Vaccines may trigger autoimmune diseases in dogs
By Jennifer Stoeckl, MAT - Dire Wolf Project CEO, July 29, 2024
Ryu’s (Essex/Narissa) owner, Eve, texted me an update last week on his recent MMM (Masticatory Muscle Myositis) diagnosis.
She mentioned that Ryu wasn’t simply losing muscle on his skull, but all over his body, as well.
“That simply can’t be,” I replied.
The MMM autoimmune disease doesn’t do that.
She said that her veterinarian told her the same exact thing… until she saw Ryu for a check-up and confirmed his extreme weight loss throughout his entire body.
No one, including me, had any idea what was going on or what the cause could have been to trigger this autoimmune response in Ryu’s body.
But as we were discussing it, a thought came into my mind.
A crazy, seemingly unrelated thought.
But, there it was.
I didn’t want to offend Eve, but I couldn’t help wondering if my suspicions were correct.
So, I asked her, “Did you happen to give Ryu a vaccine just before these symptoms appeared?”
I didn’t really expect her to take me seriously.
In fact, I half expected Eve to question my sanity.
Instead, she simply went to check her calendar.
No “crazy, dog breeder” attitude in her reply message, at all.
And when she returned with her answer, she confirmed my fears.
Ryu had been given the rabies vaccine
just before his autoimmune symptoms began!
Holy smokes!
We may have just found the trigger!
So, I went straight away to research possible side effects for the rabies vaccine.
And there it was… at the bottom of the Dogster article written by Dr. Samantha Devine, DVM last updated June 21, 2024… in the rare side effects section… autoimmune diseases.
“Some dogs may develop autoimmune conditions after vaccines, such as immune-mediated hemolytic anemia or immune-mediated thrombocytopenia. These dogs should not be vaccinated in the future unless absolutely necessary.”
https://www.dogster.com/ask-the-vet/side-effects-of-rabies-vaccine-in-dogs
After I shared this information with Eve, her veterinarian confirmed this as a real possibility and advised Eve not to vaccinate Ryu for the rabies vaccine in the future.
She would, instead, recommend that she have Ryu titer tested to make sure he continues to hold enough rabies antibodies to pass the legal requirements for her county/state.
Vaccinosis is a real thing, folks.
This is the second reported severe reaction to a rabies vaccine that we have seen in our breed.
The first time, a 16-week-old puppy had seizures for a week following the rabies vaccine.
Although vaccinosis is reportedly rare in our breed, it is worth noting that it can and does occur.
Because the side effects are severe when they occur, I would recommend a particular vaccine schedule for all DireWolf Dogs.
RECOMMENDED VACCINE SCHEDULE
- Eight weeks old: 5-in-1 vaccine [first puppy shot]
- Twelve weeks old: 5-in-1 vaccine [second puppy shot]
- Sixteen weeks old: 5-in-1 vaccine [third puppy shot]
- Nine months old: rabies vaccine [1 year]
- One year and nine months old: rabies vaccine [3 year]
- Every three years thereafter: titer test for rabies antibodies.
NO OTHER VACCINES ARE NEEDED!
In fact, giving yearly vaccines may ultimately be detrimental to your dog’s health.
FUN FACT: The 1-year and 3-year rabies vaccines are the exact same vaccine labeled differently.
“Generally, the only difference between the 1-year rabies vaccine and the 3-year rabies vaccine is how it's labeled.” - Dr. Richard Ford DVM, MS, DACVIM, speaking at the 2017 American Veterinary Medical Association Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana
https://www.dvm360.com/view/avma-2017-rabies-vaccination--what-you-need-to-know
Dr. Jones’ Veterinary Secrets on YouTube just produced a video explaining which vaccines to give and avoid.
https://youtu.be/aj9O3tkILew?si=rtma3JFfjqMwy1p_
Dr. Jones actually recommends giving even fewer vaccines then I do, ONLY THREE:
- Parvo
- Distemper
- Rabies
His details on the various vaccines are quite good. Give it a listen.
MOVIE MONDAY
This week, the Monster Movie litter puppies were introduced to another dog from our kennels: the ever handsome Dublin (Chisel/Dreamer) from the Luck of the Irish litter.
All of the puppies were respectfully curious except one, who was less than thrilled.
Can you guess which one?
Jennifer Stoeckl is the co-founder of the Dire Wolf Project, founder of the DireWolf Guardians American Dirus Dog Training Program, and owner/operator of DireWolf Dogs of Vallecito. She lives in the beautiful inland northwest among the Ponderosa pine forests with her pack of American Dirus dogs.
Lock (Ryu) a young healthy pup
Lock (Ryu) with MMM