Note: For all medical information, consult your veterinarian.
Star Ledger: Vaccines breed controversies
Sunday, November 09, 2003
How do you know when your pussycat or pooch needs vaccinations? The
decision used to be easy. It still is for puppies and kittens. They
must have vaccines.
But when pets mature that's when conflicting opinions emerge. Could
we harm our pets with unnecessary vaccines? Are some vaccines no
longer needed at all? Despite the confusion, the consensus appears to
be that less is better with some vaccines which is why many are now
given every three years instead of yearly.
Data shared with clients of American Animal Hospital in Randolph,
Fanwood Animal Hospital and Madison Veterinary Hospital represent
changing attitudes regarding vaccine protocols.
Striking a balance "Current research indicates that yearly vaccines
for canine distemper, parvovirus and other combined components may
not be necessary to provide adequate immunity," says Brian Voynick,
owner of American Animal Hospital, Randolph, in his client advisory.
This also holds true for the feline distemper combination vaccine.
Host of "The Pet Stop" on News12NJ, Voynick says excessive
vaccinations in adult dogs and cats "may tip the immune system over
the edge and thus make pets more prone to skin conditions, allergies,
tumors in cats and some immune mediated diseases." In mature dogs and
cats, Voynick suggests blood testing for vaccinal titers (levels of
protection).
Since Voynick began titer testing in 1996, "Less than ten animals a
year have needed to be re-boostered and we have thousands of patients
which shows as a profession we are over-vaccinating," he said. "It's
absurd to think that vaccines plummet to zero at the end of a year.
We only give what's needed and if the titer indicates a booster is
needed, there's no extra charge."
Vets largely concur that a cat kept strictly indoors doesn't need
FeLV (feline leukemia), FIP (feline infectious peritonitis) or FIV
(auto immune deficiency) vaccines, assuming the cat would never be in
contact with another cat carrying any of those conditions. Risk
factors are judgment calls to be made in concert with your vet.
In his flyer on vaccines, Paul Gordon, owner of Fanwood Animal
Hospital, also acknowledges "considerable debate in veterinary
medicine about standards of care in vaccination schedules, frequency
and the spectrum of diseases requiring vaccine." His practice
recommends:
Required canine vaccines DHP-PV (distemper, hepatitis, para-
influenza, parvovirus): Puppies: -- 6, 9,12 weeks; annual booster one
year after 12-week vaccine; then every three years
Rabies: Puppies: 16 weeks; booster in 6 months; then every three
years
Elective canine vaccines Bordetella (kennel cough): intranasal two
weeks prior to boarding OR two vaccinations, three weeks apart;
annual booster
Lyme disease: two vaccinations, three weeks apart; annual booster
Required feline vaccines FVR-C-P (distemper, herpes virus,
calicivirus): Kittens -- 6, 9, 12 weeks; annual booster one year
after 12-week vaccine; then every three years
Rabies: kittens -- 16 weeks, booster-6 months; then every three years
Elective feline vaccines FeLV (feline leukemia virus): kittens -- 9
and 12 weeks; annual booster
FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus): kittens -- 8, 11 and 14 weeks;
annual booster
Madison methods In his Madison practice, Peter Beaumont prefers to
extend puppy and kitten vaccines to 16 weeks. "If something develops
because insufficient vaccine has been administered, that's an
unfortunate dilemma where you ask what should have been done," he
says. "Allergic reactions are highly unusual," says Beaumont, "but in
some cases can be life-threatening. It's generally agreed that
complications are still less than the risk of disease but it is an
important element in our practice's decision to adopt a more
conservative and analytical approach."
Madison Veterinary Hospital will perform annual testing for antibody
levels to major diseases but Beaumont points out: "Antibody tests are
generally several times more costly than the vaccines themselves.
While a test may indicate protective levels of immunity,
unfortunately it represents what exists only that day. Then if tests
indicate antibody levels do not exist, vaccine would still be needed,
hence incrementally increasing costs to owners." (Didn't we say this
was a controversial subject?)
Fort Dodge weighs in Fort Dodge Animal Health, division of Wyeth, has
introduced a program for vets, "Responsible Healthcare for Pets",
designed to unravel the confusion. Sure, they want to sell their
products but they want to do so responsibly says Steve Connell, vice
president of professional service at Fort Dodge: "Pet owners rely on
their veterinarians to keep pets healthy. ... Veterinarians make
medical decisions based on sound research and professional judgment.
This program provides tools to help them."
Cancer threat minimized Results of a survey on vaccination practices,
postvaccinal reactions and vaccine site-associated sarcomas (cancer)
published May 15, 2002 in The Journal of the American Veterinary
Medical Association, indicate that just two sarcomas were noted among
31,671 cats studied by 93 veterinarians. While some animals in the
study showed negative reactions other than sarcomas, 96 percent were
resolved within three months and 100 percent within four months.
Insurance opinion Jack Stephens, CEO and founder of Veterinary Pet
Insurance, the nation's largest provider of pet health insurance,
backed up this claim: "We had just 12 sarcoma claims in 2001 and 14
in 2002, or about 0.01 percent of claims. It's an extremely small
problem and one we worry about much less than what would happen if
people stopped vaccinating."
While statistics are illusory, no one wants his pet to be in that
0.01 percent. Trust your veterinarian to be your guide based on his
knowledge of your pet(s).
Next Week: Adopt-a-senior pet month
Contact Joan Lowell Smith at PO Box 302, Garwood, NJ 07027 or e-mail
RTR4PA@aol.com. "Concerning Animals" is located online at
http://www.nj.com/living/ledger/index.ssf?fourteendays
http://www.nj.com/search/index.ssf?/base/livingl/1068360530242680.xml?
starledger?life
Posted on SHARE Yahoo group Nov. 09, 2003