2013年9月28日星期六

03 | September | 2012






A man asked me if I accepted titer testing instead of a vaccination record for my home pet sitting business. To my embarrassment, I had no idea what he was talking about. I did some research and this is what I discovered. Annual vaccinations may be doing your loved one more harm than good!


A “titer” is a measurement of how much antibody to a certain virus is circulating in the blood at that moment. Titer testing takes blood from your dog annually to test his level of immune defenses to replace the annual vaccinations, some of which may not even be needed depending on where you live.


If a dog has satisfactory levels of vaccine titers, the dog is considered sufficiently immune to the disease and doesn’t need further vaccination against the disease at that time.



English: National Lyme disease risk map with 4...

Lyme Disease Map-Click to enlarge



For example, Lyme disease vaccination; ticks carrying the Lyme disease pathogen can be found in only a few regions of the United States.


Another common vaccine that is unnecessary protects against “kennel cough,” an often mild respiratory disease contracted during boarding or dog shows. This is the bordetella vaccine.


According to Shultz, professor at the School of Veterinary Medicine, over-vaccination can actually jeopardize a dog’s health and even life. Side effects can cause skin problems, allergic reactions and autoimmune disease.


“These adverse reactions have caused many veterinarians to rethink the issue of vaccination,” says Schultz. “The idea that unnecessary vaccines can cause serious side effects is in direct conflict with sound medical practices.”


Schultz says that core vaccines, or the ones that protect against life-threatening disease, are essential for all dogs, yet he does not recommend dogs receive these shots yearly.


Related Articles:




Distemper in Dogs


About Distemper
Canine distemper is a highly contagious and sometimes fatal disease that is seen in dogs worldwide. Though its incidence has diminished greatly due to vaccination, distemper cases and outbreaks are still seen sporadically.
Cause
Canine distemper is caused by the canine distemper virus. This virus can also infect several other species including ferrets and wild animals such as coyotes, foxes, wolves, skunks, and raccoons. Animals usually become infected by direct contact with virus particles from the secretions of other infected animals (generally via inhalation). Indirect transmission (i.e., carried on dishes or other objects) is not common because the virus does not survive for long in the environment. The virus can be shed by dogs for several weeks after recovery.
Risk Factors
Puppies under four months of age (before vaccinations are fully protective) and unvaccinated dogs are most at risk. Because canine distemper also occurs in wild animals, contact with wild animals may contribute to the spread of distemper to domestic dogs.
Signs and Symptoms of Distemper
Canine distemper causes symptoms in multiple body systems, including the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, and the brain and spinal cord. The appearance of symptoms and course of distemper can be variable, ranging from very mild illness to fatal disease. Any of the following can be seen:



  • fever (often one episode a few days after infection that may not be noticed, followed by a second episode a few days later when the other symptoms begin to show up)

  • discharge from the eyes and nose

  • loss of appetite

  • lethargy

  • vomiting and diarrhea

  • coughing

  • labored breathing

  • hardening of footpads and nose (distemper has sometimes been called hardpad disease)

  • inflammation of various parts of the eye

  • secondary bacterial infections

  • neurological symptoms are variable


Neurological symptoms of distemper may not develop at all or develop later in the disease (sometimes even after several weeks). Neurological symptoms of distemper may include any of the following:



  • muscle twitching

  • weakness or paralysis

  • seizures (of any part of the body, but seizures that look as if the dog is chewing gum are unique to distemper)

  • uncoordinated movements

  • increased sensitivity to touch or pain


Diagnosis of Distemper
Diagnosis is based primarily on the the history and clinical signs. Because signs are variable and may take time to appear, and secondary infections are common, diagnosis can be complicated. Additionally, other infections can produce similar signs to distemper. A variety of laboratory tests can help confirm the diagnosis (and some may be done to rule out other infections).
Treatment of Distemper
There is no treatment specific to the distemper virus, so treatment involves managing the various symptoms and secondary infections. Even with treatment, distemper can be fatal. Treatment depends on the symptoms shown, and may include fluids to combat dehydration, medication to reduce vomiting, antibiotics and other medications to treat pneumonia, antibiotics for secondary infections, and anticonvulsants to treat seizures. Neurological symptoms may get progressively worse and not respond to treatment, and even with recovery some neurological effects may persist.
Prevention of Distemper
Vaccination is effective at preventing distemper. Puppies are typically vaccinated starting at 6 weeks of age and at regular intervals (every 2-4 weeks) until they are 14-16 weeks old (as with other vaccines, presence of antibodies received from the mother can interfere with vaccines so a puppy is not considered fully protected until the final vaccine in the series has been given). Vaccination should be repeated a year later, then at regular intervals. Your vet will discuss an appropriate vaccination schedule for your dog based on your dog’s history and risk factors.
Until puppies have received all the vaccinations in the series (at 14-16 weeks) it is prudent to be careful about exposing them to unknown dogs (e.g., at dog parks) to avoid exposure to the virus as much as possible.



