DOG AND CAT VACCINATION PROTOCOLS Dr. Michael W. Fox The practice of giving dogs and cats several different vaccinations against various diseases all at the same time early in life and then again every year as "boosters" for the rest of their lives is coming to a close. This is for two primary reasons: animals can have adverse reactions to vaccinations that can impair their health for the rest of their lives; routine "booster" shots are not needed since earlier vaccinations have given animals sufficient immunity to the diseases in question. First, the very young, i.e. before 12 weeks of age, kittens and puppies should not be given vaccinations since this can interfere with the natural immunity in their systems conferred by the colostrum or first milk of their mothers. Adult animals in a compromised immune state, as for example those who are ill, injured, or being given an anaesthetic and operated on, such as being spayed or castrated, or for any other surgical procedure, are pregnant or nursing, or are old and infirm, should not be vaccinated. The following protocols for vaccinating dogs and cats have been published in the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association Journal, Vol. 22, Numbers 2&3 July-December, 2003, p. 47-48: Minimum Vaccine Protocol for cats:                                                                                        ·         at 12 weeks or older to give FCV (calici), FVR (herpes/rhino), FPV (panleukopenia), and then rabies, but only if required by law. (It is good to give the rabies vaccination separately, 3-4 weeks later). PureVac, canary pox vectored rabies vaccine (Merial) is preferred for cats. Vaccinating against Giardia is not advised since the vaccine can cause granulomas. ·         FeLV (feline leukemia) vaccine should only be given to at-risk cats at 9 and 12 weeks or 12 and 15 weeks with a booster at a year of age and none thereafter in order to reduce the chances of injection-site fibrosarcoma, a cancer that can be fatal. Cats should have serum titer tests for FPV later in life to determine their immune status. All vaccinations to be injected under the skin should be placed as far down the cat's limbs as possible since it is more difficult to treat fibrosarcomas that develop at other sites such as the neck and back. The American Association of Feline Practitioners Feline Vaccination Advisory Panel offers a different protocol. They do not recommend giving the Feline corona virus/feline infectious peritonitis vaccination, and regard three vaccinations--FPV (panleukopenia or parvovirus), and FHV-1 and FCV ( Feline herpes virus 1 and Feline calicivirus) as the core vaccinations. These should be given at 6, 9, 12 and 16 weeks of age, and again at one year of age, with boosters every three years. Rabies vaccination can first be given at 12-16 weeks of age, then again at one year of age. Non-core vaccinations for those cats at risk from going outdoors include Feline leukemia and Feline immunodeficiency virus vaccinations,, and for those going to boarding facilities, Feline leukemia and Bordatella vaccinations. This Advisory Panel’s recommendation of early-age, repeated vaccinations is based on the fact that kittens respond differently when vaccinated because they have different levels of circulating antibodies from their mothers’ milk that can interfere with the immune response triggered by vaccination. But I consider this protocol excessive and the risks, costs, and stress on kittens unjustified unless they are at risk in poorly managed breeding facilities and pet stores. The Minimum Vaccination Protocol for dogs is: ·         at 12 weeks or older to give MLV (modified live virus) distemper, adenovirus and parvovirus only, and none thereafter. ·         At 12-16 weeks, give rabies vaccination and then only every three years if permitted by law. (State and municipal laws that do not permit the use of a 3-year rabies vaccination should be challenged and changed). ·         For dogs at risk, Leptospirosis vaccine (the four-serovar product of Fort Dodge being preferred) should be given at 12 and 15 weeks and repeated one year later. ·         Lyme vaccine should be given to at-risk dogs but the bacterium vaccine can cause immune-complex disease so the *recombinant Lyme vaccine is preferred. Again, blood serum titers should be taken to assess dog's immune status where there is doubt, rather than simply giving booster shots. Studies have shown that in normal, healthy dogs at the time of vaccination, Parvovirus vaccines are good for 7 years, Rabies vaccines for 3-7 years, Distemper vaccines for 5-15 years (depending on the strain), and Adenovirus 2 vaccines for 7-9 years. No vaccine can guarantee immunity, since different strains of infective agents may be involved, and animals who are stressed, suffering from poor nutrition, genetic susceptibility and concurrent disease may have impaired immune systems and lowered resistance to disease. ***But this does not mean that they should never be vaccinated or be routinely re- vaccinated just in case, because vaccinations can cause further immune system impairment and a host of health problems---the so called vaccinosis diseases--- that these new vaccination protocols are aimed at minimizing.