Kevin Toman, DVMFounder, Helping Pets Live Longer · Veterinary Longevity Specialist

Are Vaccines Shortening Your Dog’s Life? Could be. Here’s what you need to know. #doghealth #dogs

19 Dec 2025 · 1 min

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1:25

In this solo video, Dr. Kevin Toman, a veterinarian with four decades of experience, examines common canine vaccination practices and argues that many are over‑administered. He explains that parvovirus immunity typically lasts 5‑7 years, yet some vets require yearly boosters. He notes that the Bordetella vaccine provides only about three months of protection and should be timed for specific events like boarding or shows. He questions the routine use of leptospirosis and influenza vaccines for dogs with low exposure risk, citing the extremely low flu case count in the U.S. Dr. Toman contends that unnecessary vaccines cause systemic inflammation, which can shorten a dog’s lifespan, and advocates for a risk‑based, lifestyle‑specific vaccination schedule. He concludes by promoting his service at helpingpetslivelonger.com to help owners design individualized vaccine plans.

Chapters

Are vaccines shortening your dog's life? Listen, I've been in veterinary practice for 40 years, so I remember when parvo first hit, and it killed virtually every dog it came into contact with. So I well understand the benefits of vaccines for rabies and for parvo. But here's what I don't understand. I don't understand why some veterinarians are mandating parvo vaccines every year when the best in science shows that they're good for anywhere between 5 and 7 years in the average adult dog. I don't understand why veterinarians are mandating Bordetella vaccines when we know that they're good for just 3 months at a spell and so should be given right before a boarding kennel or right before a show appearance. I don't understand why city dogs are being mandated to get country dog vaccines like leptospirosis when they're not at risk. And above all else, I don't understand why any dog is being given a flu vaccine when there were only 7 cases in the whole United States this last year. Listen, vaccines are wonderful things and they are important to your dog's health, but only if used in response to your dog's own lifestyle risks. Unnecessary vaccines create inflammation in your dog's system and that will shorten their life. I'm Dr. Kevin Toman Toman. I run helpingpetslivelonger.com and I'd be honored to work with you and your dog to help them live their best life.