Companion Animal Vaccination Information
 

Seeing there are several threads asking about the safety, frequency, and efficacy of vaccinations, I thought I'd post a link of a site I found that offers other links to many, many informative articles. As with any answers you may be seeking, please inform yourself [I]thoroughly[/I] before making any decisions.

[url]http://www.itsfortheanimals.com/VACCINE1.HTM[/url]

There's a lot of good information there, thanks for the link. I'm going to talk to the gang's vet about their vaccinations, and I'm going to see how much a titer test is. I'd like to have one done to each of them. All of this over vaccination talk makes me nervous.

That's a great link, thanks. I've already read some of those but had to search them out myself. It's nice to have different links on the same health subject in this one spot.

Thank you so much LP :grouphug:. How do we politely tell our vets that we don't wish to vaccinate?

I know my vet was not happy with me last Saturday when I told him that I was not vaccinating Puddles, Jasper and Sweet Pea, except for Rabies on Sweet Pea and that was only to bring her back into Canada after being in the States.

When mine were young, they all had the 3 year distemper shot. Unfortunately, it's law here to give them their yearly rabies. I didn't vaccinate them for the Feline Leukemia, which my vet suggested was a good idea, since they are only indoors. :shrug:

[QUOTE]Unfortunately, it's law here to give them their yearly rabies.[/QUOTE]Why is that, do you know? I'm just curious because my Vet does not use the 3 year rabies on cats because of the link to cancer at the injection site. But it is not law, I could get it at another Vet if I wanted to. Dogs don't have the same problem so he will give my dog the 3 year rabies shot.

Sorry, I meant it's the law here that they [I]have[/I] to do it. I have to talk to my vet personally to ask her if they do the 3 year cat rabies at that clinic. I'd prefer not to have to give it to them yearly, if I have to give it to them. But if there is a link to cancer with the 3 year shot, it's not worth the risk.

[url]http://www.pets.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=55607[/url]

There is some good information on the cancer/rabies/cats/3yrshot right here.

Some info I found out several years ago when we adopted Penny and brought her to a vet nearby for her boosters...1 year after recieving them, the vet's office called to schedule an appointment for her yearly rabies vaccine. I asked if it was really necessary as I had found some research that indicated otherwise. Of course the vet said yes, it was necessary. I asked if she could check with the manufacturer just to make sure. Shortly thereafter, the vet called back and said that I was right, that particular manufacturer claimed that their vaccine was tested and good for a minimum of 3 years.

I think if a veterinarian doesn't listen to your concerns about over-vaccinating, especially with all the relevant information available to them, then there's nothing stopping you from contacting the makers of the vaccines yourself (simply get the names from your vet). All manufacturers have to demonstrate an immunity duration of their vaccines. Get it in writing if possible and bring it to your vet (although this is something they [I]really[/I] should be aware of in the first place if they're administering them :shrug:).

[QUOTE=Love4himies;789337]How do we politely tell our vets that we don't wish to vaccinate?

I know my vet was not happy with me last Saturday when I told him that I was not vaccinating Puddles, Jasper and Sweet Pea, except for Rabies on Sweet Pea and that was only to bring her back into Canada after being in the States.[/QUOTE]

"[I]I[/I] choose to not vaccinate yearly so I'll skip it this time, thank you." ;)

[I]You[/I] are the [I]paying[/I] client. Any vet who gets upset with your informed decision, made in the best interests of your pet...well...that isn't very good for business, is it? It would make me wonder if I'm dealing with a saleperson or a health professional.

[QUOTE=luckypenny;789381]Some info I found out several years ago when we adopted Penny and brought her to a vet nearby for her boosters...1 year after recieving them, the vet's office called to schedule an appointment for her yearly rabies vaccine. I asked if it was really necessary as I had found some research that indicated otherwise. Of course the vet said yes, it was necessary. I asked if she could check with the manufacturer just to make sure. Shortly thereafter, the vet called back and said that I was right, that particular manufacturer claimed that their vaccine was tested and good for a minimum of 3 years.

I think if a veterinarian doesn't listen to your concerns about over-vaccinating, especially with all the relevant information available to them, then there's nothing stopping you from contacting the makers of the vaccines yourself (simply get the names from your vet). All manufacturers have to demonstrate an immunity duration of their vaccines. Get it in writing if possible and bring it to your vet (although this is something they [I]really[/I] should be aware of in the first place if they're administering them :shrug:).



