the first 24 hours after surgery (see Postoperative analgesia for stifle surgery: a comparison of intra-articular bupivacaine, morphine, or saline).
The second is that recent research shows that it is important to start doing physical rehabilitation right away, at least in the case of knee surgery, rather than waiting six weeks. Contact me privately if you want a copy of the rehab instructions the surgeon gave me when Piglet had her second knee surgery in 2002 (contact information at bottom of page). See The American Association of Rehabilitation Veterinarians to locate a rehab specialist in your area.
Conservative management may be tried in place of surgery if your dog has a cruciate ligament (knee) injury. If no improvement is seen within six to eight weeks, you should then move on to surgery. It is imperative that activity be limited during this time. It is my opinion that a ruptured cruciate will do better with surgery than without, but if there is any doubt about the diagnosis (which cannot be done via x-ray alone), then it may make sense to wait. As long as activity is restricted, no harm should come from waiting for up to two months. See Treating Canine Ligament Injury Without Surgery for more information. Also see How to Confirm Partial ACL Tear for some technical information on how vets try to confirm ACL injuries and differentiate between hip and knee pain. There is a Yahoo Conservative Management group for discussing this option with others.
Changing Views On CCL Repair, written by a vet who practices "Integrative Pain Medicine and Natural Healing," talks about the use of Prolotherapy for treating cruciate ligament laxity (looseness), but I don't know whether it would help with a torn ligament, and it's hard to find a vet who does it.
See Other Therapies above for more information on rehabilitation following injury or surgery. Also see Post Surgical Aids for information on a variety of devices that may be helpful, including e-collar alternatives, slings, braces, support harnesses, and more.
The University of Tennessee is studying "The effect of diet on muscle atrophy following surgery for cranial cruciate ligament rupture." The study is ongoing as of September, 2009.
- Animal Joint Care 101: Does Your Pet Have an Arthritis Treatment Checklist? Good overview on arthritis.
- Treatments for Arthritic Pain in Dogs List of supplements to use with arthritic dogs
- Arthritis in Pets (click on the article under Pet Have a Problem?) Alternative Treatments by Dr. Susan Wynn
- Nutritional Management of Canine Osteoarthritis (Denise Elliott BVSc (Hons), PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, Dipl. ACVN, Eric Servet, MEng, Vincent Biourge, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVN, Dipl. ECVCN), Encyclopedia of Canine Clinical Nutrition. Studies showing how PUFAs (fish oil), antioxidants and various oral chondroprotective agents (green-lipped mussel, glucosamine and chondroitin) help with arthritis pain.
- Physical and Alternative Therapies in the Management of Arthritic Patients (Serge Sawaya, PhD) Talks about use of heat and cold therapy, therapeutic ultrasound, neuromuscular electro-stimulation, shock-wave therapy, osteopathy and acupuncture.
- Joint Support A review of the medical evidence for alternative arthritis supplements
- Vitamin C is controversial, as there are studies showing that it can help, but also a recent study that showed too much vitamin C can make arthritis worse:
- Vitamin C and Ester-C Studies showing that Vitamin C helps with arthritis, spondylosis and hip dysplasia in dogs
- Ester-C: Miracle Cure for Hip Dysplasia???
- Excess Vitamin C May Worsen Osteoarthritis
- Back Disorders Information & Support Links to info on all kinds of back and joint problems, including nursing aids, support groups, physical therapy, and so much more
- Growth-Associated Bone Disorders in the Dog Overview of various orthopedic problems in young dogs
Supplements & Diet Guidelines for Dogs with Arthritis
More information on arthritis:
Also see these articles:
Supplements and other Natural Therapies for Dogs with Arthritis
Glucosamine and other GAGs (Glycosaminoglycans)
Glucosamine is one of several supplements that help rebuild cartilage and restore synovial (joint) fluid. These types of supplements may be helpful in preventing disease as well as treating it. Note they treat the actual problem, and not just the symptoms. They include Glucosamine Sulfate, Glucosamine HCl, Chondroitin Sulfate, Green-Lipped Mussel (Perna Canaliculus, found in products such as Sea Mussel Plus by Food Science of Vermont, also sold as Green Mussel Plus by Mountain Naturals, available at Vitacost and Amazon), Sea Cucumber (such as NutriSea's Vetri-LOX, Sea Jerky and related products), other forms of cartilage (including from food sources, such as chicken necks and bovine trachea), hydrolyzed collagen protein, and the injectables Adequan and Cartrophen (Adequan is used in the US, Cartrophen is used elsewhere). These supplements may also work better when they include a small amount of manganese.
