Vaccinosis is the term given to the chronic reaction of the body against repeated immunization. Minor side effects often seen following immunization include fever, stiffness, joint soreness, lethargy, and decreased appetite. A number of more serious conditions have been proven or proposed to be the result of excessive immunization, and animals run the risk of adverse reactions as increasing amounts of foreign antigens are injected into them.

Since vaccination involves altering the immune system, it is not surprising that occasionally adverse effects involving the immune system as a result of immunization also occur. These include injection site sarcomas (an aggressive cancer of cats that may occur in 1:1000-1:10000 cats following any injection; vaccines are implicated more than other injectable medications,) collapse with autoimmune hemolytic anemia (decreased red blood cell count) or thrombocytopenia (decreased platelet count,) liver failure, kidney failure, bone marrow suppression, immune suppression, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, food allergy, atopic dermatitis (allergic disease as a result of immunization is suspected to occur as a result of an augmented immune response to the vaccine and/or other allergens/immugens, the so-called “allergic breakthrough” phenomenon,) glomerulonephritis/renal amyloidosis (different types of immune kidney diseases,) seizures, bloating, hypothyroidism, and hyperthyroidism. The administration of vaccines may also interfere with the interpretation of various test results (dogs vaccinated for Lyme’s disease will be positive on the screening test for this disorder, necessitating a follow-up test to differentiate between the vaccine and the actual presence of the disease; cats vaccinated against any disease may show a positive titer on the standard corona virus test, called the FIP test.) Vaccine reactions more commonly occur in small (under 10 pounds) breeds of dogs, especially those that receive multiple vaccine antigens at the same visit.

Treatment Options (Always Consult Your Veterinarian)

Omega-3 Fatty Acids (fish oil primarily, also flax oil) – Dosed at 10 mg/pound of body weight 1-3 times daily.

Antioxidants – Antioxidants include vitamins A, C, and E, minerals such as selenium, and other substances such as coenzyme Q-10, bilberry, blueberry, resveratrol, OPC’s, etc., work by reducing cell-harming oxidizing chemicals released upon cell damage and death.

Homeopathy – Thuja, Lyssin

Homotoxicology – Traumeel, Thuja forte

Author – Dr. Shawn Messonnier, DVM