"[I]I[/I] choose to not vaccinate yearly so I'll skip it this time, thank you." ;)

[I]You[/I] are the [I]paying[/I] client. Any vet who gets upset with your informed decision, made in the best interests of your pet...well...that isn't very good for business, is it? It would make me wonder if I'm dealing with a saleperson or a health professional.[/QUOTE]

Thanks LP.

You're welcome :).

Not that it's relevant, but just wanted to mention that the vet I'm referring to is not our regular vet. Rather than selling something to us, he takes the time to listen and to patiently give us his advice based on both his experiences, the most current available information, and lets us make the final decision.

Please forgive me, I don't mean to insult anybody and I am no expert but .... I wonder if some are mixing up apples, and, well, apples.

For dogs and cats there are two rabies vaccines. The one year and the three year. When your Vet administers the three year vaccine your certificate should clearly state that your pet has received the three year vaccine and the years for which it is valid. It will probably say it is good till three years from your date of vaccination. If you vaccinate your pet with the three year rabies on Jan 2, 2009 it should be good for your municipal dog license till Jan 1, 2012. Likewise, if you are required to provide proof of vaccination in the case your pet bites someone this certificate should constitute proof that your pet is current on rabies vaccination for the three years indicated.

If your pet receives the one year rabies vaccine it is highly likely that the pet is protected from rabies for more than one year. BUT. The certificate will only say one year. Two and three years after it will not be good for getting your dog license and may not be accepted as proof your pet is current on it's rabies. If you choose to vaccinate with the one year vaccine but you only vaccinate once every three years this distinction should be made. I am afraid in this thread that this distinction is not clear. And while only 4 of us have posted 78 others have read this.

If you choose to use the one year rabies vaccine and titre test for other years it would be a good idea to see if your municipality and health of animals branch will accept titre results as proof of current vaccination.

It's my understanding that the only difference between rabies vaccines labelled 1 and 3 years, is the amount of preservatives in the formula (less in the 1-year means smaller chances of reactions at the injection site). Having said that, the actual composition of the formula themsleves are the same. 1-year vs 3-year is in referrence to the intervals they are administered (manufacturer's recommendations), not the strength of the vaccine.

I'll be back with some resources to confirm that asap.

Here's one:

[I]"There is no benefit from annual rabies vaccination and [B]most one year rabies products are similar or identical to the 3-year products with regard to duration of immunity and effectiveness. [/B] However, if they are 1 year rabies vaccines, they must be legally given annually! Rabies vaccine is the only canine vaccine requiring a minimum duration of immunity study by the USDA. However, revaccination annually does not necessarily improve immunity." [/I][url]http://www.unitedwhiteshepherdclub.org/Articles/chf_confer_part2.html[/url]

Seems like we are indeed comparing apples to apples...the only difference would be the labels :shrug:.

I havent gotten thecance to read most of the link yet, but i thought id throw this one out there.. It seems to be very imformative..

[URL="http://www.caberfeidh.com/Revax.htm"]Revaccination[/URL]



And THANK YOU LuckyPenny!! You dont understand how much i want to give you a big hug right now for posting this.. Overvaccinating is something that im stressing out about..

Thanks Luckypenny. I think I will tell you all why I'm concerned. It's partly because I did not know enough myself when I took pup in for his first rabies shot. I walked in, talked to the Vet, said I'd been reading and wanted to ask about the 3 year schedule. Great, she was fine, approved, that's what they did. He got the 3 year vaccine.

One year later, she's on maternity leave. Other Vet says but we MUST, by law, give my pup another rabies booster one year after the first one. WHAT? So why did he get the 3 yr. the first time then? Wasn't him that did it, no answer. I don't think so fast on my feet and pup got another 3 yr. shot. If I'd had more presence of mind I would have asked for the 1 yr. this time. Then in two years I'd booster the rabies ('cause the first 3 yr would be up) and in 3 years I'd booster his other shots. Actually, I'm not sure if that would work as I think 'cause I didn't ask.

More. I wondered if there was danger to my pup in getting the 3 yr vaccine 2 years in a row. I called my local Health of Animals and the Vet said YES, it could be a problem being administered again too soon. Not because of the slightly increased amount of killed virus in the 3yr vaccine but because of the time release component, the adjuvant. Pup should have had the 1 Yr vaccine the first time. He didn't think cancer, as is the problem in cats, just lethargy, irritation at the site, constipation, diarrhea, the usual side effects and I should keep an eye on pup for two weeks. Pup was fine.

