Adverse vaccine reactions in pets
A number of studies have demonstrated adverse reactions in pets after administering vaccines to both dogs and cats. Concern about adverse effects has led to revised guidelines that alter the recommended frequency and methods/locations for both vaccination of dogs and feline vaccination. Controversy In recent years, vaccination has become a controversial topic among veterinarians and pet owners. Specific adverse reactions and general consequences for long-term health and immunity are both being cited as reasons to reduce the frequency of pet vaccination. The 2010 pet vaccination guidelines published by the WSAVA (World Small Animal Veterinary Association) reduce the number of vaccines which should be considered core for pets, as well as recommending less frequent vaccine administration. However, in an open letter to WSAVA, an Australian pet owner and long-time consumer advocate has created a detailed critique of these guidelines, with numerous scholarly citations, arguing that the 3-year booster or re-vaccination recommendations are either arbitrary or influenced by vaccine manufacturers. She cites the scientific findings of both WSAVA's and other leading researchers, which indicate that, similar to humans, the duration of immunity (DOI) for pets vaccinated early in life with MLV (modified live viruses) is many years, if not the entirety of adulthood, despite the common practice of "boosting" vaccines every 1 to 3 years. In the executive summary section, the WSAVA guidelines do argue against needless vaccination and in support of "the development and use of simple in-practice tests for determination of seroconversion (antibody) following vaccination." They also note that "Vaccines should not be given needlessly. Core vaccines should not be given any more frequently than every three years after the 12 month booster injection following the puppy/kitten series, because the duration of immunity (DOI) is many years and may be up to the lifetime of the pet." The open letter critique focuses on the less-nuanced summary of these recommendations in the Tables given for vaccination guidelines, which could imply that re-vaccination should occur every 3 years. Possible causes Vaccine-specific Adverse reactions usually occur because of a harmful immune-mediated reaction to either the vaccine immunogen itself or to the vaccine adjuvants, which are designed to boost the immune response to the vaccines. The immunogens may consist of killed or inactivated pathogens, bio-engineered pathogen proteins or polypeptides, or, increasingly rarely, modified live virus. There have been no specific associations between development of vaccine-associated sarcoma and vaccine brand or manufacturer, concurrent infections, history of trauma, or environment. In 1993, a causal relationship between VAS and administration of aluminum adjuvanted rabies and FeLV vaccines was established through epidemiologic methods. Animal-specific In addition to vaccine-specific factors, vets and owners should also consider pet-specific factors that have been shown to increase the risk of adverse reactions in both dogs and cats. Examples of such factors include: age, number of vaccinations per office visit, size, general health of the animal, breed, neutered status, and past vaccination history. Types of reactions Ischemic Dermatopathy / Cutaneous Vasculitis A little known and often misdiagnosed reaction to the rabies vaccine in