Vaccinate or Not To Vaccinate?
We have grown up traditionally with a yearly vaccination scheduled to protect our animals from deadly diseases. The research of pharmaceutical companies has outlined this regime of yearly boosters. City Council and Animal Health Australia regulations apply to all boarding kennels, dog schools, shows, racing, and export animals. These regulations require that canines must hold a current ANNUAL VACCINATION certificate. Further, Pet Insurance policies stipulate an annual vaccination as well.
There is more and more awareness of serious vaccination side effects that are not being published by the manufacturers of vaccines. New challenge studies have shown that the immunity achieved by using canine core vaccines may last for as long as three to seven years. In August 2007, the Vaccination Group of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) announced a recommendation of 3 yearly core vaccination (C3, F3) schedules for dogs and cats.
Questions arising:
Is legislation not complying with the best interests of our precious animals? Perhaps it may be time for a rethink?
If protective immunity lasts considerably longer than one year, is over-vaccination a health concern?
Is there a diagnostic system determining if a booster is needed or not (just as in human medicine)?
Questions that have not been addressed:
Vaccine administration has never been practically evaluated in Australian Veterinary practices, and finding independent data on the topic is difficult, as most research is pharmaceutical-based.
Vaccination Basics
Do not forget, animals have to be healthy to mount the best immune response from vaccination procedures. If not feeling 100% or stressed, it is best to delay it. For the same reason, we never recommend coupling vaccination with dental/surgery or worming procedures.
Natural diet and immune booster supplements are the basis for blooming health and immunity.
Vaccinate from 8 weeks of age, not before!
Before 8 weeks of age, there are still a large number of maternally derived antibodies (MDA) in the circulation from mum to protect the newborn.
These natural immune proteins override the effect of the vaccine, so vaccination is wasted and will only add extra stress to an already overwhelmed puppy (being weaned, taken from mum, new owner, new home, new diet with worming and flea/tick treatment pesticide cascade).
Mixing your puppy/kitten with other animals is safer at about 14-15 weeks of age, approximately 14 days after the second booster, thus by that time the animal acquires enough protection.
Choose the least numbered vaccine, the least combination of infectious agents, as multiple pathogens are not necessarily needed, but they increase immunological stress.
Choose locally acting oral or nasal vaccines if possible. Administration takes a little more effort but provides superior immunity with no side effects attributed to injections. (For example, Kennel cough vaccine drops deposited into nostrils are acting on the respiratory system straight away, which is the infection site.)
If using injections, the live attenuated (weakened) vaccines provide rapid, stronger, and longer-lasting protection compared to killed vaccines.
We do not recommend vaccinating pregnant animals.
Animals with ongoing health problems such as heart, kidney, liver disease, diabetes, hormonal and autoimmune disorders, skin problems, or with previous tumours need special consideration about vaccination. Every individual is different, and they are the ones truly needing a special vaccination program.
Following the international guidelines for canine and feline vaccinations by the Group of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA), there are:
A: Core vaccines – covering the most severe diseases that are difficult to treat and harming mainly young, growing animals with a developing immune system. So they are important!
B: Non-core vaccines: milder diseases and keeping animals in top condition will provide enough protection from natural infections.
C: Not recommended vaccines: questionable immunity after vaccinations for rare diseases with increased immunological stress.
Dogs
Core vaccines: Parvo,Distempere,r and Adenovirus
Non-core vaccines: Parainfluenza, Bordetella, and Leptospirosis
Not recommendedGiardia or Coronavirus.
What’s what then?
C3 = the core vaccines; parvo, distemper and adenovirus
C4 = C3 + parainfluenza virus (part of kennel cough)
C5 = C4+ Bordatella br. Bact (part of kennel cough)
C6 –C10=Ccoronavirusss, leptospirosis, Giardia, tetanus, Lyme disease
Cats
Core vaccines:panleucopaenia (FPV or feline parvovirus), herpesvirus (FHV), calicivirus (FCV)
Non-core vaccines: Leukaemia virus (FeLV), Chlamydia
Not recommendedfeline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), Feline infectious peritonitis (FIV), Giardiosis.
What’s what then?
F3 = core vaccines FPV, F, H,V and FCV
F4 = F3 + FeLV
F5 = F4+ FIV
F6 = F5+ giardia.
Side effects of vaccines?
For years, veterinarians documented a small number of animals, especially toy breed dogs, with acute reactions after injecting a vaccine. These reactions included local itching, facial oedema, low-grade fever, muscle aches and pand ain, lethargy for a few days.
A small number of animals will have a latent local skin reaction, ranging from cyst formation to tumours, which may become malignant. These are document short-term side effects.
Long-term and cumulative effects are harder to follow. In practice, we have noticed the flare-up of skin, ear, and degenerative diseases within 2 months of vaccination or heartworm injections.
Is anyone connecting vaccination over-vaccination as a potential immune modulator?
How about today’s increasing number of autoimmune ailments, neurological, learning disorders, canine autism, rage syndrome, eye and skin disease, and inflammatory joint problems…? These “new age” syndromes were rare before 198; the beginning of parvo vaccinations.
After all, we want healthy and immune-protected animals with the least possible vaccination!
Is there a quick and relatively inexpensive way to check immunity status before a booster?
Yes, hurray! After natural infection or vaccination, the body’s response is specific.
White blood cells will produce identical antibodies (Ig M andIgGIgGGnst the “infectious agent”. These antibodies can now be measured from the blood with dry-phase ISA serology testing, just by taking a few drops of blood.
In-clinic test provides useful information to:
• Diagnose infection, evaluate response to natural exposure
• Assess post-vaccination effectiveness
• Unknown vaccination history, orphans
• Check current immune status before vaccination
Animal Options Recommended Vaccine Regime
TimeDogsCats
From 8 weeks C3F3
From 12 weeksC3 or C4F3
From 16 weeksC3 +/- kennel cough nasalF3
20 weeks Titer test to check gained puppy immuni,ty Titer test to check gained kitten immunity
Yearly or at any ageTitre test to assess immune status a few drops of blood). A numerical system to reflect the level of immunity:
1-zero immunity
2-very low immunity
3-low immunity
Re-vaccination recommended.
Dogs -C3+/- kennel cough nasal vaccine
Cats -F3
Will issue vaccination certificate.4-sufficient immunity
5-high immunity
6-very high immunity
Vaccination is not needed, and we will issue a vaccination titre certificate.
Animal Options now offers a new blood test called Titre Testing. This test reveals each pet’s antibody status. The results are then interpreted to determine if your pet is currently protected against a specific infectious disease or if an appropriate vaccine booster should be administered.
