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FAQA perspective about vaccination protocols 
By Dr. Greg Harasen
Animal Clinic of ReginaPublished as the "Vet's Corner" article appearing in the Regina Humane Society's Voice of the animals, Summer 2004 edition. Reprinted with permission. If you’re like most pet owners, the most common reason why you visit your veterinarian is for annual vaccinations. Those of use who have been pet owners for a number of years will remember the scores of animals who suffered and died due to canine and feline distemper and canine parvovirus. There is no question that routine vaccination has been responsible for dramatically reducing the incidence of these diseases and just as dramatically increasing the average lifespan of our pets. For most of the last four decades, the veterinary profession has worked to get as many pets vaccinated as possible and to maintain that vaccine protection throughout an animal’s life. While there are still many unvaccinated animals around, we have a great many pets who are extensively vaccinated on an annual basis. In recent years, many questions have been asked about our small animal vaccines and veterinarians are re-evaluating the vaccines they give and the frequency with which they administer them. Not that many years ago there was little debate in the area of pet vaccination; we vaccinated against distemper and rabies, the vaccines were labelled for annual use and so we followed label directions. As parvovirus, feline leukemia, feline pneumonitis, lyme disease, feline infectious peritonitis among other diseases became more common and vaccines were developed, many were simply added to the annual vaccination “shot.” Researchers began asking about he possible consequences of combining all these components at one time. Which vaccines were really necessary? Did immunity last one year or maybe longer? The catch-22 of the situation was that most available information on safety, efficacy, and duration of vaccine immunity originated with the vaccine-producing companies. They were required to meet certain licensing standards in terms of demonstrating safety and efficacy and also had to demonstrate that their products provided one year’s immunity. One can readily understand that these companies had no reason to try to demonstrate that the immunity produced by their products might be any longer than one year; licensing agencies did not require this and such a finding would hardly boost vaccine sales! In recent years, some independent vaccine research has been conducted, although most veterinarians would agree that it isn’t nearly enough. Based on this research, many clinics have begun making changes in their vaccine recommendations. These changes are likely to be ongoing for some time to come and you may receive slightly different advice from different clinics or different veterinarians. This is simple due to each clinic and each veterinarian trying to apply the latest information and the currently available vaccine products to their clients’ animals. While there is much still to be learned, there are some points on which there is general agreement: 1. Puppies and kittens are the most susceptible to disease. They should begin their vaccinations at 8 weeks with a booster vaccination 4 weeks later. Puppies should be bolstered a third time at 16 weeks. 2. All cats and dogs should receive a full set of vaccinations again, one year after their final puppy or kitten vaccinations. 3. Thereafter, vaccination in adult animals will need to be tailored to the needs of the individual animal and owner. Certain pets may be at a higher risk of exposure to specified diseases or may be travelling to places that require specific vaccines. Current rabies vaccination is required for travel to the U.S. and many boarding kennels require vaccination against kennel cough, for example. 4. The immunity produced by most vaccines in healthy adult animals is longer than the 1 year certified on the label and may, in some cases, be 3-5 years or longer. 5. As the need for vaccinations diminishes in elderly animals, the need for regular examinations and blood tests increases. Don’t hesitate to discuss vaccinations with your veterinarian. Ask them about the program used in their clinic and the reasons for their recommendations. This information will help you choose the best care for your pet.
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