# Sticky  2011 AAHA Vaccine Guidelines



## Kris L. Christine

*2011 American Animal Hospital Association's Canine Vaccine Guidelines * https://www.aahanet.org/PublicDocuments/CanineVaccineGuidelines.pdf


p. 3 "When compared with infectious (attenuated, avirulent, modified live, recombinant viral vectored) vaccines, noninfectious vaccines are more likely to produce local and systemic adverse reactions in some dogs."


p.10 "Most noninfectious vaccines require at least two initial doses to immunize, regardless of the dog's age. The first does of a noninfectious vaccine generally primes the immune response and the second dose, which should be administered 2-6 weeks later, provides the protective immune response. Immunity typically develops approximately 7 days after the second dose. Therefore, the minimum time for onset of immunity is approximately 3 wk after administration of the first dose of a noninfectious vaccine"


p. 12 "Because dogs older than 14-16 wk of age are not likely to have interfering levels of MDA [maternally derived antibodies], administration of a single initial dose of an infectious vaccine to an adult dog can be expected to induce a protective immune response. ..... MDA is the most common reason early vaccination fails to immunize."


p. 12 "The onset of immunity after administration of a single dose of infectious core vaccine is approximately 4+3 days in the absence of MDA [maternally derived antibodies]."


p.13 "Infectious core vaccines are not only highly effective, they also provide the longest DOI [duration of immunity], extending from 5 yr up to the life of the dog."


p. 17 "Despite the confusion and controversy surrounding antibody testing, these serologic tests are useful for monitoring immunity to CDV, CPV-2, CAV-1, and RV. .....On completion of the puppy core vaccination series with the last dose given at 14-16 wk of age, a dog can be expected to have an antibody titer or positive test result, regardless of the serologic test performed, provided the serum sample is collected > 2 wk after the last dose of vaccine." (CDV=distemper, CPV-2 = parvovirus, CAV-1 hepatitis, RV= rabies)


p. 18 "....the last dose of CDV and CPV should be administered at 14-16 wk of age. At this age, MDA should be at a level that will not block active immunity in most puppies (>98%) when a combination MLV vaccine is administered."


p. 18 "In a study reported in 1997, dogs vaccinated with a product containing CDV (canine distemper virus) and then placed in an environment without CDV maintained antibody titers for at least 10 yr."


p. 20 "...the list that follows includes categories of adverse reactions that have been attributed to vaccine administration.


-Injection-site reactions: lumps (abscess, granuloma, seroma), pain, swelling, hair loss associated with ischemic vasculitis


-Transient postvaccinal nonspecific illness: lethargy, anorexia, fever, regional lymphadenomegaly, soreness, abortion, encephalitis, polyneuritis, arthritis, seizures, behavioral changes, hair loss or color change at the injection site, respiratory disease


-Allergic (hypersensitivity) and immune-mediated reactions:


Type 1 (acute anaphylaxis): angiodema (especially the head), anaphylaxis (shock) and death


Type 2 (cytolytic): immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, immune-mediated thrombocytopenia (suspected only; causality has not been confirmed)


Type 3 (immune-complex): cutaneous ischemic vasculopathy associated with rabies vaccine, corneal edema ('blue-eye') associated with CAV-1 vaccine, immune-mediated disease.


-Tumorigenesis: vaccine-associated sarcoma or other tumors


Multisystemic infectious/inflammatory disorder of young Weimaraner dogs: may be genetically linked to both a poorly characterized immunodeficiency and to autoimmune disorders (e.g., hypothyroidism and hypertrophic osteodystrophy [HOD] that are detected shortly after vaccination


-Vaccine-induced immunosuppression: associated with first or second dose of combination MLV vaccines containing CDV and CAV-1 or CAV-2 with or without other vaccines (e.g., CPV-2, CPI). Immunosuppression begins 3 days after vaccination and persists for 7-10 days. The suppression may be associated with increased susceptibility to other diseases.



p. 21 "It is reasonable to avoid administration of any vaccine to patients with a history of systemic disease suspected to be associated with previous vaccination (e.g., immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, immune-mediated thrombocytopenia) or known to be caused by vaccine (vaccination-site cutaneous ischemic vasculitis after administration of rabies vaccine). 


p. 28 "As with pregnant dogs, veterinary medicine has advised against vaccination during illness, due to concerns about suboptimal protection, or worse, vaccine-induced illness."


p. 29 "Manufacturers only recommend administration of vaccine to healthy dogs. Dogs receiving immunosuppressive chemotherapy should not be vaccinated. Doing so may result in a suboptimal immune response or may aggravate (reactivate) an immune-mediated illness."


p.33 "Vaccine adverse events are significantly underreported in veterinary medicine."


p. 34 "The vaccination protocol that includes the minimum number of vaccines yet still provides a reasonable opportunity to immunize the dog would be: a single dose of combined infectious (attenuated, avirulent, modified live, recombinant viral vectored) CDV, MLV CPV-2, with MLV CAV-2, administered at 16 wk of age or older, plus a rabies shot at the same time (but inoculated at a separate site on the body)."