Health of Animals Vet turned out to formerly work at a place I once did that made all the rabies vaccine used in Canada. There are two sources of vaccine now but then only one. He worked where he required rabies vaccination for himself. That was 7 years ago. Now he says he titre tests ($200 he said, each test) and he still titres high enough to be protected. After a vaccination 7 years ago. Interesting, huh?

Wow, that's unbelievable the other vet would make you give another shot. I guess it didn't matter to him to look in the file and see it wasn't necessary.

When I was talking to the girl at my vets office about this, she was saying, it's worse if I didn't get my cats vaccinated yearly. Only because, if by some huge chance, they bit anyone, which is highly doubtful, and this person were to be given stitches, by law the animal would be required to undergo a test to see if they had rabies. And that test involves putting the animal down and testing brain matter.

I know, it's a long shot thinking any of my cats would bite someone so hard as to make them go to the ER, but the thought of losing any of my babies just to test them for something I know they would not have is too much for me to handle.

[QUOTE]Wow, that's unbelievable the other vet would make you give another shot. I guess it didn't matter to him to look in the file and see it wasn't necessary[/QUOTE]No, no. I didn't say it right. The second shot WAS required. By law. The first one was the wrong one. The first one should have been the 1 yr shot. Sheesh, and here I am trying to be clear.

[QUOTE=ancientgirl;789440]When I was talking to the girl at my vets office about this, she was saying, it's worse if I didn't get my cats vaccinated yearly. Only because, if by some huge chance, they bit anyone, which is highly doubtful, and this person were to be given stitches, by law the animal would be required to undergo a test to see if they had rabies. And that test involves putting the animal down and testing brain matter. [/QUOTE]

Scare tactics. Or she's apparently not familiar with the law then. Quarantine for 10 days is the usual mandate. From this website (and pertaining to Miami/Dade County in particular): [url]http://www.animallaw.info/statutes/stusflodmiamidadecounty_sarasota.htm[/url]

[QUOTE]Sec. 5-12. Dogs or other animals suspected of having rabies.

Any dog or other animal suspected of having rabies [B]or any dog or other animal having bitten any person shall be impounded at the owner's expense at a place designated by the County Manager or Director of Public Health for that purpose, or placed in custody of a licensed veterinarian for ten (10) days.[/B] Any licensed and vaccinated dog or other animal having bitten any person may, at the discretion of the Director of Public Health or his representative, be impounded and quarantined at the owner's home for ten (10) days. Any dog bitten by a known rabid animal shall be placed under the surveillance of the Director of Public Health or his authorized representative. [/QUOTE]

That's a relief! I think this might be what confused her:

[QUOTE]It shall be the duty of every attending practitioner, licensed to practice medicine, osteopathic medicine, veterinary medicine or any other person knowing of or in attendance on a case to promptly report to the Department of Public Health every instance in which a person is bitten by a dog or other animal. Any dog or other animal reported to have bitten a person shall be captured alive, if possible, and shall be quarantined, at a place designated for that purpose, under observation for a period of ten (10) days. [B]If the dog or other animal is killed or if it dies during the quarantine period, the head must be detached without mutilation and submitted to the local State Board of Health laboratory without delay.[/B][/QUOTE]

Maybe when she was told about that she didn't get all the information.

I didn't realize there were two different vaccines, I just thought that some vets chose to vaccinate every year and others every three years. Learn something new every day!

Interesting thread.....

I have to say I'm very lucky to have the vet I do have. About 3 years ago during our annual odyssey (also known as the yearly health check - three cats, three carriers, three days.......oy), the vet looked back over the records and basically said "these are indoor cats and you don't have anyone who brings pets to visit you in your home - why are we still vaccinating?" I said, "you tell me - I thought it was the law?" Apparently, not for cats. So, we haven't vaccinated since then. It's a second floor apartment and the only exit is out into a hallway so no worries about accidental escape......

I must say it give me peace of mind......and I love a vet who is pro-active about senior kitty health care. :thumbs up

One more thing to mention about vaccinations, it is clearly stated on the label of the vaccine "Only vaccinate [I]healthy[/I] animals".

Unfortunately alot of vets ignore/don't read that part, any animal:
- with a chronic illness should not be vaccinated as they are not healthy;
- with an acute illness and/or especially immune mediated condition should not be vaccinated until that animal is fully recovered.