Thoughts About Vaccines

Happy Noodles

Last week,  we took Isis in to the vet for her twice-yearly checkup.  This appointment always includes routine bloodwork, a heartworm test, and vaccine titers.  Ever heard of titers?  (I hope so, but I won't be surprised if you haven't)

Titers are blood tests that measure the amount of vaccine antibodies in the bloodstream.  If the level of antibody is high enough, then the dog is still immune to disease.  High enough titer levels = no vaccination. 

I was thinking about this topic on Tuesday, because I got Isis' test results back, and not only was her bloodwork great (yay!) but her titer results were normal as well.  Even though I've titered for years (and have never had to revaccinate my animals), it still amazed me that Isis was vaccinated yearly for the first 7 years of her life (before I knew better) but now has not needed a vaccine for 5 years.  (This doesn't include rabies--that's a whole 'nother subject) 

Vaccines are a controversial topic in the veterinary world.  I'm not by nature a conspiracy-theorist, but in the animal world, unfortunately, profit tends to rule above all else.  Animals do not need yearly vaccines.  In fact, there is much evidence that yearly vaccines not only damage the immune system (leading to diseases like cancer), but the side effects of the vaccine can cause certain diseases as well.  Read this great article by Dr. Karen Becker to learn more.  Vaccines have even been proven to cause cancer in cats, at the injection site.  Read more about that here (and though I generally love this site, I don't agree that every cat should always be vaccinated). 

Most traditional vets push yearly vaccines, not only because this is what they're taught in vet school, but also because vaccines have a high profit margin.  It's sad.  The tides are turning a bit now, as some vets still advocate yearly vaccines but at least will provide titers if they are requested by the client.  Some vets "don't believe in titers," which I don't understand.  The results are there in black and white, on paper.  The testing lab even makes the determination if the pet has sufficient antibodies.  If your vet is "against" titers, ask yourself why.

Additionally, rabies vaccines are controversial, for no good reason.  The rabies vaccine is the most toxic of all vaccines but is required by law.  (Except for animals with long-term illnesses, like cancer.  Then a waiver is usually granted if a signed letter is provided by the treating veterinarian)  However, no animal should be given the rabies vaccine every year.   The one year shot is exactly the same as the three year shot, and the three year shot is all that is required by law (in most states, but not all, sadly).  I hear from so many pet owners whose vets give the vaccine yearly, for no apparent reason other than profit (I'm in Illinois, where the three-year vaccine is what's required).  I always encourage those pet owners to do their research on vaccines, and then find a new vet. 

To learn more about the rabies vaccine, visit The Rabies Challenge Fund, an organization started to prove that the current three-year rabies vaccine is actually good for 5 or even 7 years.  They even advocate around the country to get states to change vaccines laws to the standard (accepted) three years.  It's a great organization. 

So what am I trying to say?  Do I think people who vaccinate yearly are bad parents?  Not at all.  We are a product of our veterinary teaching.  I vaccinated my pets yearly for 8 years until my new vet taught me about titers.  I researched them, they made sense to me, and now it's something I believe strongly in.  My animals all receive a rabies vaccine every three years (except for Indy, who gets an exemption because of her cancer).  We do yearly titer tests, but no one has needed a booster yet. 

My recommendation to you is, if you haven't already, read up as much as you can on titers (the links I've provided here are a great start).  Read the good and the bad.  Talk to your vet about it.  Form your own opinion and do what makes sense to you.  Sometimes what makes sense to you isn't what your veterinarian recommends.  That's okay too.  An educated owner is an empowered owner, and our pets are better off for it.

If you're interested in learning more about vaccine issues, I encourage you to read the book Stop the Shots.  It's a complete look at the vaccine and veterinary world.  It'll probably scare the pants off of you, but that's alright.  We parents need to be shaken into action sometimes. 

Also, here is a list of recommended vaccines by Dr. Jean Dodds, a leading veterinary hematology researcher (and one of the founders of The Rabies Challenge Fund).  She lists the shots she recommends for the first year of a puppy's life (followed by titer tests at least every three years thereafter) and also talks a little about vaccines and health.

