Trust Me, I’m Not A Veterinarian

Over-vaccination – Dosage & Frequency

            Over vaccination is not merely a question of frequency but also dosage. The same rabies dosage is given to Scooby Doo as the Taco Bell Chihuahua!

            Does that make any sense?

            Emails like the one below to the Next To Kin Foundation (www.next2kin.org) are not untypical.

            But what you may find interesting is the response of a nationally famous Professor relative to the question of over vaccination. In prior emails to this writer (July, 2008), he outlined out size matters relative to dosage. (As a matter of fact, he pointed to a research study he was part of relative to 360 animal hospitals over a 3 day period which showed adverse reaction to shots of 4/10ths of 1% just in this short period. More importantly, the adverse reactions of small breeds were 10 times higher than large breeds.

            In particular: Per ‘Adverse Events Diagnosed Within Three Days of Vaccine Administration In Dogs’ (JAVMA, Vol 227, No.7, October 1, 2005, Moore, Glickman etc, “The VAAE (nonspecific vaccine reaction, allergic reaction, urticaria, or anaphylaxis) rate decreased significantly as body weight increased…young small-breed neutered dogs that received multiple vaccines per office visit were at the greatest risk of a VAAE within 72 hours after vaccination.’

(Remembering this was study was conducted for only 3 days at 640 veterinary hospitals but on 1,226,159 dogs is interesting to note in the 3 days period only - the top 10 incidents of VAAE  were ALL small dogs. For example, the rate on the Dachsuhund was 121.7/10,000 dogs while the Rottweiler was 13/10,000 dogs or almost 1000% difference)

Yet, in his response to the subsequent situation, he seems to have changed his position. When I responded to what seems to be a change in his position – he has yet to reply.

 Here are the response to this email? Contrary to the past research cited previously by him?????

 (The professor is incorrect confusing cost to the veterinarian of the shot and cost to the consumer. The cost of the rabies shot (depending on volume is as low as $.60 cents. The cost to the owner guardian is $15-$35 at most animal hospitals). That aside his argument is cost benefit – adverse reactions versus increased cost – and he provides no evidence of the increase of cost even though he had indicated to another guardian that 2 manufacturers were working on vaccines for smaller dogs (an implicit admission of the higher incidence of adverse reaction relative to size).  PS The CDC as of 9/2007 declared the United States free of canine rabies - so why then are we giving 80 million plus shot$$$$ a year?

Author Pens Pet Guardian Self-Defense Manual

Devoted dog owners know the dilemma – my dog is old and has health issues. I know he doesn’t feel great, but how should I know when to let him go to the big dog park in the sky?

 James D. Schwartz, a retired Colorado fee-only financial planner, knows the problem well.  “A large number of guardians (pet owners) have told me the same thing about asking their vets when it’s time to say goodbye. In response to the question: ‘How do we know when it’s time?’ the response is something like, ‘Oh, you’ll know when it’s time,’” he writes.

This answer wasn’t good enough for Schwartz, owner of three standard poodles. He began to research this and other issues, including pet vaccination laws and public policy, micro-chipping, the low down on picking the right veterinarian, pet health insurance and more.  Schwartz has, in fact, done an exhaustive analysis on the current state of the small-animal veterinary industry, leading him to publishing his research and conclusions in his book, “Trust Me: I’m Not a Veterinarian!”

 Schwartz has created what amounts to a pet owner’s self defense manual, offering advice on everything from pet cremation to up-to-the-minute facts on controversial pet vaccination practices and the frequent life-threatening or fatal results vaccination can have on older animals.

Experience with vaccination and his dogs Buddy, Nicki, Moolah, Elle, Max, Ricki and Moses led Schwartz to question and examine the science, practice and public policy of pet vaccination, leading him to the conclusion that veterinary vaccination practices, evidently dangerous to  pet health, are in actuality a huge cash stream to small-animal vet practices. In his book, Schwartz deconstructs the financial and legislative implications for our pets that, in most cases, function as family members.