When giving glucosamine and chondroitin for arthritis, start out at high doses: at least 500 mg glucosamine plus 400 mg chondroitin daily for a small dog (up to 25 lbs), 1000/800 mg for a medium-sized dog (25 to 50 lbs), 1500/1200 mg for a large dog (50 to 100 lbs), and 2000/1600 mg for dogs over 100 lbs. If you see improvement, you can try backing off to a smaller dosage. Some dogs do well on less, some need the higher amount to get relief. If you don't see any improvement in four weeks, try a different brand. Different dogs seem to respond better to different brands. Glucosamine/chondroitin can be given with food. There are many arguments about which form of Glucosamine is best. I have yet to see anything I find convincing, as most of the arguments are made by commercial companies in support of their own products. However, if giving Glucosamine HCl, it should always be combined with Chondroitin Sulfate for better uptake, whereas Glucosamine Sulfate can be given alone. It is best if supplements also include Manganese, which can help increase absorption.
It is unknown whether giving glucosamine helps to prevent arthritis, but there is no harm in doing so. If you are looking for plain glucosamine, for a dog not yet in need of anti-inflammatories, the Greyhound Gang rescue organization offers high quality supplements at very low prices, with proceeds going to benefit rescue (they also offer MSM, Vitamin C and other supplements).
Some people report success with injectable glycosaminoglycans, such as Adequan (US) or Cartrophen (elsewhere) even when oral glucosamine and chondroitin have not worked (they can also be used together). Note that Adequan is giving intramuscularly (IM), while Cartrophen is given subcutaneously (sub-q). There appears to be no reason for this difference. I have heard of a number of people and vets giving Adequan sub-q with comparable results (sub-q injections are less painful for the dog and easier for the owner to give at home, if desired). See my post for more info on this topic.
ConsumerLab.com has tested various brands of glucosamine supplements for people and pets and found several that do not contain as much glucosamine and/or chondroitin as they claim, and a few are contaminated with lead. Here are the products that failed their tests:
- Dogswell Happy Hips Chicken Breast with Glucosamine and Chondroitin contained almost none of the claimed glucosamine and chondroitin.
- Joint Complete for Dogs and Cats (Liquid Solutions) contained far less chondroitin than it claims.
- Joint Max Regular Strength capsules (Pet Health Solutions) contained far less chondroitin than it claims.This product also failed the same test in 2007.
- K-9 Liquid Health Glucosamine with Chondroitin and MSM contained almost no chondroitin.
- BioGenesis Nutraceuticals ArthroGenX contained almost no chondroitin and was contaminated with lead.
- Joint Strength Essentials (MegaFood) contained no chondroitin and was contaminated with lead.
- Source Naturals Sodium Free Glucosamine Sulfate Powder was contaminated with lead.
- Estroven Joint and Bone (Amerifit Nutrition) was contaminated with lead.
Hyaluronic Acid
There is also a substance related to glucosamine called Hyaluronic Acid (also called Sodium Hyaluronate) that has been helpful for some dogs. Hyaluronic Acid has been used in intra-articular (into the joint) injection form for horses with great success. There is some question how effective it is when given orally.I've seen dosage recommendations that range from 2 to 20 mg per day for large dogs. Following are hyaluronic products I've heard about:
- See the human product Synthovial 7 (and this study) and the product made for dogs by the same company called Hyaflex for more information (either product should be OK to use; the pet product has 2 mg HA per dropper, while the human product has 3 mg per dropper, so you would adjust the dosage accordingly). The Healthshelf site has directions on the amount to give and may have a better price as well.
- HylaSport Canine is a new product for dogs from a company who has made products for horses; I've heard one direct report of this product helping.
- Trixsyn is a similar product, which one person reported helping their dog considerably.
- The liquid glucosamine product K9Liquid Health Glucosamine & HA (best price found here) also contains hyaluronic acid.
- Cogent Solutions makes Baxyl Hyaluronan and Baxyl Pet RediDog.
- One person reported using the horse product Lubrisyn for their dogs with great success, including a Dane with Wobbler's and a GSD with severe HD, she gives 1 1/2 tsps daily to each dog.
- In the UK, look for Conquer K9 and Chondrogen EQ (also available in the US).
The injectable form is sold for horses under the brand name Hylartin V (and maybe others). One person reported using the injectable form on their dog and said that the improvement from one injection lasted for about 3 months.
See New Options for Old Problems - Relief from Arthritis for more information on these supplements.
Natural Anti-Inflammatories
When the dog becomes symptomatic, usually inflammation is involved, so you can use supplements that help relieve inflammation. These include but are not limited to the following:
- High doses of fish oil (body oil, such as Salmon Oil or EPA oil, not liver oil), as much as 1000 mg per 10 lbs of body weight.
