Valley Veterinary Clinic Vaccine Guidelines

Your Pet Vaccinations and Valley Veterinary Clinic

Dramatic changes have occurred in the past 10 years in the way veterinarians view vaccines and vaccination practices.  The concepts of core and noncore vaccines, disease risk assessment, extended intervaccination intervals, and use of products that minimize vaccine-associated inflammation are currently parts of mainstream veterinary medicine.

Vaccination guidelines for cats were first published in 1998, and canine guidelines followed in 2003.  By the end of 2006, both sets of guidelines have been reviewed extensively, updated, and published.  Today the complete texts of both the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) http://www.aahanet.org canine vaccine guidelines and the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) http://www.catvets.com  feline vaccine guidelines are available to the entire veterinary profession.  Veterinarians continue to pay close attention to the numerous, sometimes controversial, presentations and publications that address selecting and using vaccines in companion animal practice.

  New Mexico State Veterinary Medical Association and the state of New Mexico adopted a 3 year rabies vaccine  January 1^st, 2004.  This was done because research indicated that the rabies vaccine gave longer than 1 year of immunity and rabies vaccines were labeled for a 3 year efficacy.

  Recent research indicates that a number of vaccinations give longer than a 1 year immunity and up to and greater than 3 years.  Many veterinarians across the country have adopted some form of three year schedule on an “off label” basis, meaning these vaccines are not labeled for 3 years.  Recently some  vaccine companies have made available 3-year immunity duration “labeled” vaccines and we will recommend and use these core vaccine antigens after pets have gone through the puppy and kitten series and boosters up to 2 years of age.  The goal of the Valley Veterinary Clinic vaccine recommendations is to establish a good base of immune protection while pets are at the most risk then begin a 3 year program which is still effective and labeled for our patients but will also decrease adverse reactions.  We will, as always, still emphasize an annual comprehensive physical exam along with recommended vaccinations as well as preventative actions such as annual bloodworks, heartworm tests on dogs, annual internal parasite exam, IPE, or fecal and for both dogs and cats that they be on a monthly heartworm/internal and external parasite control, as recommended by the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC)  http://www.capcvet.org.  

Vaccinating your pet should not be taken lightly.  Failure to vaccinate could result in your pet contracting a serious preventable disease.  However, unnecessary vaccinations should be avoided.  A decision to vaccinate should only come  after your pet’s age and risk of exposure to disease are considered by you and your veterinarian.  Vaccinations given at the appropriate age and at the appropriate intervals will greatly benefit your pet and protect it against some life threatening diseases.

  Valley Veterinary Clinic vaccine recommendations will include appropriate risk assessments with concerns related to our pets living in the Four Corners Area where we have many stray animals and are an endemic area of disease such as distemper and parvovirus.  Factors such as age, being strictly, any underlying diseases, boarding and grooming routines, travel with your pet, any past vaccine reactions, etc. will be taken into account when your pet’s lifestyle is assessed.

  Risks of vaccination: in general, vaccines may cause localized pain or swelling, low grade transient fever, allergic reactions such as swelling of the lips and eyelids, and mild lethargy.  With any vaccine, anaphylaxis (a potentially fatal hypersensitivity reaction) may occur.  Overall, the risk of any reaction is quite small compared to the risk of the diseases the vaccines protect against.

  Core Vaccines are those vaccines which every pet should receive regardless of exposure to other pets.  These are combined in the puppy and kitten series at 8, 12, and 16 weeks of age and Valley Veterinary Clinic recommends that in our area we “adult boost”  again at 1 year of age and then  transition to the 3 year alternating antigens protocol with lifestyle risk assessment.

  Non Core but Valley Veterinary Clinic and Four Corners Recommended vaccines.  These are vaccines which we at Valley Veterinary Clinic feel are recommended because of where we live and our philosophy of preventing disease which we see regularly at our practice.

 Non Core Vaccines are vaccine which may or may not be necessary since the diseases they prevent occur sporadically, or more common in specific circumstances, or are new or emerging diseases.  These vaccines can be available and can be given based on your pet’s lifestyle risk.