Dr. Kevin Toman questions whether dogs need routine flu shots. Manufacturer data from 2025 shows only 14 cases of canine influenza among 14,000 dogs tested, all in three states. He argues most dogs don't need the vaccine and suggests unnecessary vaccination may trigger inflammation that accelerates aging.
Chapters
Well, hey you guys, and welcome to The Longevity Vet. I'm Dr. Kevin Toman Toman, and I'm glad you're here. Today we're going to talk about the canine flu. Is it an essential vaccine, or is it essentially absent? Canine flu was discovered back in 2004, and by 2009 they had developed a vaccine against it. And every year since then, over 500,000 pets have been vaccinated each year against canine flu. But what's the actual incidence in 2025? According to the vaccine manufacturer themselves, they've tested over 14,000 dogs and found a grand total of 14 cases centered only in 3 states: California, Virginia, and Georgia. So unless you have a show dog or a dog who lives in those 3 states, why would we vaccinate against such a rare disease? Why does this matter to you and me? Because vaccines by definition trigger inflammation. Inflammation triggers aging, and aging causes death.