I know there may be those who wonder about our vaccination policy for boarding dogs and I’m more than happy to help potential clients understand the basis for our decision.
There have been many studies about both the true effectiveness and the side effects of vaccinating dogs past the initial first year boosters. One of the most recent was by the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine which seems to indicate that yearly vaccinations can cause auto-immune disorders in both people and dogs. There will always be two very distinct sides to this issue, but we wish to provide a place for those who wish to err on the side of not over-vaccinating their pets.
We leave it to each pet guardian to decide how often and for what illnesses to vaccinate their pets. We require a current rabies certificate because it is the only vaccination required by law. If you would like more information about the possible effects of vaccinations, I’ve provided some links below that we think clearly explain the dangers and what your alternatives are. Bifrost Farms does accept Titer results, should you have them and welcome this information from each client.
We encourage every pet owner to educate themselves on exactly what is necessary to keep our pets safe from illness. The holistic approach to pet health says that a healthy dog or cat with a strong immune system who has had puppy or kitten shots in the first year of life have the power to resist diseases such as distemper, parvo and bordatella (kennel cough). This is achieved mainly through diet, nutrition and environment. Please feel free to call us if you wish to discuss alternative methods of pet health.
As always, we are not veterinarians, and advise that you consult your veterinarian before changing anything in your pets’ usual health protocol. We simply want people to know that we offer an option to the usual kennel environment that requires every vaccination available. We keep our kennel sanitary and require that all dogs boarding at Bifrost Farms be free of any symptoms indicating illness. Please rest assured that we do take your pets’ well-being while staying with us very seriously.
Other links to articles supporting our policy:
DogAware.com article on Vaccinations and Titers
How Vaccinations Affect both Socialization and Behavior in Dogs
Dr. Jean Dodds’ 2013-2014 Vaccination Protocol
Explanation of Titer testing at Pet Resource