New treatments for cat / dog / pet allergy, vaccinations and novel medicines - examples what the future may hold

The pet-allergy dilemma is discussed in the Swedish newspaper http://www.expressen.se


http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/dilemmat/1.2324347/dilemmat-del-4-kattallergi


I am sure many Will there be any new treatments coming for reducing the burden of allergy and allergic symptoms in the future? The answer to that question is surely yes, but the weakness is that it is difficult and expensive to register new medicines, and “market reality” influence decisions within the pharmaceutical industry. Fortunately, allergic rhinitis (Hay Fever) and asthma are usually efficiently treated with inhaled and nasal medicines, such as glucocorticoids. For allergic rhinitis, the nasal glucocorticoids  are complemented with antihistamines (allergy tablets). Most patients with only allergic rhinitis are efficiently treated with these medications, but a very large proportion of patients is uncontrolled despite using combinations of the different medications currently available. I really hope that the industry invests in finding new and even more effective medications that may even be disease modifying (making severe disease milder, or maybe even curing milder disease). BUT, it will probably take at least five years before any new revolutionary medication becomes available.


A vast series of new medications are being tested for the treatment of allergic disease, and have been reported over the last few years. Here are a few “random” examples.


New types of vaccines are being tested airway allergy, including cat allergy. http://bit.ly/ie4KMl Basically, these vaccines contain cat allergen, but only the part of the allergen that will help in the vaccination process without causing side-effects.


Influencing the balance of the immune system by activating systems that otherwise defend us against pathogens such as viruses, is another way to prevent progression of allergic disease: http://bit.ly/h4G5tp . This has been tested in experimental animal models, and have resulted in a long-term attenuation of signs of allergic airway disease.


Allergic symptoms such as sneezing, itchy eyes and blocked nose are caused by the release of histamine and other chemicals that irritates the mucosa and activates the immune system. New drugs that have the capacity to totally block such immediate reactions have been tested and. These molecules have been shown to reduce symptoms induced by exposure to pollen http://bit.ly/eoarGT, and could also possibly block reactions in different allergic diseases, as they effectively block also other histamine releasing cells in the blood http://bit.ly/h2Ptoe.


In other words, science is moving forward rapidly, and hopefully the future will provide us with better medications against many allergic diseases including allergic rhinitis, asthma, food allergy and skin allergies.


FROM A PREVIOUS BLOG, about anti-IgE for treating cat-allergy, very expensive but efficient:


Investigators in the US and Canada are reporting on a study where they have exposed individuals with a history of cat-induced asthma to the allergen in a controlled room environment.


http://bit.ly/e5zH2i


Then they have allocated the patients treatments with either placebo or Omalizumab (anti-IgE, market name Xolair), which reduces the binding of IgE to mast cells. A good protective effect could be observed with the anti-IgE therapy, reducing the drop in lung function with close to 50%. Symptoms from the eyes and nose were also overall reduced with the anti-IgE therapy, which reduction in number of sneezes recorded. In a clinical setting, anti-IgE can really reduce allergic symptoms, and it is a pity that it is such a very expensive therapy, varying from USD7000-USD40000 / year (http://www.aafp.org/afp/2005/0115/p341.html). Even though the therapy is effective, it is certainly very difficult to prove cost-effectiveness unless the treated patient has severe allergic asthma with repeated exacerbations.


Blocking IgE can also be used to protect patients against side effects during allergen immunotherapy (allergen vaccination: http://bit.ly/htKUF0). With such approaches, it is possible that immunotherapy could be further enhanced, and could allow more severely allergic individuals to be treated with such approaches. It is also likely that the very allergic individuals would tolerate higher doses of immunotherapy, with possibly greater efficacy. This aspect is further discussed here http://bit.ly/gjWmQ9 .


