Vaccination Protocols: One Breeder's Perspective After A Review of the Literature
by A. Jalynn Almond
First let me start by saying that I am not a veterinarian and am not purporting to give veterinary advice. That being said, I am concerned about the role of vaccines, both pro and con, in my dogs' life. Because of that concern, I have researched and read many articles, studies, anecdotal stories and other information in an attempt to become as informed on this issue as possible.
Based on that research, I have learned that during the past 50+ years, in close parallel with the development of vaccines for the prevention of infectious diseases in humans, many vaccines have also been developed to prevent a variety of infectious diseases in dogs. Over time, annual vaccination of dogs against these diseases became the accepted practice and the vaccines were licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for one (1) year.
Research published as early as 1998 by Dr. Ronald D. Schultz, Chair of the Department of Pathobiological Sciences at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, challenged the long-held assumptions regarding the necessity of annual re-vaccination of dogs and the age at which initial vaccinations should begin in puppies.
Specifically, in his article "Consideration in Designing Effective and Safe Vaccination Programs for Dogs", Dr. Schultz listed 16 canine vaccinations licensed in the U.S. which are commercially available. Of these vaccines, he divides them into "core" vaccines which are considered essential for all dogs, and "non-core" which he posits should only be used on dogs considered at high risk, on a limited basis, or as in the case of canine coronavirus, not at all. According to Dr. Schultz, vaccines for the core diseases, specifically canine distemper (CDV), canine parvovirus-2 (CPV-2), and canine adenovirus-2 (CAV-2) (and for purposes of this article, not including the core vaccine for rabies) have been shown by experimental challenge studies and/or serologic studies to provide immunity to the dog for a minimum of seven years post-vaccination.
Based upon the research of Dr. Schultz and others, in 2003, the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) Canine Task Force released its first set of guidelines specifically addressing canine vaccination and advocating a number of changes to the generally accepted (annual) vaccine protocols. In 2006 these guidelines were revised with the primary differences between the 2003 and 2006 guidelines being that the last "puppy" dose of core vaccinations should be given at 14-16 weeks of age, followed by a "booster" at one year of age and then no more often than every three (3) years thereafter.
While I think that the changes for "core" vaccination recommendations from annually to once every three years is a step in the right direction, I am still concerned that studies and challenges conducted by independent researchers and the AAHA found that the vaccines were providing immunity for a minimum of seven (7) years--not three (3) years. So the question then becomes whether or not there is any benefit to giving our dogs vaccinations more frequently than may be actually necessary? The answer to this question appears to be "No". As I understand it, if your puppy/dog has already developed immunity from his vaccination, a second or subsequent vaccination can not then make him "more immune". In fact, it appears that the previous immunity will essentially block or neutralize the antigens from the subsequent vaccine.
Moreover, there appears to be evidence to suggest that while vaccinations have helped to eradicate or reduce severe and acute diseases, vaccination is itself not without risk such that we may have traded the acute, severe diseases for other chronic and insidious diseases and conditons which are themselves difficult to treat or incurable. For example, 1) a study conducted by the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine found that vaccinated dogs (but not unvaccinated dogs) developed autoantibodies to many of their own biochemicals; 2) an August 2003 study published in the Journal of Veterinary Medicine showed that some dogs, like cats, develop vaccine-induced cancers at their injection sites; 3) a vaccine manufacturers' manual and published veterinary articles acknowledge that modified-live vaccines (MLV) can cause a fast-acting and typically fatal disease in dogs called autoimmune hemolytic anaemia (AIHA); 4) a 2000 article published in the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine has found an apparent correlation between vaccination and arthritis; 5) allergic reactions and anaphylactic shock are well-known and documented vaccination risks; and 6) there appears to be some anecdotal evidence suggesting that within a short time post-vaccination, some dogs have developed chronic problems with encephalitis, skin allergies, epilepsy, persistent upper respiratory infections, irritable bowel syndromes, auto-immune diseases, cancer and attention deficit disorders.
So what does all this mean? Should we not give our dogs any vaccinations? There are some who take the "no vaccination" position and they point to the previously referenced vaccine-associated risks to support their position. There are also those who give their dogs homeopathic remedies called nosodes for the same reasons. The nosode proponents contend that the nosodes moderate a disease condition if the animal is exposed, even though they do not prevent the animal from getting the disease. These "no vaccination" and nosode proponents also find support for their concerns from holistic practitioners and homeopathic veterinarians. Many of these holistic practitioners and homeopathic veterinarians stop short of saying "no" to all vaccines, however they generally take the position that "risk of exposure" should be the dog or pet owner's main consideration in making the decision to vaccinate or not. Many of these same holistic practitioners and homeopathic veterinarians are strong advocates and proponents of safer vaccines, such as the vector vaccines currently being researched and developed.
