The idea for this month’s article comes from a reader. She had a question about vaccines, and I realized there has been so much change related to dog and cat vaccination that it would be a great topic to discuss. In the space available, I’ll do my best to try to explain some of the recent thinking on vaccination of pets.
In recent years there has been an increased interest in what pets should be vaccinated with and how often. Two main reasons have caused this interest. First of all, cats will sometimes develop serious skin tumors secondary to vaccination. Secondly, in recent years dogs have had increased disease related to the immune system, perhaps related to the frequency of vaccination.
Studies were done, task forces were developed and recommendations were made. Organizations such as the American Veterinary Medical Association, American Animal Hospital Association and American Association of Feline Practitioners have made recommendations for veterinarians to advise pet owners.
These recommendations are many pages long, but I will try to simplify them for this space. First of all there are “Core” vaccines. These are recommended for all pets, no matter what their lifestyle. Distemper, Parvovirus and Hepatitis are core vaccines for dogs, Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Pneumonitis and Calicivirus are core vaccines for cats. Historically these vaccines were boostered yearly after initial puppy or kitten vaccine series. Studies have shown that these vaccines actually give three years of protection after vaccination. Rabies is also considered a core vaccine; although it is a very low risk in Washington State, there have been cases here, so vaccination is recommended. Rabies is one of the vaccines thought to possibly be a cause of post vaccine tumors in cats, so there are new vaccines using new technology to decrease the risk of vaccine associated tumor formation.
“Non-core” vaccines are those used only for pets that are at risk of being exposed to the disease the vaccine protects against. These include canine kennel cough, canine leptospirosis and feline leukemia. These vaccines are only needed if the pet has certain lifestyle risks such as going to boarding kennels, living near wildlife or hunting and being an outdoor cat.
Because of changes in vaccination recommendations, a part of every pet’s annual exam will include a discussion about what your pet “does for a living.” Cats that live indoors and never around other cats have different vaccine needs then cats going outdoors. Some dogs go to boarding facilities, groomers or doggie daycare and should be protected against kennel cough. Your veterinarian will work with you to decide what the best vaccine plan for your pet is.
Another very important part of your pet’s annual visit is a thorough physical exam. Some pets won’t need annual vaccination, but it is always important to have an exam every year. During the exam we check for many things, including worm and flea infestation, dental disease, ear infections, skin irritations and more. Early detection and early treatment can give your pet a longer, healthier life.
As more research is done, vaccine recommendations may continue to change. It is the veterinarians’ job to keep up so when you bring your pet in for it’s annual visit, we can help you make the best choices. Feel free to e-mail any question or ideas for article topics to me at mcaviness@wildernessvet.com. I’ll answer questions as quickly as I am able.
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