It's Tough, But Not Really

This post is written with apologies to Dr. Becker; I listened to you, I really did.  I took the rest of your advice, just not the part about not blogging about it.

Indy's been doing really great.  I can't quite explain why (though I suspect it has something to do with the decrease in stress in her life), and I certainly didn't expect it (though I did hope for it with all my heart).  She's really a fighter, and you'd think that after all these years, I'd be used to it.  It slays me every time. 

We had our twice-monthly visit with our vet on Tuesday, and Dr. Becker was pleasantly surprised when Indiana stood up to greet her when she walked in the room.  She was getting around really well, and several staff members commented on it as well.  I felt such a surge of pride that my girl was doing so well.  I stake no claim on that accomplishment; it's all her doing.

Anyway, Dr. Becker and I discussed running tests on Indiana, or, rather, not running tests on Indiana.  Dr. Becker feels (and can she read my mind? Because this has been in my thoughts for weeks) that we shouldn't run any more "unnecessary" tests on Indy; i.e. basically only treat symptoms.  (And test her kidneys, because we can alter her fluid intake to make her feel better, if necessary)  On a bigger spectrum, that means no more cancer tests at the U of I or Purdue. 

As Dr. Becker pointed out, this goes against everything I have learned as a parent in the last four and a half years.  I have learned to be proactive, to catch things before they become a problem.  And now, I'm going to stop looking for problems...especially cancer?  In a word, yes.  Indiana's stress tolerance is really low these days, and after all she's been through, she deserves to live as stress-free as possible now.

But what if the tests show cancer, you ask?  Indiana has maxed out on the most common chemo drug, doxorubicin (thanks to cancer #1), and I doubt her frail system could handle any other chemo drugs at this point.  We've already started her on Poly-MVA, the most "drastic" of our options.  Plus, we won't put her under anaesthesia for surgery.  So, armed with the potential knowledge that she has yet another form of cancer, what would our options be anyway?  It seems selfish to put her through all of the tests with no benefit gained. 

As Dr. Becker so elegantly put it, every decision we make at this point is about respecting Indiana.  Respecting her needs, but more importantly, respecting her wants. 

Maybe to some pet parents, it sounds like we're giving up on her.  We certainly are not.  We are armed with a powerful arsenal of holistic medicines and Chinese herbs as well as a crack team of veterinary specialists.  I live every day at her disposal, making sure she gets healthy foods, but ones she loves and will eat.  I painstakingly hide her pills and powders inside tasty tidbits, so she thinks she's getting yummy (yucky) things like liver sausage.  And, as we've learned is so important, I listen to what she is telling me, making sure she is happy, calm, and as mentally stimulated as she can be.  She has so many needs, yet so few wants, and it's my job to make sure she gets them.

38 Months and Counting

My friend Shanele and I spent part of the day yesterday at the University of Illinois Small Animal Clinic for Indiana's twice-yearly appointment with oncology. I'm always a nervous wreck before these appointments. Even though Indiana is doing well, it seems like I'm always waiting for the other shoe to drop. We had a lot of bad news in the beginning, so I know things don't always go smoothly. Still, I know my dog, and I know she doesn't have cancer anymore.

I can't say as though I ever look forward to going, but it's become a pretty regular part of our lives, and I'm used to it. I take comfort in knowing what's going to happen. So of course yesterday, they had to change things. Normally, we start our visit by being led back to the private oncology waiting room, complete with couches for parents and furry kids alike. We chill out for a while until an oncologist comes to see us. They do an exam there in the little waiting room, and Indiana is taken away for blood tests, ultrasound, and x-ray. Otherwise, we all get to wait together.

But yesterday starts with a tech (not one of our regular ones!) taking us to an exam room...not our couches. I mention this, and she only says we can go to the couches later. Hmmm. I don't like change. After a very formal check-in (we've been coming here for over 3 years!), she tells us the doctor will be in soon...and not our usual doctor. Strike two. The visit with the doctor goes fine--she's one we've seen before, though she's a full doctor, not our usual resident. She has me sign forms and ok the costs for the procedures, something we've not had to do since Indiana first got sick. Huh? What's going on here? Why are we in this alternate-universe U of I???

