Should You Vaccinate Your Dog Against Lyme Disease?
The dog might recover and then have the symptoms recur in a few weeks. There is a canine vaccination for Lyme disease and, given that Lyme disease is so serious, you might think it would be a no-brainer to vaccinate your dog for it. It also is treatable with antibiotics. Further, it found that the benefit of the vaccination in decreasing incidents of Lyme were rather small and that there were also risks involved with the vaccine. It has also been noted by Michael Stone of the Cummings School that the effectiveness of the vaccine on the whole is questionable. However, Stone noted that its side effects, while possible, do not appear to be great. Karen Becker, does not recommend vaccination. Dr. Becker notes several concerns:
1. The vaccines are known to be significantly reactive to the immune system, which can trigger secondary reactions, including autoimmune disease. 3. Many dog owners mistakenly believe the vaccine will prevent ticks, which it does not. 4. Using a a chemical tick repellent on your pet with a vaccine doubles the dose of toxins your pet is exposed to. Learn more at Pet MD and from Dr. Ultimately, the decision whether to vaccinate is up to you. I decided not to vaccinate my dogs for Lyme. I was concerned with the risks of the vaccine, especially in light of the very low risk my dogs, or dogs in general, face. We do not go to areas where ticks are prevalent, and I use a topical tick preventative.
Photo Credit: Joseph North
