By Dawn M Turner
May 31, 2006
I have come to believe that many of the health problems we see today in dogs are not necessarily due to genetics as much as nutritional deficiencies, whether due to the origins of the breed (explained below), poorly constructed diets (which run rampant these days) or environmental factors (explained below). Vaccinations and toxins also play a vital role in the creation of many diseases we see in both purebred and mixed breed dogs today. Aside from vaccinations and toxins directly causing illness in dogs subjected to them, it is my belief, based on readings in epi-genetics and homeopathy, that these assaults on the body cause generational issues (ie health problems transmissible to the next generation without actually altering the DNA coding).
If a health problem is due to a genetic weakness, the best nutrition in the world may delay onset but it will not likely stop it from manifesting. (Ideally, nutritional needs should be properly addressed long before conception, so the unborn pups can start reaping the benefits of proper nutrition literally from day one.) I think this is why there has been little to no improvement in the numbers of dogs developing so many problems, even after years and generations spent trying to eradicate some problems through testing and selective breeding. In fact, despite the efforts of good breeders to eliminate so many issues from their bloodlines, they are still cropping up and many are becoming MORE common. Animals from good breeders are no less afflicted by some of these disorders than those of bad breeders, which makes no sense unless you think outside the box. Everyone concentrates on genetics, but what if there is a major factor or two that everyone is overlooking? Factors that could have a tremendous impact on health, growth and development? Diet! Toxins! With proper diets and removing many of the unnecessary toxins from our dogs’ environments, I suspect it would be much easier to weed out the true genetic problems from those that are environmental in nature.
Vitamin C is KNOWN (and scientifically proven) to be depleted by stress. Whether stress is good (joy, excitement, anticipation) or bad (fear, pain, anxiety) is irrelevant. Stress is stress, and the body handles it the same – with the release of certain hormones/chemicals and utilization of certain nutrients. Stress depletes Vitamin C, thus leaving the body open for manifestation of deficiency if it is not returned. This is true for humans as well as pets. Stressors in a dog’s life can include separation from mom and littermates, going to a new home, changes in diet, vaccination, medications, illness (no matter how minor), harsh training techniques, frustration/anxiety from improper training/handling, emotional imbalances we humans unwittingly often create in our dogs, and a whole host of other things our dogs may face throughout their lives, from puppyhood to old age.
Now, some argue that dogs produce their own Vitamin C so they don’t need supplemental Vitamin C. They DO produce Vitamin C. That is scientific fact. However, in stressful situations, this production is not likely sufficient to keep a dog healthy, particularly if the stressor continues – such as ear infections, chronic abuse or harsh handling, repeated vaccinations, illness, etc…. Also, when you consider that the dog’s liver is the organ that produces Vitamin C, another wrench is thrown into the natural works. In our homes/lives, a dog’s liver is constantly stressed by a multitude of things:
· Chronic exposure to household toxins such as cleaners, disinfectant sprays, air fresheners, etc.
· Chemicals in food (steroids, antibiotics, pesticides, etc – not to mention things like BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin, artificial colorants and artificial preservatives in commercial pet foods, among others).
· Toxins in flea/tick preventatives and heartworm medications and other “preventative” compounds.
· Vaccinations – adjuvants and preservatives are all toxins that must be processed by the liver; some stick around (ie aren’t removed from the body) and can cause cumulative effects when combined with their partners from subsequent vaccination.
· Medications used to treat everything from mild allergies to life-threatening autoimmune disease. Many of today’s medications are toxic to both the liver and kidneys.
Anything put into the body must be processed to some degree or extreme by the liver. If those things are toxic, the liver is strained and can even be damaged. If they are beneficial (ie liver supportive), they can help defray some of the strain and even reverse damage done to the liver. What I’m getting at is this – if the liver is not optimally healthy, chances are very good that a dog’s ability to produce vitamin C is hampered as well.