Schwartz also founded the Next to Kin foundation (next2kin.org) a private, not-for-profit organization that believes that, “dogs, cats and other pets so enrich our lives that we should recognize our pets/companion animals legally and even legislatively as ‘beyond mere property.’”

The book, “Trust Me, I’m Not a Vet,” is available at amazon.com. For more information, contact Mr. Schwartz at 303-850-9166

The Real low Down on Pickin’ A Small Animal Veterinarian Part II 

            In writing the chapter ‘Pickin’ The Right Financial Planner..Lullabies, Legends & Lies for my previous editions of ENOUGH(sm): A Handbook for Your Personal Financial Planning, I dealt with the dilemma of interviewing the referral sources the planner provides the prospective client.

            The dilemma: the prospective client wants the ‘low down’ on the planner (even realizing the planner is not going to refer clients or former clients that are/were dissatisfied), yet the present client fears any repercussion from saying negative things.

            So how does one get useful information from the present client under these circumstances?

            Typically, people ask questions like, ‘are you happy with the planner? Would you refer the planner? How long have you been with the planner?’ But when questions like, ‘what areas does the planner need to improve in, or, what are you not satisfied with’ people clam up.

            I suggest the use of a semantic differential (sort of like when you call the nurse at 3:00AM in the morning relative to what might be a minor emergency) before proceeding to an ER room. He or she will ask about the pain ‘on a scale from 1 to 10, how would you rank the pain?’

            Using the same concept, ask the referred owners/guardians a 1-10 scale relative before or upon engagement of the veterinarian and now 1-10 after the engagement of the veterinarian, the following:

1. Preventative care for my companion animals (before engaging this veterinarian 1 to 10) and since being with this veterinarian (1 to 10)
2. Relative to the chronic conditions of your pets – ranking before and now (1-10)
3. Accessability (getting into see the vet especially when necessary whether you are unduly neurotic or not) Baseline (before 1-10) and presently (1-10)
4. Nutritional guidance (before and after)
5. Risk / reward guidance (informed consent) & probabilities of success (cure, manage etc)  for your decisions on procedures for pets (before and after)
6. Shots – informed consent (risk/rewards/ probabilities) for your decisions (before and after)

           Obviously, what you are looking for is numerically an increase from the baseline (before) and today from the referred client – which is less threatening than a declarative value statement on their part.

Notice there is not a ‘likeability’ bedside manner question- though that is up to you. Likeability is nice but competence – results is more important.

Besides, if you want a friend, as the saying goes, get a dog – or another dog.

From the Intermountain Jewish News…

Chris Leppek review three new publications

Thursday, 25 September 2008 12:57 Chris Leppek

***

This unusual compendium by former Colorado financial planner James D. Schwartz is many things packed into a relatively small package — a series of love stories (those of a man for his dogs), a loud statement of angry protest (mostly against the veterinary profession and its spokespersons) and a warning (to pet owners, especially about the dangers of over-vaccination).

That Schwartz loved his dogs is beyond doubt after reading Trust Me. His accounts of the time they spent with him are warm and touching to anyone who has ever served as a guardian for a dog or cat.

These reminiscences are lovingly related, often humorously so, sometimes with the strong Jewish flavor and the catchy plays-on-words that the author prefers.

The author’s anger, however, is just as genuine, and considerably more disturbing.

His charges about what he alleges to be routine excessive vaccination of pets, and the potentially lethal consequences thereof, are serious and direct. They will likely win him no friends in the veterinary industry, and one gathers from his text that this will bother Schwartz very little.

Pet owners who read this book will have to analyze and evaluate Schwartz’s conclusions — and the various documents he provides to back them up — on their own. Whatever conclusions they may come to on these issues, they are sure to enjoy the personal dimensions of the author’s relationships with his furry friends.

Any pet owner would.

In another life, I was for 20 years a fee only financial planner and author.

During that period, I witnessed many complicated buy sell agreements, succession plans, as well as estate plans and pre-nuptial and post nuptial agreements.