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## winniec777

And your point?


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## hanksimon

I know this is an official guideline, but I'd modify with one gentle suggestion:
Multiple vaccines and rabies vaccine be given two weeks apart to reduce immune system reaction (24 hours of puppy getting sick)... My dog had to get sick twice, before we recognized that we needed to do this. It was not life-threatening, but why impose flu like symptoms on a pup, even if "harmless", if it is so easy to avoid.


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## Kris L. Christine

winniec777 said:


> And your point?


The point is to give information to those who are interested.


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## Kris L. Christine

hanksimon said:


> I know this is an official guideline, but I'd modify with one gentle suggestion:
> Multiple vaccines and rabies vaccine be given two weeks apart to reduce immune system reaction (24 hours of puppy getting sick)... My dog had to get sick twice, before we recognized that we needed to do this. It was not life-threatening, but why impose flu like symptoms on a pup, even if "harmless", if it is so easy to avoid.


 I agree! Personally, I woud never give a rabies vaccine with any other vaccine, nor would I give it any earlier than required by law.


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## Kris L. Christine

*Analyzing New Vaccination Recommendations for Dogs*, by Jan Rasmusen 11/15/11 http://www.dogs4dogs.com/blog/2011/11/15/new-canine-vaccination-guidelines/


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## Pet Health Info

Thank you for posting this, many pet parents should be aware of proper vaccine guidelines. If you are afraid of your pets having adverse reactions to vaccinations, ask your Veterinarian for an injection of diphenhydramine before the vaccine. Rabies vaccine are actually fairly safe, I have heard more concerns with adverse reactions from the Lepto vaccine.


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## Kris L. Christine

Pet Health Info said:


> Rabies vaccine are actually fairly safe..


Actually, that is not true. According to an article published in *The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association *April 1, 2008 issue, Vol. 232, No. 7, entitled: _Postmarketing Surveillance of Rabies Vaccines for Dogs to Evaluate Safety and Efficacy_, they state on Page 2 that: "Rabies vaccines are the most common group of biological products identified in adverse event reports received by the CVB."

CVB is the Center for Veterinary Biologics.


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## missmyfriend

I guess I am more of a follower and just go by the recommended vaccines and never stopped to think if a problem could occur or not. Giving me some food for thought.


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## lulusmom

Kris L. Christine said:


> The point is to give information to those who are interested.


In my opinion, every pet owner should be interested and I thank you for posting this information.


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## Kris L. Christine

lulusmom said:


> In my opinion, every pet owner should be interested and I thank you for posting this information.


You're welcome.


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## Danikus

But how do vets refer to this? Who has experience?


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## Kris L. Christine

Danikus said:


> But how do vets refer to this? Who has experience?


Not sure I understand your question.


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## Mheath0429

This is something important for people to know. We titer test, its not cheap,but we do ti every three years.


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## Daenerys

My poor tired brain tried reading this and I just ended up with a glazed look in my eyes...Faolan is due for his first yearly renewal of all vaccines (rabies, hepatitis, distemper, parainfluenza, parvovirus, leptospirosis) and I was trying to figure out what, in plain terms, people thought. Should I get them all renewed, some of them renewed, or just the rabies?


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## hanksimon

I trust my Vet, and I blindly follow her lead. Except I give Rabies and other vax two weeks apart. On the other hand, I will ask her about vax for local outbreaks, such as canine flu, and she recommends against it in our area. I also don't get kennel cough (minimal exposure), and I'm not sure if we get leptospirosis... again, an exposure thing. 

Ask your Vet to explain, raise issues, and if the Vet can't explain so that you understand or at least feel comfortable... consider another Vet.


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## lulusmom

Had I blindly followed my vets lead, my medically challenged dogs would have been vaccinated annually and placed at risk for no good reason. Despite the fact I told this particular vet that my cushingoid dog was being treated by an internal medicine specialist who strongly suggested no more vaccines, they gave her all of her vaccines upon admission for emergency bladder stone surgery. So not only did they vaccine a dog with an immunosuppressive disease they vaccinated a dog with a medical condition requiring hospitalization. I didn't realize it until it was time to pay the bill. Needless to say, I came unhinged and everybody within a block radius probably heard me. I hope at least the people in his waiting room got a clue that this vet is unscrupulous. 