- Vitamin E in high doses also offers some anti-inflammatory benefit. It is mentioned on this page about Arthritis in Dogs.
- I have recommended high doses of Vitamin C in the past, but recent studies have found that vitamin C can actually make arthritis worse! See Excess Vitamin C May Worsen Osteoarthritis for more information.
- Bromelain (enzyme) given away from meals.
- Quercetin and other bioflavonoids (may work best when given with Bromelain).
- Boswellia (herbal). A 2004 study on dogs suffering joint pain found that boswellia offered significant clinical improvement.
- Yucca (herbal, may work best in tincture form rather than powder, such as Animals' Apawthecary's Alfalfa-Yucca Blend and Azmira's Yucca Intensive)
- Curcumin (herbal, also called Turmeric) -- I've seen the Turmeric Force product from New Chapter specifically recommended. Dosage recommendations vary; I've seen recommendations for 1/4 tsp turmeric powder for small dogs, 1/2 tsp for medium-sized dogs and 1 tsp for large dogs daily (I've also seen dosages twice that high). Curcumin extract is much more concentrated; equivalent dosage would be around 65 mg for small dogs up to 250 mg for large dogs (again, dosages can go twice this high). Start with lower amounts and give with food to avoid stomach upset.
- SAM-e (S-adenosylmethionine) is a nutraceutical used most often for liver support, but it can also help with arthritis. It is best given away from meals (preferably at least one hour before, or two to twelve hours after), and combined with a B-complex vitamin for greatest effectiveness -- more info here (human oriented) and here (dog-oriented). See dosage chart for recommended amounts to give. Never split pills -- if you have a small dog, you will need to use the smaller dosage pills, available at places such as VetAmerica, Medi-Vet , HealthyPets and PetFoodDirect. Also available at Amazon in both Home & Garden (marketed for dogs) and Health & Personal Care (marketed for people -- either is fine).
The Chinese herbal formula Mobility 2 (Shu Jing Huo Xue Tang) is designed for arthritis with inflammation. See Getting Started With Chinese Herbs for more information on brands that can be trusted and dosages to use for dogs.
Supplements that have been successful for others include:
- System Saver contains boswellia, orange peel (source of bioflavonoids), curcuma longa (turmeric), and camelia sinesis, all natural anti-inflammatories. Two testimonials are from sources I trust: see Kiri at Wolf Park and Sandy Prantl Wolf Park Testimonial.
- AR-Encaps from Thorne Research. This product made for people contains glucosamine, MSM, boswellia, curcumin, and devil's claw. One person reported marked improvement in their 12-year-old Border Collie mix using this supplement.
- Oliver's Supplements contain boswellia and VitaCherry HiActives (flavonoids). "Mood Formula" also supplies DLPA (see my Chronic Pain web page for more information on this ingredient).
- NutriSea Vetri-LOX from Coastside Bio Resources. A friend of mine used this supplement for her older Rottweiler who has had disk surgery on his neck twice, and had a lot of difficulty getting around. She used higher than (1 1/2 times) the recommended dose, but within three weeks this dog was playing like a puppy and able to go up and down stairs and get on and off the couch without help, which he had not been able to do for years before. She discontinued the NSAID he was on (Etogesic) as well as a muscle relaxant he was taking at night, and he's doing better then ever before. The orthopedic surgeon saw him after he was started on this supplement and was amazed at how well he was doing. She said others who know the dog have commented on how much happier he seems, in addition to being able to get around better. Available at VNF Nutrition, Botanical Dog, Critter Store, and elsewhere. Note this company also makes Sea Jerky and other mobility products for pets (and humans).
- Oliver's Supplements are a mixture of boswellia, cherry extract, plus DLPA in their "mood enhancer" version. DLPA is helpful for chronic pain as well.
- Turmeric powder, also available in extract form called Curcumin. One person reported success with his two 80-lb Labrador Retrievers with hip dysplasia by giving them each 3/4 tsp turmeric powder twice a day (the dosage he found was 1/16 to 1/8 tsp of turmeric root powder per 14 lbs of body weight). He also continued to give a glucosamine supplement. Both dogs regained full mobility and were able to discontinue taking NSAIDs. Start with a lower dose and build up gradually, to avoid stomach upset. Note that this dosage is equivalent to 375 mg curcumin extract daily. Turmeric may work best when combined with bromelain. An article on Degenerative Myelopathy German Shepherd Dogs recommends giving 400-500 mg each turmeric extract and bromelain twice a day to a large dog (400-500 mg turmeric extract would be equivalent to 7.2 to 9 grams of turmeric powder, or about 1.5 to 2 teaspoons of powder).