If Vitamin C is deficient long enough to a large enough degree, it is not a question of if but WHEN illness will occur. Often times it takes a pyramid effect to bring about illness. For instance, Vitamin C is deficient in the diet, THEN vaccination is added to the pyramid, and oftentimes that is ALL that is needed to trigger a catastrophic illness. The problem is that very rarely are pets’ lives so limited in scope with regards to stress. For example, PUPPIES have high stress levels in their little lives. Consider what an 8-week-old puppy just brought to its new home is dealing with:
· Separation from mom/littermates
· New home (strange environment)
· Crate training (in many cases, puppies are not crate-trained by the breeder)
· De-wormed
· Vaccinated
· Chronic exposure to household toxins
· Nutrient deficient diet (MOST commercial diets, if not all, are deficient in some nutrients, including Vit C, amino acids, B vitamins and Vit E without supplementation)
· Too much or not enough exercise
· Lack of proper social interaction (with new “pack” members especially)
All of this may be in addition to the pup being Vitamin C deficient to begin with because its dam’s diet may have been deficient, the diet it was weaned on was deficient, AND there were system stressors such as household toxins, vaccinations, de-worming and weaning occurring before the new owner brought him/her home.
Is it TRULY any wonder that puppies are so often struck down by illness? Adverse reactions to vaccinations. Disease. Parasites. The weaker a puppy’s system is, the more likely it is that one of these or all of them will strike. By providing PROPER nutrition, we can help short circuit illness to a great degree. Making sure our pups have sufficient Vitamin C and decreased stress is part of that.
As an example of the pyramid effect, Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy (HOD) is a KNOWN adverse reaction to vaccination in some breeds and can be reversed in many individuals with Vitamin C supplementation, though it continues to be controversial (much like giving Vitamin C supplementation to puppies to ward off Hip Dysplasia). Blood tests on dogs diagnosed with HOD have shown reduced levels of Vitamin C in the blood. This disease most commonly follows puppy vaccinations. Most will manifest HOD within a few days of vaccination. Do the vaccinations cause Vitamin C depletion, which in turn creates the disorder? Or did a pre-existing vitamin C deficiency cause an adverse reaction to the vaccinations, which in turn creates the disorder? That is still not known to medical science. There remains MUCH research needed in this area to know the exact mechanism, trigger and outcome correlation.
Weimaraners are being studied with regard to HOD, Vitamin C and vaccination connections. Interestingly enough, Weimaraners have a high incidence of adverse reactions to vaccinations, HOD as well as other reactions, including death. This is due, Dr. Jean Dodds believes, to the color dilution gene that gives Weims their rather unusual coat color. There are many breeds with color dilution genes at play, and all of those breeds are at higher risk than normal for adverse reactions. Genes that result in dogs that are predominantly or all white also cause increased risk, according to Dr. Dodds. Do color dilution or white genes somehow interfere with Vitamin C production/utilization, thereby predisposing these dogs more than others to adverse reactions because of that deficiency? Or is there something else about those genes that leave the dog immunologically more susceptible to adverse reactions to toxins like vaccines and the vitamin C depletion is merely a result of that response? That is still unknown at this time. Still far too many unknowns about genes and how they affect health despite decades of study.
http://www.weimclubamerica.org/health/hod.html
http://www.cavaliers.co.uk/articles/vaccineprotocols.pdf - Dr. Dodds article “Vaccine Protocols forr Dogs Predisposed to Vaccine Reactions”
When you consider the sheer number and variety of health problems Vitamin C deficiency can cause – musculoskeletal impacts, immune dysfunction, nervous system disorders, even cataracts – is it really any surprise that anything that depletes Vitamin C levels could lead to/trigger such problems? Vaccinations, by their very nature, would deplete vitamin C levels because of the immune response they provoke. If a dog is already in a state of vitamin C deficiency because of stressors in its life, this creates a situation prime for vaccine adverse reactions. This is something even vaccine manufacturers recognize to some degree – thus the warning on the product package labels that the product should ONLY be used on HEALTHY animals. Animals with acute health problems (even a mild ear infection) or chronic illness (allergies, diabetes, hypothyroid, arthritis, etc) are NOT considered HEALTHY by the manufacturers and, following their own recommendations, should not be vaccinated. This makes perfect sense when you consider that these animals are likely in a chronic state of Vitamin C depletion, thereby requiring supplementation, AND that their higher histamine levels would INCREASE their risk of having adverse reactions.
