A specific vaccination for your dog
Several studies show that after the puppy vaccinations and a booster shot at one year of age, most dogs have long-term protection against three of the most common diseases (parvo, CAV-1, and distemper, the DHP vaccine), sometimes for more than seven years or even for life! The issue is that this differs for each animal, as each individual responds differently to a vaccination. Therefore, general vaccination guidelines recommend vaccinating for these three diseases at least once every three years to ensure they remain protected.
Vaccinations against specific diseases for your dog
You can be assured that your dog, cat, or other pet will be vaccinated against the most common diseases with us. However, the situation is different when it comes to vaccinations for diseases like Leptospirosis (Weil's disease) and kennel cough. It has been shown that after vaccination for these diseases, immunity rarely lasts more than one year. Leptospirosis is a bacteria, and the body generally builds immunity against it much slower and less effectively than against viruses. The conclusion is that your dog may be protected for life after their puppy vaccinations, but only against a few diseases, and this doesn’t apply to every dog.
Vaccinations against common diseases for your cat
Your cat also deserves good care in our Cat Friendly Clinic.It has been shown that after the kitten vaccinations and a booster shot at one year of age, long-lasting immunity can develop for feline distemper (parvo), sometimes lasting up to 14 years! Unfortunately, this is not the case with the vaccination for cat flu (upper respiratory infections); it rarely provides protection for more than 12 months.
Doesn't getting vaccinated every year have a lot of long-term side effects?
Vaccines for pets are continuously being developed, and the current vaccines are very safe. Side effects from vaccinations in dogs, cats, or other pets are extremely rare. The most common complication is a mild swelling at the injection site. Very rarely, an immune-mediated disease may occur after vaccination or an anaphylactic shock. In cats, it is possible for a tumor to develop at the injection site (Feline Injection Site Sarcoma); the likelihood of this happening is 1 in 10,000. Recently, there have been rumors that vaccines may cause epilepsy in some dogs; however, no correlation has been proven between the two.
Titering: the alternative to vaccinations for your cat, dog or other pet
We’ve previously discussed titer testing. Titer testing means determining the number of antibodies against a particular pathogen. Since the immune response varies from animal to animal, it may not be necessary for some animals to receive the DHP vaccine or feline distemper vaccine every three years if they are still sufficiently protected. We can measure this in the blood by checking the level of antibodies in our laboratoryHowever, there are several considerations to take into account:
- For the DHP disease, a good correlation has been shown between the antibody titer and adequate protection. However, the titer level only indicates that the dog is protected at the time of testing, but it does not determine how long the protection will last. Therefore, a titer test should be repeated annually.
- If there is a good titer for parvo, but not for distemper and CAV-1, we unfortunately still need to administer the cocktail vaccine because there are no so-called monovaccines available (no separate distemper vaccine and no separate CAV vaccine).
- There are also no separate vaccines for feline distemper that protect against just one segment of the disease. A good correlation has been shown between the titer and the level of protection, but it cannot be determined how long your pet will remain protected.
- For leptospirosis, sneezing disease, and kennel cough, it has been shown that the titer level does not indicate the level of protection, and it has been proven that the protection rarely lasts longer than one year. Therefore, this vaccination must be given annually.
- A titer test costs money, with the possible result that your pet may still need to receive the vaccination afterward.
My dog/cat has never been vaccinated and has never contracted anything, so isn't vaccinating just nonsense?
The diseases against which we vaccinate are fortunately becoming less common in our country, thanks to the fact that people provide their dog or cat with all the necessary vaccinations. Therefore, the chance that your pet contracts these diseases is not very high. Additionally, there is the concept of "herd immunity": if all the animals around you are properly vaccinated, a disease cannot spread and will not reach your pet. In this way, your dog or cat is actually protected because other pet owners have vaccinated their pets!
Let yourself be advised on the best vaccination treatment for your dog, cat, or other pet
As you can see, there is a lot to consider when it comes to vaccinating your dog, cat, or other pet. The most important thing is that your pet is optimally protected, without being burdened with unnecessary vaccinations. Based on the summary of various articles above, we recommend giving your dog or cat at least the puppy or kitten vaccinations and the vaccination at one year of age. Additionally, an annual vaccination against leptospirosis (dog) and feline calicivirus (cat) is necessary to protect your pet against these diseases. Apart from that, it is quite possible that your dog or cat will remain well protected for many years against other common diseases (DHP and feline distemper). If we want to be sure about this, we will need to perform a titer test before deciding whether to vaccinate them. The alternative is to vaccinate your dog/cat every three years for these diseases. This is the minimum duration of protection provided by the vaccines. Would you like to know more about the possible vaccinations or other treatments for your dog, cat, or other pet? Then feel free to contact us for a consult of maak direct een afspraak.