Omalizumab is a monoclonal antibody, and is obviously expensive to produce, and has been expensive to develop as a therapy. However, if it became less costly, a vast population of allergic individuals would be likely to benefit with this treatment.


http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/dilemmat/1.2322905/dilemmat-del-3-kattallergi



Vaccination care for dogs

Having a puppy is a wonderful experience, but also is a responsibility assumed. Preventive treatment when you offer can increase your chances of having a harmonious development and a better state of health when he grew up. Adequate immunization is an essential part of this treatment.


To ensure healthy puppy you have to match: responsibility and a good relationship with your veterinarian. Your veterinarian will prepare a program of vaccinations and parasite control appropriate for your puppy. Type of vaccine is influenced by lifestyle and where you live puppy. Manufacturer’s recommendations are that if a baby comes into frequent contact with other dogs will have a different schedule than the one that never leaves the yard. However, owners, especially in urban agglomerations areas, frequently come in contact with other dogs, they themselves can become a vector for bringing home germs.


 If before the age of 6 months, has not made ​​all vaccines, there is no chance to develop immunity to certain serious diseases. During vaccination is very important not to take your pet to places where dogs are strong in presence, eg in the park.


But socialization is very important for puppy development. He must learn how to behave in the presence of other dogs, but this must happen in a controlled environment. Let him play with dogs who know and are vaccinated. Avoid parks and public places until they complete the vaccination (usually 4-6 months).


All about antibody

Puppies receive antibodies (proteins that fight disease) when the uterus by feto-maternal circulation and after birth through colostrum (first milk produced by mother in 24-72 hours after birth). The babies receive antibodies from colostrum who can provide protection against disease level approaching that of the mother.


These antibodies protect babies from disease by so-called passive immunity, but protection is not persistent in time. This is where the vaccine. It contains small amounts of specific antigens, fragments or inactivated protein that stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies against certain diseases.


The best strategy is to begin vaccination during the action of protective maternal antibodies decreases. The vaccine will not act until the maternal antibodies will not stop action. If baby is too soon _ is vaccinated, vaccination and maternal antibodies will annihilate each other, leading to vaccine failure. If vaccinated too often, the baby is exposed to over activity of the immune system, can give rise to autoimmune disease, anaphylactic shock or leukemia type syndrome.


In the past, vaccines were made with booster vaccination one year after the initial vaccination of the puppy. Today, veterinarians remeasuring the vaccination schedule. In 1989, American Veterinary Association (AVMA) has formed a special unit that investigated the duration of immunity provided by vaccines. The findings were published in a report recommending annual booster vaccination of dogs and cats, though some vaccines, like those against coronavirus and Lyme borreliosis, were not in the book report was written.


Since then, numerous signals that allow existing work to specify how long vaccination immunity (how long the vaccine protects the animal). Unfortunately, until 2004, regarding the duration of immunity studies are lacking, in addition to not knowing the level and duration of immunity given to each animal. Debate about how often to be made boosters are still burning.


Many vaccines, that the vaccine for Bordetella, leptospirosis and against  influenza vaccines can not provide effective immunization of more than 12 months. Your veterinarian may recommend booster depending on the risk of exposure to diseases of animals.


In the future, vaccines can be divided formally into two distinct categories, essential and nonessential. Essential vaccines (rabies, against diseases Carre, antiparvo and hepatitis) are recommended for all dogs, because diseases can be serious or highly contagious, and pose a risk to humans. Those animals are at risk of contracting certain diseases because of their lifestyles or exposure to certain diseases can benefit from some non-essential vaccines, the vaccine for borreliosis, Giardia, babesiosis, etc..


A life without diseases

When your baby becomes an adult should receive booster. Ask your veterinarian how often your dog must be vaccinated and the vaccine also must be made​​. Although debates on certain vaccines that create immunity for many years are increasingly heated, reveals a non-uniformity of this, some dogs get this strong immunity, others not. Also, overall the body, state of parasitism, nutrition, lifestyle and general dog’s medical history are factors affecting antibody levels after vaccination, and their remaining in the body. In light of these considerations, physicians recommend annual vaccination of dogs throughout their lives.