After all that oddness is over, we are finally led back to our precious couches. Oh, sweet, fluffy couches. How I love you. You are so normal. The rest of the visit goes by much like usual. We see a couple of students, rather than a resident, because the department is short-handed right now. Indiana doesn't seem to like the unfamiliar faces. We're used to all of our usual people, who don't seem to be around today. Bah!

Overall, I can't really complain, because everything came back great. There is no sign of the cancer, and Indiana's heart arrhythmia, while still present, hasn't gotten any worse. There are a few age-related changes, which the doctor considers normal. (I'm just happy to still have a dog who's able to grow old!) Indy's BUN is high, though her creatinine is normal, most likely from her raw food diet, or from one of her supplements. I'm not overly concerned about this--I left Dr. Becker a message about it, and we'll see if she wants to run a fasting BUN sometime.

I was a tad irritated, because the release report mentioned something the vet hadn't--Indiana's adrenals are mildly bilaterally enlarged, more so than last time. I'm concerned this indicates a progression of the atypical Cushing's Disease she was diagnosed with about a year and a half ago. We'll see what Dr. Becker has to say about it.

But none of these things really worries me. The cancer isn't back, and Indiana feels better than she has in a long time. After cancer, nothing is insurmountable, and neither of these problems is life-threatening as they stand. Just like everything else, Indiana will kick ass.

Things I've Learned From My Dog: Raw Food Diets

It's no coincidence that my first real "meaty" post (oops...no pun intended!) on this blog is about raw food diets. The raw diet is probably the best thing I've learned from Indiana's experience, and something I wish with all my heart I had learned about 11 years ago when I became a parent. Alas, I had to learn the hard way. Don't make the same mistake I did! Learn about raw food now, read about it with an open mind, and give it a try. I guarantee you won't regret it.

I first learned about the raw food diet from the wonderful Dr. Karen Becker. On our first consultation with her, after Indiana's cancer diagnosis, she explained that it was vitally important that dogs with cancer eat a grain-free diet. Standard commercial kibbles and canned foods are PACKED with grain (mostly corn). Honestly, grain isn't good for a healthy pet, let alone one with a weakened immune system. Cancer feeds off carbs (especially true for tumor-based cancers), so feeding a diet high in grains is essentially feeding the cancer. Indiana had struggled with weight problems her whole life, so we had her on a kibble that we felt was the healthiest. While I won't name names just yet, it was a "premium" kibble, and it was the "weight management" formula, which Dr. Becker informed me was around 80% grains. Gasp! Aren't dogs carnivores, for heaven's sake?

And so we began our slow transition to raw foods. Both Indiana and Isis were put on canned foods alone--no kibble (canned is so much healthier for dogs, because it has more meat and more moisture). Slowly, we added in raw foods over a period of about eight months. Dr. Becker was really careful with Indiana, because of the fact that she's missing part of her stomach. We also added in a digestive enzyme, Prozyme (it's good stuff) to help. We still use Prozyme today, with all of our pets.

A lot of people have a tough time with the idea of a raw diet. They worry about the bacteria. Well, many vets think dogs' stomachs are much more adapted to bacteria than our own, making the bacteria not a big deal. Plus, if you handle the meat properly (keeping it frozen, etc.), bacteria shouldn't be an issue. We've fed raw exclusively for two and a half years now with no problems whatsoever. For crying out load, doesn't your dog eat poo or dead animals off the ground? I know mine do. No bacteria there, uh uh.

Other parents are concerned that raw food is "gross." I'm a vegetarian, folks; if I can do it, you can do it.

Another worry about raw food is the cost. Is it more expensive than kibble? You bet. Is it worth every penny? No doubt. I won't deny that not every family can afford to feed a raw diet. But every family should consider a raw diet and see if they can swing the cost. I'm going to be incredibly unhelpful here and tell you I have no idea how much I spend each month on pet food. It's a lot. But feeding our kids the healthiest diet possible is a big priority for Jim and I, and we're willing to make budget cuts in other places in order to keep our kids in fresh meat. I feel so good about feeding raw, I'll always find a way to make it work.

