Troy Lynn Eckert made a very informative post about the vaccine websites.
They should be looked at.
 
However: I treat canine parvovirus and canine distemper on a regular basis,
losing quite a few patients. The incidence of vaccine-induced disease is
estimated to be about one in ten thousand. I've been in practice 18 years,
and I've seen exactly one case of feline vaccine sarcoma. There isn't even
a question in my mind which risk I'll take with my animals.
 
One in ten thousand. Earlier this year, some FML'ers were taking me to task
for recommending descenting because I estimated a one in four thousand
incidence of malignant anal sac tumors in non-descented ferrets.
 
In a recent issue of JAVMA, an antibody titer survey was done on dogs who
had not received booster vaccines for at least two years. Most of them were
NOT protected against distemper or parvovirus.
 
It is ironic that people who choose not to vaccinate can often get away
with it because most people do vaccinate.  The fact that so many animals
around them are protected will give them protection also.  But, if no one
vaccinated, we'd be back to where we were when I started practice: EVERY
DAY I saw dogs dying of either distemper or parvovirus.  Most of you are
probably too young to remember the days before there was a vaccine for
parvo.  I don't ever want to go there again.
 
Debbie Kemmerer
[Posted in FML issue 2427]