Do Vaccines and Pet Food Shorten Lives?

Having been a pet mommy since I was a little girl, pets have always been a part of my life. We always  had a dog and numerous cats, but it wasn't until I was an adult that I realized how involved the care and keeping of a pet was! The truth is, it has gotten more expensive and surreal in the last couple of decades, as I've noticed “pet insurance” popping up, animals dying before their time of liver and kidney disease, and “teeth cleaning” becoming a thing. (I don't remember our dogs ever having their teeth cleaned when I was young!)

Back in the “good old days” dogs lived 15+ years and then they died of old age. Not anymore. What is different?

It might be obvious only to me, but as I've watched people's diets go downhill and watched people getting bigger and bigger, I've also noticed dogs' health decline at the same time. I believe two things are factoring into this problem and they are vaccines and inadequate food.

In Veterinarian says pet deaths caused by over-vaccination by Vicki Batts, Batts says of veterinarian Dr. John Robb: “Robb says that he has seen yearly rabies vaccines make pets vomit, become ill, develop immune disorders, cancers, and has even seen the shot kill the pets of unsuspecting owners. One of the largest problems with veterinary vaccines is that these inoculations are of the one-size-fits-all variety. A 5-pound Chihuahua will receive the same dose of vaccine as a 100-pound bulldog. Does that seem logical to you?”

Some cities only require a rabies vaccine every three years, while most require a yearly booster, despite the fact that the vaccine lasts much longer than a year. And this is only one vaccine; there are others that dogs get as puppies. Most people don't think about the vaccines when their dog becomes sick early in life, and probably write it off as bad luck or something, I don't know.

They also probably don't think about their pets' food. More people seem to have waken up regarding pets' diets, but the majority still don't want to feed their pets what it really takes to keep them healthy. Part of this is because a lot of pet owners just love animals, but can't afford the food that they need. So that cheap bag of kibble is perfect, because they really believe if it was bad for their pets, it wouldn't be on the shelf! (Isn't that why people eat chips, cookies, and ice cream?)

I feel strongly that food is an even bigger issue for pet health, because you can skip vaccines, but you can't skip feeding your pets! Many pet owners who realize this make their own pet food each day, and they have animals that live into their 20's. That is just too much work for most people, so most will still settle for a kibble that they can pour out of a bag. We are currently there, using Life's Abundance dog and cat food. We also give our pets foods that are healthy for them (like pumpkin for the cats, and carrots and apples for the dogs). But the majority of their food comes from Life's Abundance. I was just opening a new bag this morning and caught a glimpse of the ingredient list. Sad to say, it is healthier than a lot of the snacks I buy my kids. Life's Abundance has recently acquired Flint River Ranch, another pet food company that closed down, so Flint River Ranch customers will be able to find those products again. Both companies are reputable, make their food in the US, and best of all, when you order from them, should they find a problem with a batch of food, they will know how to find their customers and warn them. This doesn't happen, but the chain is there if it does.

I don't have pet insurance, but I do invest in my pets' health each month by purchasing them healthy food. We also delay vaccinations and go without when possible. I wonder if people spent a little more money on their pets' food rather than insurance, would they have healthier pets? I think so. I mean, it's the same with humans...eat right and you are much better off, insurance or not!