Questions re advisability of annual vaccination boosters

Spotted on [a social network]:


Vets say dog owners are spending millions on unnecessary vaccines

Veterinary surgeons are warning that cat and dog owners are spending tens of millions of pounds on unnecessary and sometimes dangerous vaccines.
More than 30 vets have signed an open letter warning many vaccines for pets given in yearly doses last much longer.

They have accused the pharmaceutical industry of "fraud by misrepresentation, fraud by silence and theft by deception".

But drugs companies say they are bound by rules from licensing authorities.

Because of a lack of research it can only give a minimum period of immunity - usually 12 months.

Yearly vaccines

The vets are warning the pharmaceutical industry and their own profession about the issue.


The present practice of marketing vaccinations for companion animals may constitute fraud by misrepresentation, fraud by silence and theft by deception

Vets' group

In their letter they say that vaccinations for many conditions including distemper, cat flu and parva virus, last a lot longer than a year and sometimes for life.

The letter said: "The present practice of marketing vaccinations for companion animals may constitute fraud by misrepresentation, fraud by silence and theft by deception."

BBC correspondent Angus Stickler said that vets send out computer-generated letters telling people to take their pets in for vaccinations "every year, year in, year out".

He said: "With £20 to £40 to pay and about 13m dogs and cats in the country it's an industry worth tens of millions of pounds."

The letter also talks about an increase in the risk of "adverse post-vaccination events" including a list of problems such as auto-immune disorders, transient infections and a risk of cancer in cats.

Animal testing

Vaccination manufacturers say that, although they can test animals for one or two years so they can give a minimum cover or immunity, it is difficult to perform lifelong tests.

They say that to prove immunity lasts for three or four years, or for life, would mean keeping and testing a large number of cats and dogs for years on end.


We base our recommendations on the science and the science we have tells us that we don't know how long immunity lasts in any individual animal

Intervet

David Sutton, a spokesman for Intervet, one of the world's largest veterinary drug manufacturers, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We base our recommendations on the science and the science we have tells us that we don't know how long immunity lasts in any individual animal.

"What we do know is there are some animals that need more frequent vaccination than others and our vaccine recommendations have to be based on taking account of those animals."

The vets' warning comes as more than 6,000 vets from all over Europe gather in Birmingham for the world's largest congress devoted to domestic pet welfare.

One of the techniques up for discussion at the four-day event is pheromonotherapy, used to help cats and dogs overcome fears and phobias.

The treatment is based on a study of chemicals, called pheromones, secreted by canines and felines through glands on their body.

These convey messages to members of the same species about ownership of territory, gender and mating availability.

I should have said that this was posted onto [a social network] from the BBC website.

I haven't boosted annually for 20 years now, preferring to do the first 3 years and then no more. Unless you have a dog who is immunologically challenged, or suffers from a immunological genetic disorder, I can see no reason to vaccinate any longer - other than to line the pockets of the vets and pharmaceutical companies.

Mine have the first year and that is it. Did try the 2nd year with Cariad and Lona, and Cariad had a bad reaction, throwing up and staggering about.

Mine don't have boosters but although boosters are done annually not all the vaccines are given, only lepto is done yearly and everything else is done every three years, has been for years now. The price remains the same every year though.

I do remember my vet with hal saying that the danger of non-boosting was lepto. She moved heaven and earth to try and find a lepto only formulation but none exists. Which to me emphasises the pharma companies desire to make money ... personally i will run the risk of ben getting lepto rather than pump him full of unnecessary drugs. It is absolutely scandalous that this crazy situation exists and i expect vets to stand up to the drug companies and insist on separate lepto vaccine.

If it doesn't exist how do vets give it annually on it's own, check the 3 year protocol. Most vets have been vaxing in this way for years now.

My two have their boosters every year because there are too many unvaccinated dogs in this country for my liking. They are also vaccinated annually for Rabies which is compulsory by law and failure to do so results in a heavy fine and the dogs been quarantined.

Fortunately for us in the Uk unless you have a pet passport and regularly travel within the European countries that need regular vaccinations and flea and tick prevention it is easier for us not to vaccinate.
Ollie had his puppy jabs and one booster before we lost him at 41/2 not vaccination related.
Dillon was given the 3 year jab as a puppy and I have not boostered and do not intend to if I can help it. He also does not get flea or tick treatment he is given garlic and sometimes verm x. He has crushed pumpkin seeds for intestinal parasites never seen a worm in his pooh.
Our neighbours have to vaccinate regularly as they travel to France several times a year and they also have to booster. Beth has found 3 ticks on her youngest lab since arriving home from their trip.
Wonder how many they will find this time on entering back into the Uk after a 2 week break back in France.
They were almost dead she did say.
Natural all the way for me as much as possible.

Exactly!! That's my point ... pharmaceutical companies deliberately and cynically lump everything together to ensure that vets boost annually - in order to get the lepto and parvo cover. It must be possible to isolate the vaccines for these two diseases so that dogs only need annual boosters for these ... but it is more profitable for them to continue with their current practice. It is disgraceful in my opinion.

Lynn - worms are notoriously difficult to see in the stools unless there is a huge worm burden. All dogs carry worms and personally I wouldn't rely on the efficacy of pumpkin seeds just by visual inspection of faeces. There are companies that offer worm testing of faeces - I used to use one for my horse when I owned one. To be on the safe side I would send off a poo sample to one such company to be on the safe side.