It is my belief after my own research into HD that Vitamin C plays a role in SOME cases. However, I believe vitamin C deficiency is only part of the equation in most cases, so focusing on vitamin C alone provides an incomplete picture. Amino acids such as DMG (dimethyl glycine) most likely also play a role. Given how many canine diets are deficient in amino acids, the continued and rising incidence of HD as well as some other health problems is not surprising.
German shepherds are known to have a greater need for amino acids than many other breeds. Is this a genetic weakness? No. It is likely the result of the diet the dogs ate while the breed was being developed. They did not have to survive, reproduce and grow old on a diet deficient in amino acids. Until the 50s and 60s when commercial foods first started become popular, dogs ate a natural, raw diet with lots of amino acids. With the advent of commercial canned and kibbled foods, this changed dramatically. Many amino acids are destroyed or severely depleted in foods by heating, particularly when subjected to the high, prolonged heat needed for canning or kibbling. This creates in German shepherds (and other breeds with this higher AA need) a chronic state of amino acid deficiency. This, in turn, creates many health problems, including immune issues like allergies (overactive immunity), autoimmune disease and suppressed immunity, neurological issues, and bone/joint problems such as HD, among other systems being adversely affected.
Amino acids seem to be a frequently overlooked, but very important, element for human AND canine health. Understanding the role they play in good or ill health seems to be in its infancy in many regards. However, anecdotally, many have seen marked improvement in the health of dogs, cats and humans in particular with the inclusion of proper amino acids in the diet. Not just a select few amino acids that might be considered important, but also those considered “negligible” by the scientific and medical communities.
Given how little is truly known even about human nutrition and how nutrients affect health, it’s really no surprise that we know so little about what dogs need not only to survive but to thrive! Needless to say, vitamin C and amino acids are far from being the only nutrients that affect health. Protein, carbohydrates, cholesterol, vitamin E and B-vitamins are others that come immediately to mind as VITAL for good health. All nutrients have their place in maintaining good health, regardless of how small or large the need may be for that nutrient. The stressors I laid out above (plus others that are not listed) are important to keep in mind always. Vitamin C is not the only nutrient depleted by mental or physical stress, so stress increases the risk for deficiencies in other nutrients if the diet is not species appropriate and nutritionally sound.
Incidentally, it is my personal opinion that the best way to ensure dogs receive proper nutrients is through the use of whole, raw foods in a well-thought out raw diet. (Raw diets are NOT all created equal and a poorly formulated raw diet can be just as hazardous for your dog’s health as commercial foods, so you MUST do adequate research to make sure you know what you’re doing before walking that path.) Supplementation of lesser diets can give the same benefits to some degree or another, but supplementation can have downsides, such as the use of synthetic nutrients, the presence of petroleum chemicals and other toxins, and differences in nutrient assimilation by the body (it is possible that nutrients in supplements are not assimilated in the same way as those found in whole foods – the jury still seems to be out on this).
As explained above, vaccinations are known to adversely affect vitamin C levels. Given that puppies tend to receive multiple and repeated vaccinations during critical phases of development and growth, it should be no surprise that health issues linked to vitamin C deficiency are extremely common in young dogs. However, that is not the only risk from vaccinations. Vaccines are known to cause chronic disease states – such as cardiomyopathy in place of acute parvovirus. In addition to the individual disease components causing problems of their own, there exists a threat in the form of preservatives, carriers and adjuvants used in vaccines. Here again, we find substances that are toxic to the body.
Furthermore, it is now believed that vaccinations – both the disease components and the additives – and other toxins alter DNA expression in a significant way. Homeopaths have known this in an indirect way, and battled it, for many years in humans as well as animals. Science is finally catching up with homeopathic theory in a new field called “epi-genetics”. Scientists are discovering that viruses and toxins alter DNA in the form of chemical markers attached to the DNA. Those chemical markers adversely affect how those genes express themselves without actually altering the DNA itself. This is felt to play a possibly significant role in all kinds of health problems, including cancer.
