Today’s pets are subject to a LOT of 
vaccinations and that’s not good for small dogs like Morkies. There are more types of vaccinations available than ever – are they all necessary? And are they all safe?
Dogs like Morkies are far more likely to suffer an adverse reaction to vaccinations; in fact small dogs are TEN TIMES more prone to bad vaccination reactions.
That’s because of the practice of bundling more than one vaccination together (sometimes as many as 8 or 10 vaccines are given at once!)… PLUS… the fact that all dogs, no matter their size, are given the same dosage of vaccine.
The big players in animal care (for example, the American Animal Hospital Association – the AAHA) have changed their recommendations about how often pets need certain vaccinations – but has your Vet changed?
While vaccinations have been a miraculous tool in reducing suffering, illness and death among both animals and humans, there is always an associated risk.
So what can you do as a concerned owner, to reduce the risk to your Morkie? Here are 10 questions to review with your Veterinarian before you consent to the shots. Remember, it’s up to you — the informed consumer — to make the final decision as to what’s best for YOUR Morkie!
1. Is the vaccine absolutely necessary?
- Is the disease found in my area, and how dangerous is the disease?
- Is the disease contagious to people?
- Is the vaccination required by law in my area?
2. How effective is the vaccine?
- How long has the vaccine been in use?
- Does it protect against all strains of the illness or disease?
3. How safe is the vaccine?
- You’ll likely hear things like “I’ve never seen a bad reaction” but probe deeper: if there were an adverse reaction, what would it be?
- What are typical short-term reactions? Long-term reactions?
4. How does my dog’s age factor in?
- The very young and very old are more in need of vaccination to protect against infectious diseases than adult animals.
- What is my dog’s general overall health? Is my dog healthy enough to withstand catching Bordatella (kennel cough), for example, without the vaccination?
5. How do you see size of my dog affecting your recommendations?
- We’ve seen incontrovertible proof that the smaller the dog, the more likely a reaction and the more likely a serious reaction. This is especially true with these four vaccines:
- rabies
- leptospirosis
- coronavirus
- bordatella
6. What is my dog’s risk of exposure to the disease?
- Does my small dog frequent areas such as large open fields and marshy, wet forests where deer may roam? Then his chances of picking up Leptospirosis are likely slim.
7. What is the prevalence of the disease in general?
- Some areas never experience cases of Lyme disease or corona, so vaccination
- against these diseases makes little sense unless you travel with the pet to areas
- where these diseases are very common.
8. What is my Morkie’s past vaccination history?
- Handle with extreme care if your dog has already had vaccine reactions in the past.
9. What is my small dog’s lifestyle?
- If my Morkie travels or has frequent close contact with other animals (groomers, kennels, obedience classes, etc), is a different vaccination protocol necessary?
10. Has my Morkie ever had a bad reaction to vaccination?
- If so he is definitely a candidate for a Titer Test; and you will most certainly want to – at the very least – unbundle the vaccinations that you and your Vet agree are absolutely necessary.
Check out my book, The Truth Exposed: Vaccinations and Your Small Dog!