Of course, as we all (hopefully) know, vaccines save tens of thousands of puppies a year from the ravages of parvovirus and distemper. Vaccines help keep our pets safe from rabies and feline leukemia. However, for all the good they do, vaccines do carry risks. Not the vague and crazy risks discussed in the forums, but real risks of feline sarcoma, anaphalaxis (dangerous immediate allergic reactions) and abscesses.
Some of these risks can be very dangerous or fatal. They are also remarkably rare. Feline sarcoma is found in fewer than 1/10,000 cats, and severe allergic reactions (anaphalaxis) leading to death are rarer still. However, for those pets affected these events can be terrible.
For fifteen years the veterinary community has been trying to find a way between these conflicting dangers. For many, including all of the veterinary schools and all of the professional organizations, the solution has been to divide vaccines into core and non-core and limit the number of vaccines given over a life time.
As an example, in indoor only cats Feline Leukemia is a non-core vaccine, meaning that these cats should not receive the vaccine unless other risk factors warrant it (owner brings in strays or the like). Bordetella vaccines in dogs are treated much the same way.
As for limiting vaccines given over a life time, the research conducted by universities (not vaccine manufacturers - we will get back to this) shows that many vaccines last longer than the recommended year. The recommendation stemming from this research calls for giving core vaccines (excluding rabies) every three years or to check titers (which tells us if the pet's immune system still recognizes the pathogen) and possibly go out longer on vaccines.
This has led many veterinary hospitals to adopt a three year vaccine protocol. We have not. And the reason we have not is because Dr's Burrows and Nielsen have seen too many parvo puppies die to trust these studies.
Our newest doctor, however, embraces three year vaccines.
We have discussed this as a team, because we know that it will cause confusion if we are not providing people the same recommendations. But, to ask Dr. Estheimer, Burrows, or Nielsen to change their medicine - to make a medical decision - based on research or life experiences that they are uncomfortable with is unethical.
Rather, we decided that our clientele is educated and smart, and if we provide the facts to them (you) and allowed you to choose for yourselves, you would make the decisions that best fit your lifestyle and personal philosphy. In keeping with our philosophy of providing pet owners the tools to make informed decisions, we have elected to give you our point of view and the facts that brought us to our current decisions.
These are the facts of vaccination:
Vaccines do not cause any debilitating illnesses or diseases - everything out there that contradicts this statement is based on hearsay and has no basis in science.
Vaccines still save tens of thousands (if not millions) of lives per year.
All pets MUST be vaccinated for rabies, regardless of indoor status, according to state laws and vaccine labeling.
Failing to adequately vaccinate puppies exposes them to potentially fatal diseases - these diseases are common - there is no scientific or ethical reason to fail to adequately protect puppies and kittens.
Almost all vaccines (excluding rabies) given as a three-year vaccine is labeled by the manufacturer for one year - very few vaccines are actually labeled for three years.
Adequately vaccinated pets can still occasionally get the disease that they were vaccinated against.
No-one can define "over vaccinated", nor is there any evidence concerning patient health and the number of vaccines they receive in a life time.
We have agreed to disagree on vaccine intervals in our hospital. We do this because we believe that we must follow our hearts as well as our heads when it comes to the care of your pets. Please, if you have any questions about any of the vaccines your pets receive, ask your veterinarian.