- Cetyl myristoleate (CMO) is a medium-chain fatty acid that may inhibit inflammation. A couple of people have reported good results, including this video at SitStay (commercial site but reliable). More info at About.com.
- Animal Naturals K9 Joint Strong: "Without Joint Strong, my 8.5-year-old giant schnauzer (one cancer toe removed from front foot, both cruciate ligaments redone, and arthritis) can barely get up from lying down and walks very stiffly. With Joint Strong he pops right up, runs around and keeps up with the new, younger dog." Available at Amazon.
- Some dogs seem to do better with liquid glucosamine supplements, such as the following:
- Syn-Flex best price found on eBay and k9rawdiet
- K9 Liquid Health Glucosamine and Glucosamine & HA. Others have reported success with this company's Level 5000 product (8 oz size available at K9RawDiet). Best prices found here and also on eBay.
- Flexicose Available from Walk in the Bark
- Arthrisoothe Gold from NaturVet is a product that contains glucosamine, chondroitin and green lipped mussel, plus hyaluronic acid and a few other ingredients that can help with inflammation. I've heard directly from one person who has had very good results with her own dogs and rescues, and with working stock dogs owned by rancher friends. Also available as a liquid, and in powder or liquid form for horses, which is cheaper, though the formulations are a little different. Can buy at Cal Vet Supply and elsewhere.
- I have heard from two people whose dogs were helped by giving SynoviG3, when nothing else had worked (including one who tried giving SynoviMSM instead and saw her dog get worse). SynoviG3 is a glucosamine/green lipped mussel supplement that also contains creatine, which should never be used in dogs with any kind of kidney failure, and which can cause dehydration (which is very dangerous for the kidneys), so it is imperative that your dog always have access to fresh water if you are using a supplement like this.
- One veterinary recommended product is Dasuquin, which is a combination of Cosequin (glucosamine/chondroitin) and "avocado/soybean unsaponifiables (ASU)." A review of human studies found that avocado soybean unsaponifiables show beneficial effects in people with osteoarthritis.
- Homeopathics Zeel and Traumeel (find good prices at iHerb, Vitacost and Vitamin-Resource).
- There is an herbal supplement called DGP (Dog Gone Pain) from Australia that a couple of people have said helped their dogs (Amazon has the best prices I've found). You should not combine this product with aspirin or any other NSAID, as it is an herbal COX inhibitor and the combination may cause serious gastrointestinal problems.
- A couple of people have reported some success with Duralactin, a product derived from milk (Biovet has good prices; Puritan's Pride also carries this product, called Microlactin). Note that this product may cause gastric problems in dogs that have difficulty with milk products.
- One person reported success using Natraflex Elk Velvet (they said that the Supraflex sold for pets by the same company did not work for them). They also used Life Extension Velvet Deer Antler (available at iherb.com) and Valley Springs Elk Farm velvet with success. See Clinical evaluation of a powder of quality elk velvet antler for the treatment of osteoarthrosis in dogs for more info. Note that the way this product is harvested can be painful to the animal and may be inhumane. See this post for more information. Velvet antler might also be a source of chronic wasting disease (we don't know whether this affects dogs or not).
- MSM, Nettle Leaf Extract, and Blackstrap Molasses are sometimes recommended.
- Kaprex, which is marketed as an herbal replacement for NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Rimadyl or Aspirin). I have heard only one direct report from someone who said it helped their dog, but have heard anecdotally that it has helped a few other dogs, and it would appear to be fairly safe, although since it acts in many of the same ways as the NSAIDs, it might also have some of the same dangers.
- Inflavonoid Intensive Care from Metagenics is a blend of herbs and anti-oxidants that can help with arthritis (click here for better price).
- Zyflamend is a new herbal supplement being recommended as an alternative to NSAIDs. I received feedback from one person who said it really helped her extremely arthritic dog, as well as herself and various friends she has recommended it to.
- The herb Licorice is a natural anti-inflammatory that may be helpful for arthritis, and it protects the stomach as well. There is a possibility that Meadowsweet has some of the same components as aspirin and therefore might be usable as an anti-inflammatory even if your dog has problems with gastric ulceration, but studies are limited.
- Enzyme therapy, such as Wobenzym, which uses systemic enzymes (also called metabolic enzymes, or proteolytic enzymes). A generic version called NSI Flavenzyme is less expensive and should be fine to use, as NSI is a reliable brand. Serrapeptase is a proteolytic enzyme that may also help with inflammation, though there have been reports of this supplement causing joint pain, and it's recommended that it not be taken continuously, but pulsed, by taking it every other day, or five days a week. Note that enzymes should be given away from meals in order to be beneficial for inflammation.
