Vaccination Issues and Current
Policies
(What you should know about
vaccination!)
This letter is meant to inform
you of our current vaccination protocols and issues that should be considered
when pets are vaccinated. We have
instituted new vaccine protocols based on current research and recommendations
from the American Veterinary Medical Association, American Animal Hospital
Association, and the American Association of Feline Practitioners. As your pet comes in for its routine vaccination and health
exam we will do a risk assessment and offer new recommendations.
We are also updating our health care packages to reflect these changes.
You may also elect to continue with the traditional vaccine protocol that
has served us well in the past. As
veterinarians, we want your pets to stay as healthy as possible. We do not want to see infectious disease increase.
However, we also want to reduce the potential for negative effects from
over-vaccination.
In recent years many
veterinarians have changed their recommendations regarding the frequency of
vaccinations. Currently, most
manufacturers recommend revaccination at yearly intervals.
This is more of a result of vaccine licensing requirements, than because
immunity is likely to wane from the vaccine.
Until recently few studies had been done to prove how long vaccines are
really effective. In addition,
vaccination was considered to be a safe procedure that was generally free of
significant side effects and risk. Unfortunately,
a perfect, risk-free vaccine does not exist.
There is growing evidence
indicating that protection from the current vaccines is longer lasting than
previously believed. In addition,
there is increased awareness and concern that vaccination is not as harmless a
procedure as once thought. At least
some vaccinations have been implicated in various risks.
This awareness and concern have led to a growing number of authorities
(such as infectious disease experts, immunologists, and researchers) as well as
practitioners to recommend reduced frequency of vaccinations and/or tailoring
vaccine recommendations to specific risk situations. An important thing to realize is that this kind of extension
is not possible in all situations or for all vaccines.
In veterinary medicine the
widespread use of vaccines has effectively and inexpensively prevented death and
suffering in millions of animals following exposure to infectious organisms. Without question, vaccines have saved countless lives.
However, among the most controversial issues facing companion animal
practitioners today are those that focus on vaccine safety and vaccine strategy.
Are we vaccinating too often or with to many vaccines. Some have attributed every ill of the canine and feline pet
populations, from allergies to arthritis to severe immune system breakdowns, to
excessive use of vaccines. Others
insist that vaccines are relatively harmless and that the benefits outweigh the
risks. Surveys have been published
showing that veterinarians in the United States recommend exceptionally diverse
vaccination protocols ranging from "no vaccination" to "every dog
and every cat receives every (licensed) vaccine every year". Such extremes
are probably inappropriate today. Where
does the truth lie?
Vaccines trigger protective
immune responses in pets and prepare them to fight future infections from
disease-causing agents. Vaccines
can lessen the severity of future diseases and certain vaccines can prevent
infection altogether. Experts agree
that widespread use of vaccines within the last century has prevented death and
disease in millions of animals. Even
though some formerly common diseases have now become uncommon, vaccination is
still highly recommended because many of these highly contagious and deadly
diseases continue to be present in the environment.
Remember that while vaccination is not without risk, failure to vaccinate
leaves your pet vulnerable to fatal illnesses that are preventable.
No vaccine is 100% protective and your pet may still contract the disease
if exposed. Still, in most cases,
the risks associated with vaccination are much smaller than the risks of disease
if vaccines were not given.
Vaccination should be considered
a serious medical decision. Although we may make it look like a simple 'shot'
there are many variables that we have considered.
The AVMA recommends that veterinarians customize vaccination programs to
the needs of each patient. Pets
should only be vaccinated when they appear healthy upon physical exam.
Giving vaccines to sick or infected pets may not help the pet, and may
put the pet at risk for other problems. Since
vaccines are meant to stimulate the immune system, giving the pet too many
vaccines at one time may cause problems. Not all vaccines are created equal. There are many
manufacturers, and types of vaccines. We
take careful consideration in selecting the manufacturers and components
vaccines used at our hospital. As
well, we ensure proper transportation, storage and handling of vaccination
products. You should allow your pet
to only be vaccinated by trained veterinary staff with vaccines that have been
chosen for their known effectiveness. You
should only allow vaccines to be given to your pet if you are satisfied the
vaccine product has been properly handled and refrigerated from manufacturer to
administration.
Some pets are homebodies and
have minimal opportunity for exposure to infectious disease, whereas others have
a great deal of exposure to other pets and/or wildlife by virtue of their
activities. Still other pets live
in geographic areas that place them at greater risk for contracting some
infectious diseases. Differences in
lifestyle illustrate the importance of customizing a vaccination program to
individual patients.
The concepts of “Core”
vs “Non-Core” vaccines and “Risk Assesment” are central to
how we develop a vaccine plan for each pet.
"Core" vaccines are recommended for most pets in a particular
area. They include vaccines for: 1. Zoonotic diseases,
2. High risk, highly virulent diseases that have serious consequences if
contracted, and which are universally distributed within the U.S. or very common
in our area, "Non-core"
vaccines are reserved for pets with unique needs.
These include vaccines for: 1.
Use only in animals that have a defined risk for a particular disease, 2. Low
risk diseases that have minimal consequences if contracted, 3. Diseases that are
regionally distributed but not common locally,
4. Diseases that only manifest in particularly high population
concentrations (i.e. shelters, breeding facilities, catteries).
We will consider your pet's particulars, the diseases at hand, and the
application of available vaccines to customize a vaccine recommendation for your
pet.
Annual physical examinations are
very important whether your pet is vaccinated annually or less frequently.
The historic protocol of annual vaccination has long encouraged the more
important annual physical examination. Given
his or her shorter life span, a pet ages much more rapidly than a human does.
In addition, a pet does not always show signs of early disease, nor can
he or she easily communicate discomfort to us. Veterinarians can best detect and
prevent problems such as heart disease, kidney and liver disease, dental
disease, cancer, and parasites by examining a pet annually.
In addition, questions about behavior, nutrition, and preventive care
should be addressed on at least an annual basis.
One of the advantages of decreased vaccine administration is the reduced
cost of basic health care. This may
make it easier for you to afford recommended diagnostic tests, provide better
nutrition, or provide for nonurgent care for your pet before the need becomes
urgent.
When one considers the
multitudes of vaccine types and combinations and the many different situations
dogs & cats live within, it is not too surprising to find that different
veterinarians may recommend a different group of vaccines.
The best advice is to hook up with a veterinarian that you trust and go
with their recommendation.
To see our current
recommendations for dogs and cats please click on the following links.