Are there any other options? Yes, albeit an imperfect choice. That option is to titer your dog. Titers involve the taking of a blood sample from your dog and performing tests to measure the level of antibody that has been produced as a result of natural (exposure to the disease) or artificial (vaccination) immunity. Titers are expressed as a ratio representing how many times the blood could be diluted before you would not find any more antibodies in the blood. Unfortunately, is it not quite as simple as saying that if the ratio is below "X" then a re-vaccination is needed to "boost" immunity. Even if a titer shows an absence of antibodies in the blood (or an antibody level below the "accepted" ratio), the titer can not measure memory cells (white blood cells which respond with protective antibodies when challenged by a disease) or prove that the dog is not immune. Titers can provide benefits which are difficult to quantify, however, including peace of mind and a good working relationship with your veterinarian. For those breeders or pet owners who prefer a more "holistic" approach to caring for their dogs but who are not willing to take the risks associated with not giving any vaccinations, a minimal vaccination program during puppyhood and periodic titers thereafter can reassure both the breeder/owner and the veterinarian that the dog is adequately protected from the virus(es). Of course, the difficulty comes when the titer ratios are less than optimal, at which point the breeder/owner and their veterinarian must decide on whether the risks associated with re-vaccination are worthwhile when compared and contrasted with the potential benefit.
For myself, in trying to balance the health needs of my puppies and adult dogs with my concerns about over-vaccination, I have opted to take a middle-of-the-road approach. Specifically, I do not let my puppies go to their new homes until after my puppies have received their initial "core" vaccination for CDV, CPV-2, and CAV-2 at ten (10) weeks of age. I then revaccinate my puppies with the same core vaccine (and advise my new puppy owners to do likewise) at 14 weeks of age and give a rabies vaccination after 16 weeks of age). Approximately one year after the last puppy vaccination, I have my dogs titered. To date, all of my dogs/puppies have shown antibodies after titering at that age. Thereafter, I continue to run periodic titers on my dogs to determine their antibody level. Any subsequent revaccination decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis for each of my dogs but because I take my dogs to so many dog shows and other public events where I can not be sure that the other dogs present are "disease-free", for me the benefits of very infrequent revaccination outweigh the risks of my dogs potentially contracting the disease from exposure to other dogs. Even so, I will be very surprised if any of my dogs have more than 3-4 total "core" vaccinations (excluding rabies) throughout the course of their lives. Of course, my position is always subject to change as new circumstances arise and as I obtain new information, but for me at this juncture, I have not reached the point where I am willing to go "no vaccine" or nosode, nor am I willing to vaccinate my dogs without at least some empirical evidence to support that an additional vaccination is warranted for the health of my dog.
I urge everyone who reads this article to do their own research, consider their (and their dog's) own particular lifestyle and circumstances, and have a frank discussion with their veterinarian about vaccination. Only then can you begin to make an informed decision on what is best for you and your dog.
References
Schultz, R. D., Current and Future Canine and Feline Vaccination Programs. Vet Med 93:233-254, 1998.
Schultz, R.D., Ford, R.B., Olsen, J., Scott, Fl. Titer testing and vaccinations: a new look at traditional practices. Vet Med, 97:1-13 2002 (insert).
Hogenesch, H., Azcona-Olivera, J., Scott-Moncreiff, C., et al. Vaccine-induced autoimmunity in the dog. Adv Vet Med 41:733-744, 1999.
Mouzin, D.E., Lorenzen, M.J., Haworth, et al. Duration of serologic response to five viral antigens in dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc 224:55-60, 2004.
Carmichael, L (Ed.), Recent Advances in Canine Infectious Diseases, 2000.
Paul, MA (chair) et al. Report of the AAHA Canine Vaccine Task Force: 2003 canine vaccine guidelines, recommendations, and supporting literature. AAHA, Spril 2003, 22 pp.
Duval, D., Giger, U. Vaccine-Associated Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia in the Dog. J Vet Int Med 10:290-295, 1996.
Twark, L, Dodds WJ. Clinical application of serum parvovirus and distemper virus antibody titers for determining revaccination strategies in healthy dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc 217:1021-1024, 2000.
Effects of Vaccination on the Endocrine and Immune Systems of Dogs, Phase II, Purdue University, November 1, 1999, www.vet.purdue.edu/epi/gdhstudy.htm
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