Vaccinations- Yes Or No?

I know is this a very controversial subject so lets try to keep it civil. I am asking because I love and care for my furkids as well as my own son. For my human baby, I have decided to delay his vaccinations. I have done the research and this is my gut instinct. Plus, his half brother got a settlement from the vaccine manufacturer when he was diagnosed with Autism. I am not saying that I think Vaccines (or the MMR shot in particular) directly cause Autistm, but shooting babies up with so many things all at once is too much for their fragile immune systems to handle.

Siz week old puppies get a 5 in 1 shot, and then a 7 in one a few weeks later. I know shots hurt, of course they do, but they are SubQ, just under the skin, not in a vein or in a muscle, so it's not a horrible pain. Many of us have given our furbabies SubQ fluids several times a day! And with a much bigger needle I may add.

My worry is not the pain of the shot. I just think giving a 1lbs Yorkie puppy the same shot you would give a 15lbs Lab puppy (I have no idea how much larger breeds actually weigh, forgive me) doesn't make sense.

I plan on ordering my own vaccines from the vet supply company my breeder orders his from, but I want to do more research on what is truly necessary and when is best to give the shots, as well as hopefully finding individual shots instead of combos.

You can call me a hippy, but I breastfeed my baby and don't vax him yet and he's never been sick a day in his 1 and a half years.

I Cannot Move On. I Miss Him Too Much.

On the evening of Wednesday, May 6, 2009, I lost my best friend, my dog Snook. I have (well, had) 4 dogs, but Snook was my favorite. I feel awful saying that but we just loved each other so much. I want to write a whole tribute thread about him with his story and all, but right now I need to get some support from people who understand what I'm going through.

I came home that night and the dogs all ran outsite to go potty. I put my 17 month old son down, and went to put my purse on my bed. Snook ALWAYS used to run with me to my room, and jump up the stairs to my bed and give me so many kisses while I changed. Sometimes I even felt if other people saw me making out with my dog they would think I was sick, him licking me all over while I got out of my stinky work clothes. But for some reason he just ran right outside that day and accross the street.

It's my fault. I had been saving up for a fence for a while so they couldn't get in trouble but I was waiting for my tax refund check to get the fence money. It arrived a few days too late.

Seriously it was only a few seconds went by, and I came outside to be with the dogs and I saw this guy come walk up my drive way. I asked him who he was, quite rudely. All the dogs were barking like mad and then I realized he was holding Snook and I screamed. Snook was panting HARD. His belly was all scratched up. But at the time I didn't realize how bad it was. He explained that he jumped over HIS fence to break up a fight between the big dogs accross the street next to his house and my little Snook, a 7lb Chorkie. He did manage to get my Maltese, Rocco, out of harms way.

Snook had tried to walk home.

Poor Snook was coming to be with me. He was hurt, broken and defeated.

I rushed him to the ER vet but they wanted so much to stabalize him. They said it would be 10 grand to do surgery to try to save him but even then the odds were against it. I didn't have the money and no one would lend it to me. I'm a single mom. Snook was in such pain, even with the medicine they gave him.

My dad was holding my baby boy, I was holding Snook, crying and sobbing and completely hystarical. I begged everyone, the doctors, my dad, everyone to please save him but they would not. I gave them all the money I had, about $400 cash, but it wasn't enough to stabalize him to assess him. The doctor showed me where his intestines were oozing out of his abdomin, and it was enough. My dad was yelling at me to "Put the dog down."

I had to decide. He was in misery, I had to help him.

I had read before that even as you put a dog to sleep they will give you kisses, so I held Snook and asked for kisses but his tounge was just hanging out of his mouth and his eyes were darting back and forth (the vet said this meant he was brain damaged) and he couldn't kiss me. He was struggling to breathe and I begged them to intibate him but they would not.

It happened too fast, mercifully for Snook, but I will never forget the way his heart felt and sounded as it halted to a stop.

I can't write anymore. I've been trying to write this down for weeks but I just can't go further. I want it documented, but its too hard to continue. I will try to finish it when I can. I have been unable to eat since this happened except for about 5 times total. I wish I could die myself, but I have my baby boy to take car of. I manage not to cry until he goes to sleep. I have to stay strong for my other dogs, and tomorrow I have to return to work. I don't think I can do it. I left my baby at my mom's tonight because she really wanted me to try to get some sleep so I can work in the morning.

I am sorry if this is too much to write on here.....and I am SO VERY SORRY for everyone else's losses as well. This is so much harder than I ever imagined. I miss my Snook. I want my friend. I wish I could have a second chance. I would never let him out of my sight.