Being up to date with vaccines will help your dog, to be healthy for long.

2013年9月27日星期五

The Scoop About Vaccine Titers




The Scoop About Vaccine Titers October 24, 2012







Which Vaccines Does My Pet Need???



Sometimes deciding the appropriate way to vaccinate your pet can be very confusing. Beyond deciding which vaccines, there is also the question of how frequently should your pet get those vaccines. The vaccine titer is a useful tool that can help determine when your pet needs a vaccine and result in your pet getting fewer vaccines.



So what is a vaccine anyway?


A vaccine is a weakened form of the disease that it is meant to prevent. When a live vaccine is administered it will cause a mini-disease in order to stimulate the immune response. This immune response should then, in theory, protect your dog or cat from the real deal.


A vaccine is not 100% effective. There are many factors that contribute to a vaccines effectiveness. If a pet is sick, has a problem with their immune system, or is otherwise weak their immune response to the vaccine will be diminished.



What is a vaccine titer and what are the pros and cons?


A vaccine titer is a blood test performed by a veterinarian. It measures the amount of antibody in the blood to a specific disease. An adequate titer indicates that the body should be able to fight off that disease.


Pros: The benefit to performing a titer over blindly giving vaccines at predetermined intervals is that it provides a much more fine tailored approach for vaccination. The decision to vaccinate or not is determined by the individual’s immune response, not an arbitrary vaccine schedule. And because vaccines have been linked to autoimmune diseases and other chronic conditions like allergies, seizures, arthritis, endocrine disorders, gastrointestinal problems, and cancer – the fewer vaccines, the better.


Cons: A vaccine titer does cost more than the actual vaccine. But providing a pet with good health is definitely worth the extra cost. There is also a small possibility that because vaccine titer can’t predict future immunity, your pet’s immunity could drop in the months after the titer test.



For which diseases are titer tests performed?


The main diseases that are titer tested for in dogs are Parvovirus and Canine Distemper Virus. There are titer tests for Rabies but this is a vaccine that is required by state law. There are times when a rabies titer might be accepted by a certain jurisdiction, but you will need to contact the local authority that issues rabies licenses in your area to see if they will accept a titer result instead of a vaccine.


For cats the main disease that is titer tested for is Feline Panleukopenia.


If you are performing titer tests for your dog or cat make sure that your veterinarian is able to give individual viral vaccines. This means Parvovirus, Distemper Virus, or Panleukopenia on their own, not the typical DAPP (Distemper, Adenovirus, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza) or FVRCP (Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Panleukopenia) combination vaccines.


I hope that all of this information is helpful in helping you  and your pets on your journey towards good health!




If you’d like more information on vaccinations, please consider joining me on November 3rd from 7 pm until 9 pm at WonderDogs in Berlin NJ for my complete vaccination discussion. 


Peace, love, and plenty of tail wags~


Jennifer Forsyth, VMD



 




 













Low Cost Pet Vaccination Clinics

Sunday July 14 & July 28 from 3pm to 5pm 


Paws and Claws is offering low cost pet vaccinations in our store every other Sunday from 3-5 with Pet Amigos.


PET AMIGOS is an Oakland based business that partners with independent pet stores to offer low cost vaccinations for cats and dogs. In addition to vaccines, they will have microchips, heartworm testing and prevention, FIV/FeLV testing for cats, fecal testing for parasites, and treatment for both roundworms and tapeworms.


Pet Amigos takes pride in offering excellent customer service and kind, gentle, professional care for your pet. Pet Amigos is owned and operated by Travis Thayer DVM & Lindsey Hassell RVT. Come on out and see the Pet Amigos difference!


Over-vaccination of pets - an unethical practice

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Many dog owners are still not being advised that there is no scientific evidence to support annual OR triennial revaccination with core modified live virus (MLV) vaccines for parvovirus, distemper virus and adenovirus.


The World Small Animal Veterinary Association’s (WSAVA) Guidelines for the Vaccination of Dogs and Cats note that duration of immunity after core MLV vaccination is “many years and may be up to the lifetime of the pet”.[1]   It is misleading for veterinarians to demand that already immune pets have bogus ‘booster’ shots every year or every three years.  (Core MLV vaccines for dogs can be compared to the live Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR) jab for children – adults are not revaccinated with the MMR jab every year or every three years as these vaccines are likely to provide lifetime immunity.)  


