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Vaccines have become an emotional issue among pet owners. And, while the science of pet vaccines is always a work in progress, there are some undeniable facts.

No medical development has had a greater impact on the prevention of diseases and general health of people and animals than the development of vaccines against various diseases, says Michael Paul, DVM, past president of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), and frequent vaccine task force advisor.

Animal vaccines help to control disease, many of which can affect people. At the top of the list is rabies. On WGN radio, Cook County Administrator of Rabies Control Donna Alexander, DVM said, Make no mistake, rabies does occur in the United States. We have a wildlife reservoir of rabies. The only reasonand I do mean the only reasonwe dont see it in [people] in this country is because we have laws mandating vaccination.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 55,000 people around the world die from rabies each yearthats approximately one death every 10 minutes. In the U.S., one to three people succumb to rabies each year.

Another disease controlled by vaccination is canine parvovirus. The disease emerged in the 1970s, and for some time veterinarians were powerless to stop it; dogs with parvovirus often died, and they still can. Today, however, the canine parvovirus barely occurs in some places. Its not because the virus has done a disappearing act; its because enough dogs are vaccinated to provide community protection, or herd immunity.

Where populations are less protected against the canine parvovirus, such as shelter populations, the virus appears and often spreads among those individuals not vaccinated.

So, vaccinations do what theyre supposed to do. But can there be too much of a good thing? Are we vaccinating our pets too often? This is a topic often discussed, and while theres some disagreement within the ranks, veterinarians do agree that just because a vaccine is available doesnt mean that all pets should receive it.

Factors that affect vaccine protocolsAccording to the AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines, whether a vaccine is suggested or not is dependent on the following factors:

Also, to lessen the possibility of adverse reactions or side effects, its often suggested that not all vaccines are given during the same veterinary visit.

To vaccinate or not to vaccinateSometimes choosing whether or not to vaccinate is easy. For rabies, its the law. Sometimes, however, those decisions arent so black and white.

During the recent canine influenza epidemic in Chicago, veterinarians werent all in agreement about supporting vaccination with the dog flu vaccine. Thats because the current vaccine was created for a flu strain called H3N8, and may not be effective against the strain of dog flu that infiltrated the Chicago area, called H3N2. Anecdotal evidence indicated the vaccine did offer some protection against the newer flu strain, and because the old flu strain still existed most veterinarians did recommend the vaccine for social dogs.

Far less was known 20 years ago about how often to immunize our pets and when to booster. Today we know more, but theres still much to learn. Organizations like AAHA, the American Association of Feline Practitioners, and others have created guidelines based on current scientific and medical knowledge, which veterinarians can consult when making health care recommendations for their patients.

Another tool to help determine which vaccinations are appropriate for a particular pet is a titer, although this tool is somewhat controversial. A titer is a laboratory test that measures the presence and amount of antibodies in blood that could defend against a particular disease. For example, instead of receiving a vaccine against the canine parvovirus, the dog could be titered. If the dogs titers are at a specific level, the veterinarian may deem no vaccine is necessary. Titering is not a perfect tool, however, and titers arent available for all vaccinations. Many veterinarians dont believe titering is an effective way to ensure a pets ability to fight off certain diseasesthey believe vaccinating the pet is the safest and most effective way to prevent disease.

At the end of the day, my hope is that pet owners develop a trusting relationship with their veterinarian, says Paul. Discussing each immunization is serious business, and you should review with your veterinarian whats right for your individual pet.

Steve Dale is a certified animal behavior consultant, author of a syndicated newspaper column (Tribune Content Agency), and the host of two national radio shows, including Steve Dales Pet World on WGN radio in Chicago, Ill.

More here:
Pet vaccinations 101: What you need to know | AAHA

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