New Vaccine Guidelines are based on a combination of published and unpublished scientific studies, expert opinion and personal experience.  An ethical veterinarian will consider the science behind the vaccines and develop a vaccination protocol for each individual animal that is rational as well as effective.

General Guidelines for All Animals

1. When possible, give individual vaccines, not combinations (some vaccines only come as combinations and there is no option to give separately)
2. DO NOT give a vaccination while other procedures are being performed, such as dentistries, surgery, grooming and boarding (these situations are already creating stress to the immune system)
3. DO NOT vaccinate a sick animal, no matter how mild the illness
4. DO NOT vaccinate a pregnant animal
5. Do not vaccinate at too young an age as they still have maternal immunity which prevents the vaccine from working

Any animals that have acute or chronic diseases should not be vaccinated. This includes animals with disorders such as food allergies, skin allergies, chronic bouts of diarrhea, chronic eye and ear infections and any immune or autoimmune associated disorder.

2006 AAHA Canine Vaccine Guidelines

AAHA released its first set of canine vaccination guidelines in 2003. The AAHA Canine Vaccine Task Force reconvened in 2005 to re-examine and revise the guidelines to reflect changes in the areas of canine vaccines.

Factors that contributed to the updating of the guidelines include the rise of well-documented duration of immunity studies, industry support of extended re-vaccination intervals and developing areas of shelter medicine.

For the family vet, vaccinations remain a medical decision; however the AAHA strongly suggests that this procedure should be individualized based on the risk and lifestyle of the individual dog. Factors to consider include the age, breed, health status, environment, lifestyle and travel habits.


AAHA guidelines

For many vaccines it is still advised to re-administer adult dogs annually. Other vaccines have proven safer following a triennial administration.

Appropriate vaccine administration is considered the most important for puppies. As a result, AAHA recommends veterinarians follow all prior vaccine protocols for puppies.

For example, the committee universally stipulates that canine parvovirus vaccines should be given initially at six to eight weeks, the second dose at nine to 11 weeks and a third dose at 12-14 weeks.


Booster vaccines

The previous rules don't apply when the puppy reaches adult stage.

AAHA guidelines recommend that veterinarians place vaccines into core and non-core categories when developing a vaccine protocol. This translates into necessary and nice to have depending on the individual.

Core vaccines prevent against high-risk, highly contagious and potentially fatal diseases.

Of the core vaccines for adult dogs, AAHA guidelines suggest re-administration of rabies; canine parvovirus vaccine; canine adenovirus-2 (hepatitis vaccine); and distemper vaccines every three years.

Non-core vaccines can be administered at the discretion of the veterinarian and the pet guardian.

The 2006 AAHA Canine Vaccine Guidelines were developed by a task force composed of practitioners, internists, infectious disease experts, immunologists and those committed to the growing concern of the particular needs of shelter medicine. Task force members include Michael A. Paul, DVM, chair; Leland E. Carmichael, DVM, PhD, DACVM; Henry Childers, DVM, DABVP; Susan Cotter, DVM, DACVIM; Autumn Davidson, DVM, DACVIM; Richard Ford, DVM, DACVIM; Kate F. Hurley, DVM, MPVM; James A. Roth, DVM, PhD, DACVM; Ronald D. Schultz, PhD, DACVM; Eileen Thacker, DVM, DACVM; and Link Welborn, DVM, DABVP.

Get a copy of the full report here.



2006 AAFP Feline Vaccine Guidelines


The American Association of Feline Practitioners released new vaccine guidelines in 2006. The AAFP vaccine guidelines boil down to one ingredient: inoculation should be individualized, based on the patient's needs and risk-to-benefit ratio.

The lists break down by core, non-core and not generally recommended vaccines

Get a copy of the full report here.


In a nutshell

• Vaccines are not harmless. In addition to IMHA and Injection Site Fibrosarcomas, other individual vaccines can cause adverse reactions adverse events and reactions including hypothyroidism HOD and chronic renal failure.
  
  
• Booster vaccines or annual re-administration of modified live virus vaccines like distemper and parvovirus are not necessary; they do not provide added protection. In previously vaccinated adult animals the antibodies from previous vaccinations block the new vaccine. Antibody levels are not increased, memory cells are not increased.
  
  
• Booster shots of Canine Distemper and Parvovirus are not necessary. Modified live vaccines for diseases like Parvovirus and Distemper provide lifetime immunity when administered to adult (>6 mo) dogs and cats.
  
  
• Titers of antibody levels do not accurately predict immunity or lack of immunity.


• No scientific data support the manufacturers’ label directions to re-administer MLV vaccines annually.
  
  
• There is no justification for vaccination of dogs for corona virus.


• There is little justification for annual vaccination of adult cats for Feline Leukemia. Cats over one year of age are immune to FeLV whether they are vaccinated or not. This is age related immunity.
  
  
• The potential side effects outweigh the possible benefits for diseases like Feline Chlamydia, Canine Leptospirosis and Lyme disease.  Moreover, they should not be offered Vaccines in areas of the country where the diseases are very rare. Leptospirosis and Lyme disease are not prevalent in Texas.
  

Veterinarians must be held accountable for providing you, the client, accurate information about efficacy, risk versus benefit, prevalence of disease and potential side effects of each vaccine. If yours does not, find another veterinarian.


References:


1. Dr. Robert L. Rogers, DVM, Critter Advocacy.org

2. Schultz, R.D. - Current & Future Canine & Feline Vaccination Programs. Vet Med 3: No. 3, 233-254, 1998.

3. Schultz, R.D. Duration of Immunity to Canine Vaccines: What We Know and What We Don't Know

4. Schultz, R. D. Comparison of Antibody Titers Among Dogs Vaccinated, One, Two, and Three Years Previously. Proceedings of 80th Meeting of Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases, Chicago, Il,1999
 
 
Sign the Petition to Grant a Medical Exemption from Rabies Shots for Sick and Senior Pets

Give responsible pet owners a reasonable way to obey the law and protect the health of our companion animals.

Sign the petition