K.C.'s STORY by KAREN HAYES

K.C.'s STORY

by KAREN HAYES

K.C.s STORY I was a happy healthy five year old Bouvier Des Flandres. My owners loved me and cared for me. They took me to a caring veterinarian for my medical care. When I blew my knee last year, probably chasing that teasing squirrel in my backyard, they took my vet's advice and took me to an orthopedic specialist. They listened to his recommendations and researched the injury and various options. I had knee surgery in September, 2003, and after a lengthy recovery was almost as good as new. When it was time for my "annual" checkup and vaccinations, off they took me to my trusted vet. The vet fixed me all up so I was protected from all those nasty diseases and legal in my community to boot. Five days later, I developed a lump on my back near one of the injection sites. I really was tired and didn't much want to go outside and my food didn't really interest me much. My owners called the vet and were reassured that it was probably a simple "petite nodule" which sometimes occurs. My owners watched me carefully and the next morning my eyes seemed to be bloodshot, I didn't want to do much but I did go outside and I drank a little water. A few hours later my owners became even more concerned when they found I had blood in my stool. The vet thought I would be okay until the next day since I was still drinking some water. A few hours later I was bleeding from the mouth and nose. My owners rushed me to the vet and after blood tests showed I had very few red blood cells and platelets and I had a temperature of 105, I was referred to the experts at K-State. I lost consciousness once during the lengthy drive to K-State but came around as my owner petted me and coaxed me. At K-State, the experts took a look at me, my history and my test results. They told my owners that I probably had IMHA (Immune Mediate Hemolytic Anemia). I was critically ill and they suspected it was caused by the vaccinations I had been given. The thing my owners had done to protect me had turned my body against itself. The experts said they would take me and do some further testing. After some more advanced testing, they determined that I also had IHT(Immune Mediate Thrombocytopenia) I endured three blood transfusions, oxygen therapy, prednisone, chemotherapy drugs, immunosuppressants, platelet enhanced plasma. My owners came to visit me two days later and I eagerly wagged my little tail. I had just had another transfusion and for the time being, I felt better. I heard them talking with the nice vets about how I was doing and what needed to be done to try to help me. I heard the vets say that, if I survived they wouldnt recommend I ever had any vaccinations again. Of course, they said, legally we must tell you she has to have the rabies vaccination but if she were my dog, I would never give her anything again. Oh, and as a matter of fact, I dont give my dogs any vaccinations. Once they had their adult shots, studies have shown they are protected for life. There are still studies going on but the new protocols that are out make it very clear that giving vaccinations on an annual basis is not helpful and may very well be harmful to some pets. I could tell my owners were upset; this was all new to them. The law required rabies vaccinations annually and the vet recommended the others annually. And now I was critically ill. I was sure they had come to take me home and away from all these needles and medicines. But no, as I looked on with sad brown eyes and tried valiantly to rise from the gurney, they left with just as sad eyes, asking the vets to continue trying to save my life. I and the experts at K-State fought the good fight but my heart quit beating suddenly on the 4th day. TO THOSE WONDERFUL PET OWNERS THAT WANT THEIR PETS TO LIVE A FULL, HEALTHY LIFE QUESTION YOUR VETS CAREFULLY, DO NOT TAKE THEIR OPINION AS THE FINAL SAY IN WHETHER YOUR PET SHOULD BE VACCINATED. ANNUAL VACCINATIONS ARE THE BACKBONE OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES FINANCIAL STABILITY AND THEY LOBBY GOVERNMENTS AND VETERINARY MEDICAL GROUPS TO KEEP THEM RECOMMENDING ANNUAL VACCINATIONS EVEN WHEN THE SCIENCE SAYS NO! CHECK OUT WWW.CRITTERADVOCACY.ORG and WWW.IVIS.ORG FOR MORE INFORMATION FOR YOUR PETS SAFETY.

Comments would be appreciated by the author, KAREN HAYE