New Approach to Vaccination of the Canine, part 2
High Priority ("Core") Vaccines
The high-priority vaccines are those protecting against diseases that are of
greatest risk to the dogs or to public health, and those that carry a large
benefit-risk ratio. Possible vaccines that might be included in many core
programs would include:
1. canine parvovirus-2 (CPV-2)
2. canine distemper virus (CDV)
3. infectious hepatitis, controlled by canine adenovirus-2 (CAV-2).
(4.) rabies (RV) - a priority in all but the "rabies-free" countries
At this time, most products intended for vaccinating for CAV-2 , also
includes Parainfluenza (PI), so vaccination for Parainfluenza may be
included by default.
Rabies vaccine is almost a "no-brainer", as it is considered a core vaccine
in most areas, and is high priority and governed by state law in the United
States. Although there appear to be some rabies-free areas in Canada, most
dogs in the US should receive a rabies vaccine between 4 and 6 months, with
a booster a year later, and then every three years. There are a few states
with a high rabies incidence that may require an earlier initial vaccine,
and yearly revaccination.
Minimalist Approach
Like many decisions, the vaccination decision comes down to risk versus
benefit. The absolute minimum requirement would be vaccination with the
high priority vaccines at least one time after the age of 4 months, and
revaccination with rabies vaccine according to area law. Using this
minimalist approach, a dog living in a rabies-free area may only have one
injection in its entire life. This approach might be useful in families of
dogs that are at risk for adverse reactions to vaccines such as anaphylaxis
or autoimmune disease.
But the minimalist approach is risky. Knowing that the parvovirus vaccine
is over 90% effective is not much comfort if you are in the small percentage
whose dog is unprotected and that dog brings it home to your puppies. Then
there is always the worry that some puppies will be contract disease between
the ages of 6-12 weeks, when protection by maternal antibodies begins to
wane. And there are some breeds that don't appear to "immunize easily"
(Dobermans, Rottweilers). There is concern that the initial vaccines may
not be effective due to poor handling or other reasons, and that extra
vaccines are necessary for "insurance". There is also concern that without
the vaccines to draw pet owners in for annual veterinary visits,
life-threatening conditions may go unnoticed.
Titers
Titer tests (blood tests to attempt to determine the dog's level of
immunization) are also becoming more common, but are inconvenient and
expensive in some areas, and remain somewhat controversial.
As yet, there is no consensus on the usefulness of titers. Critics point
out that there have been no studies to determine what levels actually confer
protection from disease, or if there is even a correlation between antibody
levels and susceptibility to disease. Some maintain that there is a
difference between protection from infection, and protection from disease.
Also somewhat suspect is the lack of standardization for tests determining
antibody concentration.
Dr. Richard Ford, of North Carolina State University, states, "The risk
lies in the fact that a single serum sample divided three times and sent to
three different laboratories is quite likely to yield three different
titers, and quite possibly three different interpretations. What may be
deemed 'protective' by one laboratory could well be labeled 'susceptible' by
another. Furthermore, it is important to note that a vaccinated dog or cat
that does not have a significant concentration of antibody may, in fact,
have excellent immunity. A 'negative' antibody titer does not necessarily
correlate with susceptibility to infection. Likewise, the presence of
antibody, even at high levels, does not guarantee immunity subsequent to
exposure. (6)
At this point, the biggest role of the titer may be merely to convince
boarding clinics or show committees that the animal doesn't require its
annual vaccination. It is likely that titer testing will receive greater
utilization in the future, but further studies are obviously needed.
Sample Core Protocols: 1998 Colorado State University Protocol
Some universities have already developed new vaccination programs. One of
these is Colorado State University. (7) Their 1998 core recommendation is a
standard three shot series at 8, 12, and 16 weeks of age, including
parvovirus, adenovirus 2, parainfluenza, distemper. A rabies vaccine was
recommended after 16 weeks of age. Following the initial puppy immunization
series, dogs would be boostered one year later and then every three years
thereafter for the above diseases. Bordetella vaccine was recommended at
least 72 hours prior to possible exposure (dog show, trip to boarding
kennel) and could be repeated every two to four months. The summary is
below:
8, 12, & 16 weeks: parvo, adeno, parainfluenza, distemper (Proguard 5)
After 16 weeks: rabies (Imrab 3)
68 weeks, & every 3 years thereafter: parvo, adeno, parainfluenza,
distemper, rabies
Bordetella as required
Dr Dodds
Some veterinarians, such as Jean Dodds, DVM, recommend that vaccines be
given separately if possible, to minimize the consequences to the immune
system. This is presently difficult, as most vaccines in the United States
are only available in combination (polyvalent) vaccinations - sometimes
seven or eight in one injection! But there are a few that are available in
smaller combinations; her recommendations (as of 4/00) for dogs prone to
autoimmune disease are below. (8) Dr. Dodds also recommends that
vaccination be avoided during estrus, pregnancy or lactation.
9 weeks MLV Distemper/Parvovirus only (e.g. Intervet Progard Puppy)
12 weeks MLV Distemper/Parvovirus only (e.g. Intervet Progard Puppy)
16-20 weeks MLV Distemper/Parvovirus only (e.g. Intervet Progard Puppy)
24 weeks or older, if allowable by law Killed Rabies Vaccine
1 year MLV Distemper/Parvovirus only booster
1 year (give 3-4 weeks apart from Dist/Parvo booster) Killed 3 year rabies
vaccine
(MLV=modified-live virus)
After 1 year, annually measure serum antibody titers against specific canine
infectious agents such as distemper and parvovirus. Bordetella, corona
virus, leptospirosis or Lyme only if endemic in the area.
These are only sample core schedules, and recommendations for any one
particular dog should be made by a veterinarian with a valid patient-client
relationship.
Breeders' Compromise
Because of the fear of puppy mortality from distemper and parvo, many
breeders still give annual distemper and parvo vaccinations to dogs and
bitches being bred or shown, but more and more are choosing to discontinue
vaccinations for viral diseases at the time the bitches are retired, with
the exception of rabies where required by law.
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