Re: Annual Vaccinations

This is why it's best to discuss vaccination schedules with ones Vet. Like I'd mentioned in a previous post, some vaccines may be uncessary or at least able to be dosed less frequently, for indoors-full-time cats.

One thing to be avoided is the moronic "good or bad" mindset. The solution usually lies somewhere in between. Discuss vaccination schedules with your vet is the best thing to do.

Vaccines do place an animal at risk. Of course so does not using them. Weigh the risks, vaccines do serve a purpose. Note that there was a risk of contracting polio from the polio vaccine too. Of course there was also a benefit: Polio is almost erradicated, and occurs so infrequently as to be considered "a disease of the past". Now if folks had avoided the vaccine because it sometimes actually caused polio, we would have a much higher overall risk of getting it through the usual mechanisms.

All this being said, I do believe overvaccination is a problem, just as I believe Antibiotics are grossly overperscribed. But does that mean I think Antibiotics are to be avoided totaly? Nope. I discuss it with my Doctor or Vet first, weight the risk/benefit ratio, then make a decision, one hopefully I can live with, literally.

The potential for a sarcomic side affect likely does not outweigh the potential negatives of some of the diseases the vaccine minimizes risk of. The Key: Redundant yes, but "Talk to your Vet about it." Tweet