I would highly recommend that all pet owners educate themselves about anything you place in your dogs mouth, put on their skin or inject into their bodies. Not all vets are great about providing a list of adverse reactions or thinking past their nose about other meds that should not be given with the drug they are prescribing. Just remember that because your dog has never reacted to a vaccine in the past, no matter how old, doesn't mean they never will. I have a friend with an 8 year old Maltese, also with cushing's, who got her rabies vaccine and went into anaphylactic shock before they got out the door. Had she not still been at the vet's office, I'm not sure her dog would have survived. 

This thread was started to educate people so please read the guidelines. The url to the 2001 vaccine guidelines was provided in the first post but I'm providing it again below.

http://www.aahanet.org/PublicDocuments/CanineVaccineGuidelines.pdf

I know that reading some of this stuff that's geared for vets can be tought on the brain, especially when the pages are sideways.  So when you find some quiet time, be sure you watch Dr. Karen Becker's four part video of discussions with Dr. Ronald Schultz. You'll learn everything you wanted to know about vaccines, when to vaccinate, titers, etc. Dr. Becker actually posted a new video today about vaccines which you can watch. I've posted the url for that video followed by the four part series with Dr. Ronald Schultz.

http://healthypets.mercola.com/site...n-disease.aspx?e_cid=20120820_oldPetsNL_art_1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xC--bGthNN8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_Zvg8tIxeY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fc-6exZcbJ4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdPhj8Vq9ck


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## Daenerys

Thank you, Lulusmom! My brain is very tired from my college courses so reading something intended for a vet audience in my precious small amounts of spare time just made my head hurt. The videos should be a lot easier on me!


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## aussiegirl6

Kris L. Christine said:


> The point is to give information to those who are interested.


Kris, I cannot thank you enough for this post. Many vets are programmed to this vaccine to follow the law and some use it as a money maker for $300.00 dollar annual exams. 
I learned the hard way. My first dog got Large Mast cell carcinoma, my 2nd dog had cancer in the bones and ureters with chronic rhinitis no one could figure out. My 3rd dog had a MFH (Metastatic Fibrohemangioma) tumour removed from her hip. Then, my MIL's Chihuahua who was vaccinated by my vet, had seizures at 7 years old. That did it for me. Though exhaustive trips to 5 different vets to find out why my Ginger could not be cured of simple rhinitis and UTI's, a vet finally told me to stop immunizing her. They said they carry the titers they have found for over 5 to 7 years in some. Being my dogs were only 9 when they showed cancer signs, I believe the common denominator was the vaccines. I have gone to new vets out of school who want to argue with me and I reiterate the law as you printed here. 

p. 29 "Manufacturers only recommend administration of vaccine to healthy dogs. Dogs receiving immunosuppressive chemotherapy should not be vaccinated. Doing so may result in a suboptimal immune response or may aggravate (reactivate) an immune-mediated illness."


p.33 "Vaccine adverse events are significantly under reported in veterinary medicine."

I have had to put 2 of my dogs down due to the cancer thus far. I am NOT vaccinating the remaining dogs anymore as they are not healthy.

The 2 Australian Shepherds I got at 5 months are 6 years old now and have only been vaccinated up to 2 years of age and I stopped when I realized when I found out what you have shown us here. 
Thank you for speaking out for the dogs.


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## Kris L. Christine

You are quite welcome. Sorry to hear about your furries & the cancer. I lost my Meadow to a mast cell cancer which started at the site of the rabies booster he had at 5 years old. It cuts deep.


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## Abbylynn

Kris L. Christine said:


> The point is to give information to those who are interested.


What does this mean for my 28 week old puppy whose leg hair fell out at the rabies injection site?


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## aussiegirl6

Abbylynn said:


> What does this mean for my 28 week old puppy whose leg hair fell out at the rabies injection site?


OMG, that vaccine should be reported The original poster to this information can help you. There is another question like yours on previous page here and the website to report it is there. I am so sorry that happened to you. We have to speak out for these animals, they depend on us to protect them.


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## Kris L. Christine

Abbylynn said:


> What does this mean for my 28 week old puppy whose leg hair fell out at the rabies injection site?


Not sure what your question is, but you should make sure that your veterinarian recorded your puppy's reaction and that you report it (information on how to do that below).