- Pregnenolone, which is a hormone that may be helpful for arthritis due to anti-inflammatory effects. Not many studies have been done, and I could find nothing specifically related to dogs. It does appear to be pretty safe, although see this site for some info about possible side effects. I have heard from only one person who has used it, but she said it helped both her and her dog with arthritis. She gave 30 mg twice a day for two weeks, then 30 mg daily to a large dog.
See the human-oriented article on Joint Support for additional information on several of the supplements mentioned here.
Diet Guidelines for Dogs with Arthritis
Some dogs improve greatly simply by removing grains from the diet. There are a number of new grain-free foods available these days, which I note in the Commercial Foods section of my web site. Remember that it is very important to keep a dog with arthritis lean, as extra weight will contribute to the problem and its progression. See Pudgy Pups for a good article on helping your dog to lose weight. Also see the section on Senior and overweight dogs on my Commercial Dog Food web page.If you are feeding a home-prepared diet, here are some notes from Ian Billinghurst's seminar about how to feed an arthritic dog, along with my own comments (in brackets):
- no grains [grains and possibly starchy carbs can contribute to inflammation]
- don't let your dog get overweight If necessary, stop carbohydrates, reduce fat by feeding leaner meat, increase fiber by feeding more veggies. [High-protein, moderate-fat, low-carb diets are best for weight loss.]
- no added salt, sugar, flavorings, colorings, preservatives No processed food, human or dog, not even treats [I don't worry about treats, as long as they're a small percentage of the diet.]
- no cooked food, including grains and legumes [I have no problem with feeding cooked foods and do not believe they contribute to arthritis.]
- less food of animal origins, less red meat [I disagree with this]
- no dairy except raw. Yogurt is fine, cottage cheese is good.
- feed 70-90% fruits and vegetables in the vegetable patties (especially colored fruits -- he mentioned tropical fruits, such as mango and papaya, are great). Note this applies to the veggie patties only, you would also feed raw meaty bones. Feed a large variety, fresh. Do not feed onions, peppers, white potatoes, tomatoes or eggplant (the nightshade family), though you can try to add peppers later if the dog is doing well. Avoid citrus, especially oranges, which can aggravate arthritis (again may be cautiously added later, include the whites). Lemon juice may be beneficial. Good veggies include celery (very good), carrots, parsley, asparagus, broccoli, cilantro, garlic. [Note that most dogs won't eat this much fruit and vegetables when not mixed with meat, but if your dog will, it's find to feed them. However, I still recommend feeding plenty of meat.]
- cartilage from the ends of large bones is beneficial.
- apple cider vinegar won't hurt, may help -- add 1/2 tsp.
- a four pound patty would consist of 3 1/2 pounds fruits and veggies plus 1/2 pound chicken mince + 3 oz yogurt + 4 tbsp flaxseed oil + 3 tsp kelp powder + 2-3 eggs + lots of B vitamins [Use fish oil instead of flax seed oil. I would include more meat and eggs than he recommends.]
- feed small amounts of liver (no more than 5% of total diet)
- Use Ester-C (calcium ascorbate or sodium ascorbate) with bioflavonoids instead of ascorbic acid, which can be irritating.
Note that I feed more meat, including red meat, and fewer veggies than is recommended above. I also use fish oil (body oil, such as salmon oil or EPA oil, not cod liver oil) instead of flaxseed oil, as it is better utilized by the dog, and does not contain the pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids that flaxseed oil has.
Piglet's diet is around 35-40% raw meaty bones (including canned fish with bones -- jack mackerel, pink salmon, sardines -- once a week), 5% liver and kidney, 25% fruit and veggies, and the rest is muscle meat, eggs, yogurt, etc. I do include garlic, ginger and celery in her veggie mixture, to help with arthritis. I try to feed as much variety as I can, including red meat. It is important that dogs with arthritis get adequate, but not excessive amounts of calcium, vitamin D and magnesium. If you are feeding a commercial diet, there should be no need to supplement with any of these. If you are feeding a home made diet, it might be helpful to supplement with small amounts of vitamin D (such as from cod liver oil) and magnesium. If your diet includes raw meaty bones, they should not account for more than around 50% of the diet. If your diet does not include bones, then you need to add calcium at the rate of around 1,000 mg per pound of food (1/2 teaspoon of ground eggshell yields about 1,000 mg of calcium).
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