The good news is that homeopathy can, in many cases, reverse this, as can several generations of natural rearing (raw diet, no vaccinations, no toxins). The two used together are showing hope in decreasing the number of generations needed to remove harmful markers on DNA. Those who subscribe to homeopathic theory have seen evidence of this DNA impact in the form of multi-generational vaccinosis (or miasms). That is, for example, symptoms of chronic distemper in puppies who have never been vaccinated for distemper because they have been handed marked DNA by their parents. Treatment with homeopathy improves these cases.
Vaccinations are not the only source of toxins and such that can create these chemical markers or even directly affect the health of an individual. Household cleaners, air fresheners, herbicides, pesticides, chemical preventatives and parasite treatments commonly used on pets, carpet cleaning solutions and many more toxins people live with in their homes every day also pose a significant threat, to them as well as their pets.
Given how new the field of epi-genetics is, it is not surprising that there hasn’t been much (if any) research thus far on how canines are affected and in what way toxins may affect the expression of various DNA sequences and/or genes.
Aside from improper exercise causing stress on a dog’s body (thus triggering a greater need for vitamin C and other nutrients), too much or too little exercise, especially during various phases of development, can also contribute to health problems such as hip dysplasia. Working a growing pup too hard is known to contribute to bone and joint issues because of damage it does to soft, developing cartilage, which in turns adversely affects the joint. Also hard pounding exercise puts too much strain on growing bones before the closure of growth plates. Not providing adequate exercise in the right forms can also cause problems – resulting from poor muscle tone not supporting growing joints properly.
Aside from working a pup too hard or not enough is the tendency of some to have a puppy do too much and too high jumping. The impact of landing and strain of jumping can lead to serious issues with developing joints and bones.
I have observed a trend in recent years I find quite troublesome. That is, a desire on the part of many to produce dogs that physically mature earlier than their forefathers. This trend seems to be driven by the desire to title dogs at younger ages, so breeding can start as young as possible. In larger breeds, like the GSD, this feeds the incidence of bone and joint problems. Old-line dogs tend to mature later than the latest-developed bloodlines for the most part, but even those slow maturing lines can be pushed into earlier physical maturity with improper diet (and often are). We need to allow dogs to grow at the rate that is natural for them, not artificially accelerate growth. Also, we need to move away from breeding dogs that mature quickly and back to those whose growth rates are natural and normal.
Not only is there a push to breed dogs that mature more quickly, commercial diets can and do cause rapid growth during times when such rapid growth is detrimental because of improperly balanced nutrients. This is especially seen in giant breeds where bone and joint issues are extremely common in improperly fed individuals. Hip dysplasia, patellar luxation, bone growth problems, and a multitude of other issues are a common result. It is possible that heart health is also affected. Furthermore, allowing puppies to become overweight through free feeding or overfeeding or allowing/encouraging rapid weight gain can also lead to health problems. Hip dysplasia immediately comes to mind in the case of growing pups and young adults.
De-sexing (neutering) has been linked to many types of health problems. A Cornell study found an increased incidence of hip dysplasia, urinary incontinence, cystitis and sexual behaviors in pups neutered (spayed/castrated) at or before 5.5 months of age. It has also been linked to increased risk for ACL tears/ruptures, urinary tract infections, endocrine disorders, vaccine reactions, immune dysfunction, bone cancer, malignant prostate cancer, behavioral changes (particularly in early de-sexing) and cardiac tumors, not to mention changes in metabolism which, without proper management, can result in obesity. Some of the growth problems associated with this practice have a domino effect. For example, removing sex hormones adversely affects the proper development of chest depth (leaving adult dogs with the narrow chests associated with immature dogs). This may not seem a big deal, but that in turn affects the development and proper alignment of the front legs, thereby predisposing these individuals to bone and joint issues in the front quarters. Most of these risks are associated with neutering done before the animal physically matures.
There is further evidence that removing hormones adversely affects adrenal and liver health. This actually makes sense when you look at the adverse affects removal of those hormones have on the immune and endocrine systems (many of the problems caused by malfunction of these systems require the adrenal glands to work harder), as well as the fact that one of the liver’s “duties” is to regulate hormone levels in the body.
