Current vaccination strategies in dogs and cats

Abstract

VACCINES play a vital role in controlling and preventing infectious diseases in small animals. Vaccination is an established concept for preventive health care and an important source of income for most veterinary practices. Although most veterinary surgeons administer vaccines daily, it has become such a routine part of the working day that few stop to consider the science behind this aspect of veterinary medicine. In the late 1990s, potential side effects of vaccination were highlighted by both the medical and veterinary communities, and ideal vaccination protocols have been hotly debated ever since. This article outlines the current recommendations for vaccination in dogs and cats, explains the rationale behind them and discusses some of the more recent developments in this field.

Survey of veterinary surgeons on the introduction of serological testing to assess revaccination requirements

“…Annual revaccination has been traditionally accepted as normal practice for many years, but recently this has changed and extended revaccination intervals for these diseases have been introduced (Schultz 2006, VGG 2007, Böhm 2009). It was previously thought that maximum antigenic stimulation correlated with maximum protection (Hornizek 2006), but there is now evidence showing that many dogs vaccinated less frequently appear to have sufficient antibody responses (Böhm and others 2004, Schultz 2006). Tri‐annual revaccination is now recommended for core diseases and a number of vaccine manufacturers have relicensed their vaccines for such use; some have also relicensed for quad‐annual revaccination (Burr 2006), which is revaccination every four years.…”

“…Tri‐annual revaccination is now recommended for core diseases and a number of vaccine manufacturers have relicensed their vaccines for such use; some have also relicensed for quad‐annual revaccination (Burr 2006), which is revaccination every four years. Böhm and others (2004) serologically assessed 144 dogs that had not been vaccinated for at least three years. In this study, 95 per cent had possibly protective titres against CPV, 82 per cent had possibly protective titres against CAV‐1 and 71.5 per cent had possibly protective titres against CDV.…”

“…Serological testing can assist the veterinary surgeon in tailoring the vaccination protocol to an individual's needs by assessing antibody titres to provide an indication of humoral immunity. There appears to be strong positive correlation between titres for core diseases and protective immunity (VGG 2007), and it is recognised that this could help devise individual protocols (Ottiger and others 2006). The VGG (2007) support the use of serology to assess revaccination requirements, implying that such practice constitutes evidence‐based veterinary medicine.…”

Serology — What is it and how can it be used in canine vaccination?

“…Extended recommended re‐vaccination intervals for vaccines against core diseases have reduced the concept of vaccine overload in dogs 2,3,4 but there is no guarantee that every individual will respond in the same way to vaccination. Some individuals may require more frequent re‐vaccination, and some may be able to maintain immunity that exceeds the recommended three‐year re‐vaccination interval.…”

“…Pre‐vaccination serology is of use for the core diseases – distemper, hepatitis and parvovirus (DHP). This is because immunity to these diseases is humoral – involving antibodies; unlike other diseases, such as leptospirosis, which rely on largely cell‐mediated immunity and thus cannot be tested for by assessing antibody levels 4 …”