Many pet owners remain unaware of the option to have titre-testing to verify their pet has responded to core MLV vaccination.  Non-core vaccines of questionable benefit and safety for diseases such as Bordetella bronchiseptica (often referred to as ‘kennel cough’) continue to be prescribed indiscriminately.


In Australia, pet owners Bea Mies and Elizabeth Hart have been campaigning for ethical and evidence-based vaccination of companion animals.  As a result of their persistence, change is slowly happening in companion animal vaccination practice.


It is a disgrace that members of the public have to be the leaders for change due to the failure of self-interested experts/professionals in the veterinary vaccine industry.


Elizabeth Hart’s essay “Over-vaccination of pets – an unethical practice” provides some background on this subject.  The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) announced a new reduced vaccination policy[2] soon after Elizabeth’s essay was widely circulated in June 2009.  (After demands from dissenting AVA members, the AVA’s vaccination policy was subsequently downgraded to a position statement in July 2011).[3]


In January 2010, the government regulator of veterinary vaccines, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), issued a position statement on Vaccination Protocols for Dogs and Cats, acknowledging matters of concern in regard to re-vaccination intervals.  State veterinary boards in Australia subsequently blatantly disregarded the APVMA’s request for the APVMA’s Position Statement to be circulated to veterinarians in Australia.


In August 2010, CHOICE, Australia’s consumer watchdog, published its report on over-vaccination of pets i.e.


“Pet vaccination: Over-vaccinating your pet could be harmful to their health as well as your own hip pocket”.  The ABC also reported on this story i.e. Questions raised over pet vaccination, broadcast in October 2010.


In May 2011, specialist dog breeder magazine, National Dog, published Elizabeth’s article  “Vaccination failure!” which warns there is a potential for maternally derived antibodies (MDA) to interfere with a puppy’s response to core vaccination, and calls upon the World Small Animal Veterinary Association’s (WSAVA) Vaccination Guidelines Group to provide clear and objective advice on optimal puppy vaccination, and an optional titre test confirmation protocol.


In February 2012, Bea Mies addressed the industry sponsored WSAVA Guidelines for the Owners and Breeders of Dogs and Cats, arguing that advice to pet owners contradicts scientific findings published elsewhere.


Bea’s latest email to Professor Michael Day, Chairperson of the WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines Group, and Sarah Mitchell of Pfizer Animal Health, provides critical analysis of their Canvac vaccine study paper, recently published in the December 2012 edition of the Australian Veterinary Journal[4].  Bea argues their paper is the latest instalment of willfully misleading and ethically dubious veterinary education on canine vaccination.


Elizabeth supported Bea’s recent email to Michael Day and Pfizer Animal Health (January 2013)  with a call to the industry-funded WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines Group to publicly provide an objective, simple and effective message on vaccination to pet owners.


For more information contact:


Elizabeth Hart: eliz.hart25@gmail.com


Bea Mies beatemies@gmail.com


For more background re over-vaccination of pets see below articles, some correspondence, submissions etc:


Recent correspondence:



Key documents:



Articles and summaries re over-vaccination of pets:



Correspondence – Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), Australian Veterinary Association (AVA), and others



Correspondence – UK Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD)



Correspondence – Virbac Animal Health (Disease WatchDog)



Submissions:



Correspondence –  Members of Parliament:



Media reports



___________________________________

[1] MJ Day, MC Horzinek, RD Schultz. World Small Animal Veterinary Association’s (WSAVA) Guidelines for the Vaccination of Dogs and Cats. Journal of Small Animal Practice. Vol.51. June 2010.

[2] The Australian Veterinary Association’s policy on vaccination of dogs and cats was ratified by the AVA Board on 26 June 2009.

[3] “Position Statement are chosen when the AVA membership has conflicting views on the topic which is particularly the case with duration of immunity and there was lack of agreeance with the document produced.” E-ructations, AVA NSW Division Newsletter, Issue 26 May 2011.

[4] SA Mitchell, RJ Zwijnenberg, J Huang, A Hodge and MJ Day. Duration of serological response to canine parvovirus-type 2, canine distemper virus, canine adenovirus type 1 and canine parainfluenza virus in client-owned dogs in Australia. AVJ Vol. 90, No. 12, December 2012.