Detox Vaccines In Cats Naturally
Samy developed asthma after too many vaccines.
Photo credit: Samy Morrell’s family
I’m seeing it more and more with cat clients I work with: vaccines are resonating as stressors. And this hurts my heart! What cat parents need to know is that vaccines do not come without risk. Serious, chronic diseases can develop as a result of vaccines, as well as immediate acute symptoms. This is why you should consider doing a vaccine detox protocol. In order to restore your cat’s vital force and rebalance its body I want to share with you some important tips on how to detox vaccines in your cat.
Be smart about giving vaccinations
First, let’s talk about some simple dos and don’ts regarding vaccines for cats. Integrative and holistic vets recommend never giving more than one vaccine at a time. For example, NEVER give the FVRCP and rabies vaccines together and use vaccines without heavy metals whenever possible. Secondly, always wait at least four weeks before giving another vaccine. This is important because it gives the immune system time to calm down before administering another shot designed to get an immune response via the adjuvants in the vaccine. Thirdly, sometimes adverse effects don’t even show up until about thirty days later. If your cat has any kind of adverse reaction, the very last thing you want to do is give another vaccine.
Finally, consider is the risk of contracting the disease you’re vaccinating for. How likely is your cat to contract the disease? Depending on how you can answer these questions, re-vaccinating may not be necessary nor be safe for your cat.
- Does your cat live indoors or outdoors?
- Does your cat come in contact with other cats besides your own?
- Is the cat a senior?
- Does your cat have any underlying disease or health condition that is contraindicated for vaccination?
- Has your cat already been vaccinated?
- Has your cat ever had an adverse reaction from a vaccine?
Instead of automatically re-vaccinating, ask your vet to do a titer test. A titer test measures the levels of antibodies in the blood that provide an immune response to a given stimulus. In this case, the stimulus would be the distemper virus, rabies virus, Calicivirus, etc. If the cat has a positive titer no additional vaccine is needed.
What about kitten vaccines?
Integrative and holistic vet, Dr. Judy Morgan, recommends waiting until the kittens are at least 12-16 weeks of age before giving the first FVRCP vaccine. This allows time for the mother’s antibodies to wear off. Why? It makes the vaccine more effective. Next, instead of automatically revaccinating at 16 weeks of age, she recommends doing a titer test instead. This can determine if the kitten has immunity or not. If so, there’s no need to give another vaccine, and it reduces the risk of adverse reactions as well as developing chronic disease due to over-vaccination.
Examples of adverse reactions from vaccines
Interestingly, adverse reactions can result immediately or even 30 days or more from the vaccination date. According to one source, the most common that normally occur within the first 24 hours include:
- Fever
- Tenderness
- Facial swelling
- Hives
- Swollen nymph nodes
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Acute liver & kidney failure
Chronic diseases or disorders include:
- Seizure disorders
- Immune suppression that may last for up to seven days
- Lupus,
- Pemphigus
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Autoimmune platelet and red blood cell disorders
- Skin and ear allergies
- Food allergies
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Hyperthyroidism (cats) and hypothyroidism (dogs)
- Injection site fibrosarcomas (aggressive, malignant cancers) may appear months to years after receiving a feline leukemia or rabies vaccination
- Eosinophilic skin disorders*
- Feline asthma*
Maggie developed allergic dermatitis after too many FVRCP vaccines.
Photo credit: Maggie Morrell’s family
How to detox vaccines safely, effectively
Now that you can identify the numerous possible adverse reactions perhaps it makes common sense why detoxing vaccines is not only important but necessary. In the clients I work with I find that a vaccine detox protocol is not always a one-size-fits-all approach; therefore, it really boils down to what resonates with your cat. Furthermore, besides the immune system, there are other organs and body systems to support during this process, namely the liver and lymphatic system.
The primary role of the liver is to filter the blood coming from the digestive tract, detoxify chemicals and metabolize drugs. If the liver is sluggish it cannot perform these tasks effectively. In addition to the liver, the lymphatic system consists of organs and tissues that help remove toxins, waste, and other materials out of the body through a system of drainage pathways. Collectively the liver and lymphatic system must be working optimally in order for a detox program to be effective. Therefore, we must include liver and lymphatic support whenever implementing a vaccine detox protocol.
