What You Need to Consider About Your Pets Immunizations

PET IMMUNIZATION

VACCINATIONS AND BOOSTERS

Introductory Remarks.

• I passionately believe that all cats and dogs should be safely immunized against life-threatening diseases.
• I am concerned about the safety, efficacy, and necessity of vaccinations for our pets.
• Establishing lifelong protective immunity to potentially fatal viruses is crucial for pet longevity.
• There is a serious disconnect between established pet vaccination guidelines and the science of established immunity for dogs and cats properly immunized as puppies and kittens.
• There are risks in over-vaccination. There are potential health consequences of injecting adjuvants into their pets every year and the risks of immunologic side effects.
• I do not consider myself an “anti-vaxxer.” I am all for the proper use of the right vaccinations to achieve lifelong immunity for our companion animals.

Increasingly pet parents are now skeptical about vaccinating their pets. Some experts blame this trend on the pandemic, but it is not a new trend. Vaccine hesitancy is not new. Pet parents have been genuinely concerned about the potential of the long-term effects of repeated vaccinations for some time.

I personally feel that the disconnect between the current science of pet immunization, veterinarians and their associations and the manufacturers of pet vaccines has created this trend.

How Long Do Vaccines Really Last?

Recent research into antibody titer testing indicates that vaccine-induced immunity against canine parvo, distemper, and adenovirus is durable, and that these tests are valuable as a measure of immunity, especially in senior and geriatric dogs.

The results of one study showed that 50% of previously vaccinated elderly dogs were protected against the three core diseases; another study concluded that vaccines against these diseases confer immunity for at least 5 years in most dogs.

A positive titer means a pet is protected against disease; however, a negative titer does not necessarily mean a pet is vulnerable to disease.

Vaccinations do not always result in immunization — titer tests determine if an animal is protected or not.

Two recently published studies highlight both the durability of core vaccine-induced immunity against parvovirus, distemper, and adenovirus in dogs, as well as the value of antibody titer tests to measure immunity, especially in older pets.

Over 50% of Elderly Dogs Were Protected Against Core Diseases

In a study published in June in the journal Veterinary Sciences, veterinary researchers in Italy set out to measure antibody titers against the three diseases listed above in elderly dogs using an in-house test called VacciCheck.

The study analyzed 350 elderly dogs whose ages ranged from 5 to 19 years, including 258 seniors (73.7%) and 92 geriatrics (26.3%). Of the 350, 97.4% were vaccinated at least once in their lives. The results showed that:

More than half of the entire study population of many minimally vaccinated dogs (52.9%), including 80.5% seniors and 19.5% geriatrics, had positive titers simultaneously for all three diseases.

Specific positive titers were found in 88.6% of aging dogs for parvo, 82.3% for adenovirus, and 66.0% for distemper; these numbers demonstrate that aging dogs who are unprotected against these diseases are in the minority.

Larger elderly dogs were more protected than smaller ones for parvo.

Protection decreases over time, with geriatric dogs less protected than senior ones.

The researchers concluded that positive antibody titers could represent "a good biomarker of protection and their titration could become a standard of care, especially in such a sensitive period of the dogs' life.

Majority of Dogs Were Protected for at Least 5 Years.

In the second study, veterinary researchers at the University of Georgia evaluated antibody titers against the same three diseases in dogs with known vaccination histories and lifestyles, analyzing the effect of life stage, exposure risk, and time since last vaccination (TSLV).

The study analyzed 188 clinically healthy dogs representing a variety of ages, breeds, and vaccination history. The results showed that adenovirus and parvo titers decreased, while distemper titers had a decreasing trend with increasing time since last vaccination or vaccination interval.

In addition:

62% of dogs had positive titers for distemper 5 years after their last vaccination.

92% of dogs had positive titers for adenovirus and parvo 5 years after their last vaccination.

Both advanced age and life stage were associated with lower titers and thus, identify a canine population cohort at higher disease risk.

How do We Choose to Vaccinate and Immunize?

This is a very personal choice. For sure. Your personal situation and the environment you raise your pet in all play a role in how you choose to immunize your pet.

Here are some things to consider before each vaccine for your furry friend.

1. Your pet is healthy. Animals must be healthy to receive vaccines, so if you pet has allergies, endocrine issues, organ dysfunction, cancer (or is a cancer survivor, or another medical issue he or she should NOT be a candidate to receive vaccines.
2. It is for life-threatening disease.
3. Your pet has the opportunity to be exposed to the disease.
4. The vaccine is considered both effective and safe.
5. Do not vaccinate a pet that has had a previous vaccine reaction of any kind.
6. If you do vaccinate your pet, consider providing a homeopathic vaccine detox such as Thuja.

There is so much more we can talk about regarding vaccines and immunization. This is such a critical area of pet health and the interactions we have with our DVM’s.  What is right for one pet family may not necessarily be right for another.

Ask your questions!

Research your options!

Make an informed decision!

The Proof is in the PooP!