The biggest obstacle you'll reach is probably your veterinarian, unless you're blessed to have someone like Dr. Becker. I'll save the drama for another post, but I'll just make this statement: vet school nutrition classes are taught by the commercial pet food brand manufacturers. A bias there, perhaps? Do your research, follow your gut instinct, and sometimes you just have to do your own thing. I actually had an oncologist basically tell us we would kill Indiana by putting her on the raw diet. Hrmph. Shows how much she knows.

So I've talked a bit about common raw food concerns. You're probably still wondering--if it's so controversial, what makes it so great? Aha. Here's where it gets good. The benefits of a raw food diet include, but are certainly not limited to:

• weight control (Indiana is at her ideal weight for the first time EVER!)
• decrease in allergies (many pets are allergic to grains)
• immune boosting (fresh, chemical-free ingredients--it's ideal!)
• improved joint function
• clear skin and shiny coat

Take those benefits and multiply them by 1000, which will then tell you how awesome the raw diet is. I seriously understate it.

It's important to mention that kibbles aren't the best diet for a pet. They're processed--highly processed. I could blabber on forever about this (and I will later, trust me), but Dr. Becker puts it best, I think:

"To think we could sustain life on a 100% processed diet is conceivable, but to thrive…it’s not possible. Much like trying to sustain your kids on Ensure© liquid beverage; it’s 100% nutritionally complete but if that’s all kids were fed generation after generation, overall health would deteriorate. All life requires living foods for health. Can you and your pets survive on canned/boxed foods? Sure. Can you or you pets thrive on canned/boxed foods? No. It’s that simple."

Over the next week or so, I'll be sharing more about my pets' diets with you. I make a homemade diet (vet-approved), so I'll share pictures of our process. I ask you to follow me with an open mind, and I encourage you to do your own research. There's a lot of information out there, both pro and con, and I suggest you read both. I'll talk about diet a lot over the course of this blog, as diet is the fundamental building block of health. I also happen to be pretty obsessed with the topic!

I'll leave you with a few great websites about food:

• Dr. Karen Becker, DVM, NMD of Natural Pet Animal Hospital
• Primal Pet Foods, makers of my favorite raw foods
• DogFoodAnalyis.com. Find out how your pet's kibble rates
• The Dog Food Project. Anything and everything about diet

Life After Cancer

Last week I shared with you the story of how Indiana was diagnosed with cancer. Today I want to talk about what happened after.

The first month or so after Indiana got sick was an emotional rollercoaster. We were thrilled that Indiana had survived her surgery, but we still had the cancer to deal with. My poor dog had been through so much and looked like a patchwork dog.

My poor dog is missing hair all over,

including her beautiful mane of neck

hair. Her legs are all shaved too. I think

her eyes tell a story of what she went through

as well. Those are not my Indiana's eyes.

The only real problem we had with Indiana was nighttime incontinence for several weeks following surgery. Indiana sleeps in bed with us, and every night she would wet the bed. There's a lot of urine in a 90-pound dog. (Though at this point, she weighed closer to 80 pounds, having lost nearly 10 pounds in the 5 days in the hospital.) We started setting our alarm clock for 1 or 2 in the morning, and taking Indiana out to go to the bathroom. Our vet explained that the urinating was probably as a result of too much cortisol in her body--that's the body's stress hormone. Her body had been through such a shock that it was producing too much cortisol and that in turn was making her have to go to the bathroom a lot. In time, probably 2-3 weeks, the problem went away, and Indiana was fine. It was yet another sign though of what hell she had been through.

We returned to the U of I two weeks after Indy's surgery, at which time we were out of the woods, surgery-wise. Yay! We had found out in the previous weeks that Indiana's cancer was called leiomyosarcoma, a cancer of the smooth tissues. The oncologist told us that if you have to get cancer, it's one of the best ones to get, as it grows very slowly and can be cured. The surgeon had achieved clean margins with Indiana's tumor, but we still couldn't be 100% sure that there were no microscopic cancer cells floating around elsewhere in her body. The oncologist's recommendation was 4 rounds of chemotherapy. We knew that if the cancer ever came back, and we hadn't done any type of treatment, we would never forgive ourselves. We knew the chemo came with some risks, but the doctors would be very careful, and we had to give her a final chance to beat this cancer.