Other alternatives for sterilization exist that do NOT include ovario-hysterectomy or castration. Some veterinarians are now offering a partial hysterectomy, by which one of the ovaries is left. Also, some vets are offering vasectomies as an alternative to castration. These procedures leave hormones intact, thereby maintaining the natural state of the body, yet preventing unwanted pregnancy.
Most people are quick to blame genetics for everything that goes wrong in dogs. However, many issues are most likely NOT the fault of genetics but are a direct result of common “responsible” practices such as poor diet, vaccinations, toxins, inappropriate exercise, etc. If many of these disorders were truly genetic, why do so many occur in so many breeds, including breeds that are genetically unrelated (originate in different parts of the world)? Some disorders appear across the board, crossing all breed barriers. A genetic problem should not appear across the board. Issues such as Fanconi Syndrome in Basenjis, ivermectin sensitivity in collies (among others) and hemophilia in many breeds are KNOWN to be genetic. The mode of transmission is known, and in many cases the gene(s) responsible have been identified and tests created to allow identification of carriers among potential breeding stock. The mode of transmission and/or gene(s) responsible for other diseases remain completely elusive after many years of study and research.
It is my feeling the “assumption” that health issues are genetic acts as a red herring for researchers in many cases. They spend precious time and resources concentrating solely on finding the gene(s) responsible for a particular disorder, when in fact that disease is caused by environmental factors (diet, vaccines, toxins, etc) that are fully controllable by breeders and pet owners in most cases. I suspect better results and more successes would be gained from those same researchers evaluating ALL factors of an affected dog’s existence – from its pedigree to the health of relatives, from the diet it has been fed since birth to the vaccinations and toxins it has been subjected to.
Regardless of what researchers choose to expend valuable times and resources pursuing, the fact remains that health problems happen. It happens to the best breeders. The most knowledgeable. And the most cautious. When generations of dogs are subjected to vaccinations, poor diet, hosts of toxins and other factors, there ARE consequences. I believe we are seeing that in the increasingly poor health of far too many dogs – both purebreds and mixed breeds. Dog owners MUST stop blaming breeders for everything and look at what they may be doing to their dogs themselves. Breeders MUST stop the trend of generation after generation of artificial rearing through poor commercial diets, vaccination, parasite control, and various other toxins.
As an example, what if some cases of CHD are due to genetics and others are due entirely to non-genetic factors? Given the current state of affairs, how do we differentiate between the two? How do we locate and identify the gene(s) involved in creating this issue when there are so many cases in the mix that are NOT caused by genetics? How do we make proper, informed decisions about current and future breedings?
It is my firm belief that, if there is to be ANY hope of saving our breeds from continued decline in health resulting in decreasing lifespans, breeders and pet owners alike MUST switch to natural rearing practices. Generations of damage need to be undone, and the current trends in dog care are NOT going to do that. I further believe that if we eliminate health issues created by generations of nutritional deficiency and toxins, it would be far easier to identify the health problems that are genuinely genetic and deal with them appropriately. Right now, the health of our dogs is a lake of genetics seriously muddied by other factors. Factors over which WE have control! It’s time we step up to the line, accept responsibility and take back control.
As a side note, it saddens me that some breeds have come so far from what they were originally as to be incapable of continued existence without artificial intervention such as artificial insemination for impregnating and cesarean sections in lieu of natural birth. However, those breeds are not entirely without hope. Despite their procreative issues, their overall health could still be improved like breeds not so affected with natural rearing practices such as limiting or eliminating vaccinations, feeding a species appropriate raw diet and avoiding toxins.
