VACCINATING YOUR PET
Ask five different veterinarians what vaccines your pet needs and you will likely get five different answers!! Historically it has been customary for veterinarians to recommend annual vaccines for dogs and cats. This blanket practice has helped to almost eradicate rabies, distemper, panleukopenia (cats) and parvovirus to some degree.

While no one can deny the benefits of preventative medicine, there are important considerations to be made when choosing the "best" recommendations. As more specific vaccines become available, vets have the task of deciding which vaccines are most appropriate for a dog or cat's lifestyle and how many vaccines can be safely administered in one visit. Sometimes it is necessary to make a few trips to the vet to space the administration of the vaccines to prevent overload or side effects.

Most vaccines are still labeled for a one year duration. Even though we suspect the protective benefit of the vaccine lasts longer, our decision to extend the time between boosters is considered a "judgement call" or an off-label use. This is why different vets may recommend different timing on vaccines. It is safest to administer the booster exactly as the manufacturer recommends, but there has been anecdotal evidence that over-vaccinating dogs and cats has led to immune-mediated diseases and higher rates of cancer.

Due to these very real concerns, vaccine companies are slowly taking the time and money to do the proper research to guarantee a longer duration. Vets also have the option to measure the amount of protective antibody titers to help determine if a booster is necessary. This test has its limitations and it is expensive to test for all the possible things we may want to vaccinate a dog or cat for in our area.

Three things to keep in mind for this topic.

1-Overall vaccines have been a benefit to decrease infectious disease and help our pets live longer, but we have a responsibility to use them carefully.

2- Your pet's vaccine protocol should be tailored to his/her lifestyle. Your vet will ask many questions before deciding which vaccines will be needed for your dog or cat. There are core vaccines for most dogs/cats, but then there are other important and safe vaccines to consider.

3- Medicine and science are always changing. As we learn more about the positive and negative consequences of our vaccines, it will help us to give the most appropriate recommendations.

Kim Jones, DVM
Hanover Veterinary Clinic