Prior to Indiana's first chemo treatment, the doctors ran an echocardiogram on her heart, to make sure it was strong enough to handle the chemo drugs (doxorubicin--which can be cardiotoxic). Imagine my shock when the oncologist came back and told us they had found a mass in her right atrium. My stomach dropped, and I just felt ill. My Mom was with me at the time, and I just remember crying once they took Indiana back for her chemo. How, after all we had been through, could there be something else?

The doctor explained to me that because the mass was on the inside wall of her heart--where all of the "electronics" are located--that a biopsy would be very dangerous and even life-threatening. Because the treatment for a heart mass (most likely hemangiosarcoma) would be the same as the treatment for her stomach cancer, we easily made the decision not to biopsy.

The doctors couldn't be sure what the mass was. Maybe it was cancer (again, most likely hemangiosarcoma, one of the worst cancers out there) or maybe it was a blood clot (which could dislodge and kill her instantly) or maybe it was something else entirely different. We wouldn't ever know. Though my heart was broken once again, I actually felt bad for our oncologist, who seemed not to want to share this news with us. He was so kind about it though.

Heart mass or not, Indiana's heart was strong enough for chemo, so we started that day. The first round gave her some nausea and diarrhea (which is scary after you've seen your dog nearly die after vomiting and pooing blood before), but after dose two, we learned to administer drugs to her proactively, to prevent the upset. She sailed through the rest of her treatments with no problems! I even joked that perhaps the vet tech forgot to give her any drugs, because she didn't act any differently.

Indiana received four doses of doxorubicin, each 21 days apart. After the fourth dose, our oncologist said he felt comfortable ending there--six is the max a dog can have anyway.

After the chemo was over, we did another echocardiogram, and the mass was still unchanged. We weren't sure if it was because the chemo was keeping the mass from growing, or because the mass wasn't responding. This was pretty disappointing. We wanted with all our hearts to find the mass gone. Why wasn't it responding to one of the most powerful chemo drugs out there?

After we found Indiana's heart mass, I was so frightened. Everything with the stomach mass had happened so quickly, that I didn't have time to really process it all. We just dealt with it. But now with this new problem, I was out of my mind. I needed to do everything to help her. Out of desperation, I decided to turn to holistics, to complement the traditional treatments we were doing. Our vets directed us to the most wonderful vet in the world, Dr. Karen Becker of Natural Pet Animal Hospital. You'll be hearing more about her later, because she is my hero. I'll have a whole post dedicated to Dr. Becker.

Dr. Becker was amazing, really easing our minds about the heart mass. She was sure it wasn't cancer. She set us up with all kinds of immune supplements and helped set up a diet transition to raw food (more about that too--I'm a HUGE fan of raw diets.) I left the visit with her, having hope for the first time in a long time.

After chemo was finished, life was able to start to return back to normal. At least our new normal. No more vet visits every three weeks--no visit for three months! We did have one scary episode, where Indiana started to waver and shake. We thought for sure the mass was a clot and had dislodged. She bounced back quickly from it though, so we're not sure what caused the episode.

Gradually, life slowed down again. The vet visits got farther and farther apart, and Indiana continued to thrive. To this day, the heart mass remains unchanged. We still don't know what it is. Indiana has developed a heart arrhythmia, possibly as a long-term side effect of the doxorubicin or just because she's 11 years old. Our oncology visits went from every three months to every six. The echocardiogram is now being done once a year. Indiana still takes a lot of pills, and we still see a lot of vets, but we're thrilled that she's still alive!

This experience has certainly changed our lives, and much of my time is dedicated to Indiana and our other pets. Feeding rituals are much more complicated now, we visit the physical therapist once a week, and I practically live at the local natural pet food store and Dr. Becker's office. I wouldn't trade an ounce of it though, because Indiana is still alive and well. I even forget about the cancer sometimes.

There is so much that I've learned, and so much that I am still learning. Indiana has taught me so much, and I am eternally grateful to her. Good things needed to come from her experience. Jim and I formed The Great Good Heart Animal Cancer Foundation, to help educate others about animal cancer. We learned the hard way, but others don't have to. I'm excited to share with you all that I've learned and to bring to you new and exciting ideas for you and your pets.