It could be that your puppy suffered an ischemic skin reaction to the rabies vaccine. The following links will take you to more information: *World Small Animal Veterinary Association 2006 Congress Ischemic Skin Disease in the Dog * http://www.vin.com/proceedings/Proceedings.plx?CID=WSAVA2006&PID=15765&O=Generic
*
World Small Animal Veterinary Association 2004 World Congress Cutaneous Vasculitis and Vasculopathy* http://www.vin.com/proceedings/Proceedings.plx?CID=WSAVA2004&PID=8602&O=Generic

*Reporting an Adverse Reaction*: 

The American Veterinary Medical Association Reporting Adverse Events Advice for Animal Owners https://www.avma.org/KB/Resources/Reference/Pages/Reporting-Adverse-Events.aspx

FDA Veterinary Adverse Drug Reaction Report form http://www.fda.gov/downloads/AboutFDA/ReportsManualsForms/Forms/AnimalDrugForms/ucm048817.pdf
More reporting information and options from the USDA: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/vet_biologics/vb_adverse_event.shtml


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## aussiegirl6

Ashl67ey said:


> I lost my Meadow to a mast cell cancer which started at the site of the rabies booster he had at 5 years old. It cuts deep.


I am so so sorry for your loss Ashl67ey. I too lost my dear Ingrid to Mast cell which I first noticed at 8 years old with a tiny pink "wart" on her foot, At 12 they were treating her for arthritis, which she did not have. They did not do xrays, just assumed. When she broke her leg they xrayed her and found the mast cell had spread all through her bones, (which is why she had trouble walking) she was in such pain, it still cuts me too, June 15 will be one year ago I had to euthanize an otherwise alert and happy dog. My baby.
I will pray for God to give you the strength to withstand the emotions of this sorrow.


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## 3212

Lots of vets are adhering to the newer guidelines for vaccination protocols - which is a 'less is more' type of thing. If you aren't happy with your vet's vaccine protocol I'd advise finding a new vet. The veterinarians I work for are by far the best and most careful I have worked for. Working the field, I know first hand the importance of vaccinations - there is a reason that they are important, and should be given, BUT they should not be over-given. That is where the trouble lies.

After the puppy series we do annual 5-in-1 (Distemper/Parvo) until 5 years old, and then every three years (although we've just started talking about starting the three year protocol after the first annual booster which will be cool). 

We do Rabies 1 year and then every 3 years - that IS required by law in most states, and believe me you DO NOT want to mess with that one of the off chance your dog does bite someone. 

And cats we do three year FVRCP vaccines after their kitten series, and don't do Leukemia (Purevax!!) at all unless they ROAM outdoors. We only do Rabies (Purevax!!) on indoor cats, if they are likely to bite anyone (again because of legal reasons). 

We only do Bordetella as needed (as in if they board and it's required by the kennel, or if they go FREQUENTLY to the dog park), otherwise we advise against it. We do not vaccinate dogs with immune-mediated issues. 

We always split vaccines up (have people come back in 3-4 weeks for a NO CHARGE exam) to avoid reactions, and we pre-treat reactive patients (and sometimes dachshunds even if they haven't had a reaction - because they can be hyper-sensitive to vaccine reactions) as needed (and at NO CHARGE). 


Believe me, I worked for a couple of other vets that gave all three vaccines at once, gave all vaccines every year, and worse...you have to find a vet that you feel comfortable with. A good vet should not be about the money, but about the health and safety of your pet. For me, I had to find a vet I could trust to work for (and bring my pets too), but you should be just as picky bringing your pets to the vet as well. If they don't do what's best for you and your pet, then find a better one.


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## sandgrubber

A helpful recent review of these guidelines can be found at the skeptvet blog (a vet promoting evidence-based veterinary medicine): 

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2014/08/ro...cats-trying-to-make-evidence-based-decisions/

One bit in this review that I hadn't seen before is advice not to give parvo vaccine to old dogs:

Given the length of protection, and some evidence that susceptibility to parvovirus is low in older dogs, most probably do not need to be vaccinated after about 8-10 years of age. There is clear evidence that older dogs do respond appropriately to vaccinations, and there is not evidence that they are more likely to be harmed by vaccines than younger dogs, so continuing to vaccinate after this age is not likely to be harmful, but it is probably unnecessary. In humans, there is evidence that older people may be more susceptible to some diseases than younger adults, and thus may be more in need of vaccination, but this hasn’t yet been demonstrated in dogs.


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## RonE

This thread is 9 years old and the original poster hasn't been here for 6 years, so please start a new thread with your questions or concerns.


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