Virus Shedding: Is That a Thing?

Reprinted with permission from Dr. Falconer’s Vital Animal News

Here’s the groundwork for this piece, as Jessica was concerned about what was about to become her newest pack addition:

I asked the breeder of my pup to skip the DA2PP on my puppy but his litter mates will get it. I noticed that the parvo component is live so that’s why I sent her these nosodes which she had agreed to give them to him.

Is he going to be okay or should I be worried about exposure from his litter mates? Would you change anything about the instructions for dosing him in this instance?” — Jessica

A Bold Stance

First, bravo to Jessica, right? She’s telling her breeder (who’s about to get a lot of J’s money) NOT to vaccinate her pup, even while the rest of the litter gets vaccinated.

Probably a bit of a mind bender for the breeder, who’s likely had the same protocol of pre-sale puppy “protection” for years and years.

Jessica is aware of the risk of vaccine illness (vaccinosis), and has chosen to protect her pup with parvo and distemper nosodes instead. When properly sourced and used properly, nosodes clearly offer safe infectious disease protection.

[In case you’ve read that parvo nosodes failed to protect puppies in research, be sure to read this article addressing poor protocols and needless deaths.]

Live vs Killed Vaccines

It’s well known that the common modified live vaccines (MLV) shed. That’s old news.

The MLV vaccines produce immunity differently than a killed vaccine (like rabies) because they are geared to reproduce for some time in the vaccinated animal. That gives the immune system more of a chance to “see” the invader and mount a response.

Next, a tiny tweak in Jessica’s understanding is necessary. Most vaccines for dogs and cats (and ferrets, horses, etc.) are “live,” not only parvo.

So, in her pup’s case, the possibility of viral shedding exists for the distemper, hepatitis, and parainfluenza fractions as well, as the breeder is using a typical combo wombo vaccine on her pups.

With parvovirus vaccines, that live virus shedding lasts for 2-3 weeks post-vaccination. And because it’s a virus that primarily lives in and attacks gut lining cells, the vaccine virus is shed in the stool.

Is Parvo a Threat?

I counseled that, compared to getting injected with a bunch of viruses, the “drive-by whiff” of a shed modified live virus is likely to be way less threatening.

As I point out in my Smart Vaccine Alternatives short course, the major immune confusion comes about when, in what passes for intelligence, the vaccinator handily bypasses all of Mom Nature’s brilliant defenses and, in seconds, the multi-virus load he delivered is circulating throughout the body.

In this case, inhaled MLV distemper or orally encountered MLV parvovirus will have a chance to be duly recognized before they reach the inner sanctum and set off the Too LATE! klaxons.

And, if the parvo nosode is in place before that shedding takes place, disease is really a moot point. Their protection is that stout, again, when properly employed.

On Dealing w/Breeders’ Rules

Our convo went a bit deeper, as Jessica revealed she’d signed a contract with the breeder to have her pup neutered.

I shared some thoughts, primarily focused on my tenet that, once you’ve handed over your hard earned cash for a nearly new pet, what you do with it after the sale is entirely up to you. [Does Your New Puppy Have Strings Attached?]

What right does the breeder have to demand the removal of gonads and all the possible illness that entails?

If you’ve thought neutering to be the only righteous thing to do, and a benign procedure at that, you’ll want to dig a bit deeper: Neuter. Or Not? And When? All is not roses and peace out after the gonads suddenly disappear.

But shedding of vaccine viruses?

Yes, it happens, but when you’re properly prepared and informed, it needn’t be a worry.

p.s. a quick note to the virus deniers: I’ll not give space for your comments. You are urged to build your own platform, attract your own audience, and have at in your own space. And be sure to interview several of the 10,000+ U.S. virologists (more abroad) on your way to proving your theory that they’ve all been fooling us for decades.