Pet Vaccinations

The Brooklyn Daily is reporting that vets in Brooklyn are having pet parents refuse standard vaccinations for their pets. 

“We do see a higher number of clients who don’t want to vaccinate their animals,” said Dr. Amy Ford of the Veterinarian Wellness Center of Boerum Hill. “This may be stemming from the anti-vaccine movement, which people are now applying to their pets. It’s actually much more common in the hipster-y areas,” she said. “I really don’t know what the reasoning is, they just feel that injecting chemicals into their pet is going to cause problems.”

IMPS really does not want to get too far into the human anti-vaccine movement debate.  It was at times raised in the presidential primaries in 2015, and seems to be one topic that has bi-partisan support of small groups from both parties.  We hesitate to label them as "extreme," but on this one topic IMPS feels that is apropos.

Whether the origin is anti-science, government conspiracy, or anti-pharma/agriculture, it matters not.  Vaccinations work and have saved countless millions of humans and pets from death and suffering.  While IMPS does respect the right of pet parents to make medical decisions for their pets, those should be informed by the actual science and statistical evidence - which overwhelming shows vaccinations to be safe.  Severe adverse reaction rates to the most common vaccinations are 1:100,000 to 1:1,000,000.  

Your vet can give you specific information for any vaccination they recommend and can also advise you what the severe reaction might be and what you as pet parent should be on the look out.  In some cases, there is no choice but to vaccinate as it is required by law, for instance the rabies vaccination.  Others may be recommended for general good health, the pet breed or due to an incidence of a particular disease in your area. 

IMPS urges all pet parents to vaccinate their pets and not to follow trends like this, your pet charges are counting on you.