Prior to leaving practice in 1996, more and more individuals and couples were providing for their companion animals in their wills and trusts - first, through appointing guardians but towards the end several took advantage of Colorado’s allowance for companion animals being named as beneficiaries in trusts for the companion animals.

Today, 30+ states now allow these trusts - an implicit admission - that our companion animals are not just depreciable property like a couch or 42″wide screen TV screen (though this is the typically veterinary defense to limit damages at the same time these vets promote the animal human bond and pets as part of the family!)

Despite second marriages and blended families, there is still an omission in pre and post nuptial agreements - for want of a better word  - a pre-puptial (c) agreement.

In case of divorce, disability, separation etc provision should be considered as to who gets primary custody of the dog or cat - before the problems occur. Buddy, Max, Cleo etc should not be a ping pong ball - let alone a weapon as kids often are in a divorce.

Now I’ve seen lawyers go overboard on pet provisons - but first and foremost is who gets primary care and custody of the dog and cat - recognizing our companion animals are not ‘a couch’ not human beings (some would say better) but rather next to kin - or at least living property - and treated to a standard of care and custody better than a plant of a 42″ HDTV

When it is time (hopefully at least bi-annually to review your estate plans - review with counsel not only pet trusts upon your pass but also provisions via a pre-puptial agreement for your companion animals in the effect of split up.

At the end of August, posted in an Animal Hospital exam room on a bulletin board was an alert that in Colorado there had been two cases of skunk rabies.

However, in September of 2007 when the Center of Disease Control (CDC) announced that the United States was free of canine rabies, no such announcement then or heretofore was posted in this exam room or any of the other of the said animal hospital exam rooms.

One can only wonder the implication of the former (scare – get your vaccinations or else your dog or cat will get rabies) versus the latter – maybe we don’t need to overvaccinate your companion animal.

When queried, the veterinarian indicated that he agreed ‘we are on the same side on over vaccination’ but ‘Jim, many of the minorities don’t get their dog vaccinated.’

Thus, the inference is scare is necessary, though the United States has been declared free of canine rabies by the CDC into vaccination. Then why wasn’t the CDC declaration posted in the name of full disclosure – so that the guardian could vaccinate but not over vaccinate?

Eleven ago, Buddy was the first acupuncture patient of a veterinarian. Today, acupuncture is a substantial part of this veterinarian’s practice. Buddy’s acupuncture, then, however, was done on a ‘healthcare’ team basis – with this vet consulting with my then very experienced vet in acupuncture who was geographically too distant for the course of treatment necessary.

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A Review: The ‘Con’ in Vet Confidential by Louise Murray, D.V.M.

(By way of disclosure, yes, I have a recently released book titled: Trust Me: I’m Not A Veterinarian! - which is an antidote to misleading titles and books, in my opinion, like the one reviewed below)

Rather than it’s self proclaimed ‘insider’s guide to protecting your pet’s health,’ Vet Confidential is, at best a misnomer – a collegial bouquet to veterinarians and the veterinary business, and, at worst, a whitewash fraught with glaring omission$, coverup, and conflicted $pin especially on the subject of the economically driven harmful effects of continued overvaccination despite years of veterinary knowledge.

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CENTENNIAL, Colo., Aug. 14 /PRNewswire/ — Former Colorado fee-only financial planner James Schwartz has done for over-vaccination of our pets what Jessica Mitford did for American funeral institutions in 1963 – a documented expose on the questionable practices, often at the expense of companion animals and their guardians. In his new book, “Trust Me, I’m Not a Veterinarian,” Schwartz explores the legalities, pitfalls and sad results of over-vaccination in pets, among other topics.

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The book, “Trust Me, I’m Not A Veterinarian” is now available through amazon.com!

The Last Book Your Small - Animal Veterinarian Wants You To Read!

A ‘Self Defense’ Manual for The Protection of Your Companion Animal from: overvaccination, pet insurance ripoffs, pet cemetery/crematorium abuses, slipshod companion animal disaster planning & ER mishap$

A Call To Paws - for legislative relief & veterinarian accountability.

Buy it now at Amazon.com!