Homeopathy for detoxing vaccines
In traditional veterinary homeopathy there are several remedies that are used to detox vaccines. The most common include thuja, sulphur, calc carb, apis mel, silicea, malandrinum, graphites and sepia. Remedies can also vary depending if the cat also has a chronic disease. In order to determine which one is a match for your cat, the physical signs, symptoms, emotions, and behaviors associated with each remedy are matched to those of the pet.
Anna Borenstein’s article in Dogs Naturally describes symptoms and the corresponding remedy for dogs…but I would venture to guess these may also apply in cats.
- Generals, convulsions, vaccination after: Silica, Thuja
- Mentals, anxiety, vaccination after: Thuja
- Eye, inflammation, vaccination after: Thuja
- Stomach, nausea, vaccination after: Silica
- Rectum, diarrhea, vaccination after: Silica, Thuja
- Respiration, asthmatic, vaccination after: Thuja
- Cough, vaccination after: Thuja
- Extremities, paralysis, lower limbs, vaccination after: Thuja
- Extremities, swelling general, upper limbs, vaccination after: Silica, Sulphur, Thuja (in dogs, this generally corresponds to a lump at the injection site)
- Skin, eczema, vaccination after: Mezereum (thick, hard scabs), Sulphur (red, itchy eruptions)
- High fever: Belladonna
- Allergic reactions, facial or throat swelling: Apis
In addition to symptoms I also use muscle testing to see which remedy resonates with the cat. This is the body’s way of telling me exactly what it needs and how often in order to restore balance to its vital force. In general, with cats I have worked with the protocol for dosing ranges from 1-3 times a day for around eight days. For chronic conditions I find the 200C potency to be indicated while a 30C is suited for acute conditions; for instance, right after or a few days after vaccines are given.
Detoxing a rabies vaccine
Still legally required by all states, the rabies vaccine has its own set of issues. In an article by Dr. Will Falconer, DVM, he includes a chart by Dr. Richard Pitcairn describing symptoms of adverse reactions to a rabies shot in dogs that reflects that actual symptoms of the disease itself:
- Fear of water
- Restlessness
- Suspicious of other people, pets, distrusting
- Aggression
- Desire to kill other animals
- Aloof
- Tendency to escape confinement, roaming
- Hysterical, violent behavior under restraint
- Poor appetite, finicky
- Pica (eating non-food items, include stools)
- Destructive behavior
- Loss of sight, cataracts
- Full or partial paralysis
- Irregular pulse, heart failure
- Sexual aggression
- Seizures
- “Reverse” sneezing
Certainly the best known homeopathic remedy for detoxing the rabies vaccine is Lyssin; however, it is not the only one that can be indicated. Others include belladonna, calc carb, arsenicum, iodium, mercurius, sulphur, nat mur, phosphorus and more. Again, the symptoms determine which remedy is the best match, and muscle testing can verify this. Similarly, in chronic conditions the 200C tends to work best and the 30C can be given post vaccination.
Dash’s vaccinosis resulted in feline asthma.
Photo credit: _dahsandluna_ of Instagram
Liver and lymphatic support during vaccine detox
Before doing any detox work it’s imperative we make sure all the body’s drainage pathways are open, especially in cases where there is chronic disease. In this case I recommend starting with a product like Detoxifier for Pets by Newton Homeopathics for about 2 weeks first. In addition to the specific vaccine detox remedy, it’s important to support the liver using a product like Detox Blend or Liver Defense by Animal Essentials. Typically liver support is given twice a day for the remainder of the detox process.
Lastly, if the vaccine contains any heavy metals like Thimerosol or aluminum, it’s essential to finish with a heavy metal detox. Otherwise the heavy metals will continue to stress the immune system and disrupt homeostasis in the body. My current go-to for this step is Heavy Metal & Chemical Binder by Global Healing. For cats you only need 1 drop daily (in food) for 6-10 weeks for cats who are under 15 pounds.
For best results make sure you using supplements, food and other nutraceuticals to repair and restore the gut lining and reduce inflammation.
In summary, given the potential for adverse reactions from any vaccine it’s smart to consider a detox protocol. Using natural products like homeopathy and herbals geared toward liver support can help detox vaccine materials and rebalance the body’s vital force. In addition, being smart about how many vaccines to give your cat and how often will also have a huge impact its long term health. Ultimately, your cat doesn’t have to become a victim of vaccination!
To read more about this topic, check out this article on over-vaccination. We also have a Vaccine Detox Program that walks you through this process step by step.