Below you will find related information and study abstracts I have on file. This is far from being the only information I have discovered on my journey of learning, and there is so much more I’m sure I still have to find. My hope is that the information these links provide will give you a good start on your journey, or help you along with the journey you may already be taking.
http://www.dachshund-dca.org/HealthWelfare/H&W%20art.links/Immune.Sys-Dr.Jean_Dodds.html
Immunological response to MLV vaccines
http://www.autismwebsite.com/ari/newsletter/vaccinations.htm
See what it says about vit C and vaccinations in this article? Vitamin C supplementation actually prevented adverse reactions to vaccinations!
http://www.parents4protest.co.uk/p4p/shaking_baby_syndrome.htm
This is the first time I've seen "histamine intoxication" linked with vaccinations and Vitamin C deficiency. This could explain why so many of our dogs develop such nasty allergy problems after their puppy shots that seem to get worse after boosters. I've seen that for years but wasn't sure what the exact mechanism was. The histamine issue would certainly explain that, particularly in cases where the pup’s body is stressed to the point where it’s liver vitamin C production simply can’t keep up with the body’s need.
http://www.vaclib.org/basic/childabuse.htm
Vitamin C deficiency INCREASES risk of vaccination adverse reactions due to the increased histamine circulating in the blood. Conversely, vaccination INCREASES need for Vitamin C, which when not supplied also increases histamine in the blood – thus increasing allergies and immune response to proteins. If there is any sort of infection or immune-system-at-alert situation, Vitamin C will be depleted AND histamine levels will be increased. Thus the reason I believe we see so many more adverse reactions in animals that are NOT clinically healthy at time of vaccination.
http://www.volhard.com/holistic/artbywv.htm
Vitamin C is essential for healthy immune and musculoskeletal development and function!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epigenetics - definition and explanation of epi-genetiics.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/227013_toxics03.html - “Startling Study on Toxins’ Harm” – artiicle on epi-genetics
http://www.trwnews.net/Documents/Dioxin/epigenics060505.htm - Epi-genetics Skinner Study
http://www.rachel.org/library/getfile.cfm?ID=531 - list of nine different articles on epi-ggenetics
http://dukemednews.duke.edu/news/article.php?id=9322 - “‘Epigenetics’ Means What We Eat, How Wee Live and Love, Alters How Our Genes Behave”
Ascorbic acid supplementation improved antibody response to
infectious bursal disease vaccination in chickens.
http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/132/6/1720S
Discusses the DNA damage caused by vaccinations and the role antioxidants appear to have in preventing that damage.
Immunostimulation by vitamin C.
The role of supplementary dietary antioxidants on immune response in puppies.
IgE reactivity to vaccine components in dogs that developed immediate-type allergic reactions after vaccination.
Elevated blood histamine caused by vaccinations and Vitamin C deficiency may mimic the shaken baby syndrome.
Effect of ascorbic acid supplementation on the immune response of chickens vaccinated and challenged with infectious bursal disease virus.
Given the nature of pet diets coinciding with a heavily processed human diet, I think this is relevant to pets as well as humans!
Vitamin C deficiency and depletion in the United States: the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988 to 1994.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=1399793&dopt=Abstract
Effects of limited food consumption on the incidence of hip dysplasia in growing dogs.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=1604770&dopt=Abstract
The role of nutrition in
canine hip dysplasia.
Inflammation-responsive
transcription factors SAF-1 and c-Jun/c-Fos promote canine MMP-1 gene
expression.
Incidence, risk factors, and heritability estimates of hind
limb lameness caused by hip dysplasia in a birth cohort of boxers.
http://www.caninesports.com/SpayNeuter.html
The article is written by Chris Zink, DVM who specializes in canine sports and
canine sports injuries.
Early Spay-Neuter Considerations for the Canine Athlete
http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/11/11/1434 - abstract
http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/cgi/content/full/11/11/1434
- The full text of the above study.
This may not have implications as far as osteosarcoma risk across the board (ie
all breeds), but in breeds that have a tendency toward bone issues....
I'm really hoping they do further studies on this area.
http://avmajournals.avma.org/doi/abs/10.2460/javma.2005.227.1102;jsessionid=o0mdTHMLlM2dyg5-eK?cookieSet=1&journalCode=javma
Adverse events diagnosed within three days of vaccine administration in
dogs
http://www.vet.purdue.edu/vcs/research/scottmondog-catthyroid.html
Effect of vaccination on canine thyroid function
http://www.vaccinationnews.com/DailyNews/February2002/HaywardFoundStudyVax.htm
http://naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf
Long-Term Health Risks and Benefits Associated with Spay/Neuter in Dogs, by Laura J Sanborn, MS