Is it necessary to vaccinate older pets?

No

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by Evangeline Uriyu

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Is it necessary to vaccinate older pets?

For many years we have been over vaccinating our companion animals. There are a few reasons for this, which are totally unrelated to the health and welfare of our beloved fur-kids. Vaccines are a source of revenue for the drug making companies, and the veterinarians who administer the vaccines. There is considerable money earned by administering vaccines to our pets on a yearly basis. Another reason is tradition. Pet owners have always brought their pets in for yearly check-ups, including vaccine boosters. It is a tradition that is difficult to break until it is understood why it may be unnecessary in almost all cases.

One has to wonder why we give our human children regular vaccines up to a certain age, then they are finished with vaccinations for the rest of their lives. Yet, our dogs and cats are given vaccines every single year of their lives. Why is that? Why do these mammals need to have the same vaccines year after year? The answer is; they don't.

We do need to administer vaccines to our puppies and kittens. There is no question that our companion animals need to develop antibodies to diseases like Distemper, Parvo, and Rabies. However, they should not be given all at once, but instead should have a three week window in between vaccinations to avoid vaccinosis. A puppy and kitten have very immature immune systems which can be easily overwhelmed. Vaccinosis is a group of acute and chronic disorders caused by overwhelming an animal's immune system with too many vaccines at one time. The symptoms can vary from itchy skin, anaphalaxis, seizures, to liver failure, with many degrees of severity of other organ systems in between these two.

Certain dog breeds, and families of dogs (litter-mates) are particularly susceptible to vaccinosis. Leading the list are the Standard Poodle, long-haired Dachshund, Old English sheepdog, Scottish terrier, Shetland sheepdog, Shih-Tzu, Vizsla, and Weimaraner, as well as breeds of white or predominantly white coat. Recently, other breeds have been added including the Akita, American cocker spaniel, German shepherd dog, Golden retriever, Irish setter, Great Dane, Kerry blue terrier and all Dachshund and Poodle varieties. With these breeds, caution and careful observation must be observed when vaccinating.

In the case of older dogs, it becomes even more critical not to administer vaccines every year. As a dog ages, part of the aging process is a break down of his immune system. It happens in humans also. By the repeat assault of vaccines on an immuno-compromised elderly animal, many debilitating chronic diseases, including cancer could result. There are many speculations as to why our companion animals are coming down with cancer, thyroid disorders, liver failures and more degenerative diseases at an alarming rate. One of the biggest reasons is over vaccination. It a well accepted fact that cats are particularly vulnerable to injection site sarcomas (cancer) from vaccinations. One way to avoid that is to simply keep track of where kitty was injected the previous time and change the location of the injection site each year. But the larger question is; do we really need to vaccinate our pets every year?

The better way to address this dilemma and provocative question is through a very simple action. Having yearly titers performed on our pets will answer the question; "Does my fur-kid need to be revaccinated every year?" It is a simple blood test that costs approximately seventy-five dollars. It will give the owner and his veterinarian the answer to whether or not the dog or cat has enough immunity by measuring the antibodies circulating in his blood. Experts feel that most animals keep their immunity after vaccinations for at least three to five years, some animals more; some less. For instance, it could be learned after the fourth year of titering a dog, that he needs a Parvo booster, but is okay with the others. This is a much safer way to care for our dogs and cats then to just go ahead and do something because it always has been done that way, albeit at a disservice to our fur-kids.

Although vaccine protocol is a hotly debated issue in the companion animal world right now, many veterinarians are seeing the benefits in changing the vaccination protocols for our pets. An excerpt from Dr. Jean Dodds' CHANGING VACCINE PROTOCOLS; "3) the pet reaches geriatric age, at which time booster vaccination is likely to be unnecessary and may be unadvisable for those with aging or immunologic disorders. In the intervening years between booster vaccinations, and in the case of geriatric pets, circulating humoral immunity can be evaluated by measuring serum vaccine antibody titers as an indication of the presence of immune memory."

Every pet parent has to make his or her own decision regarding the care of his dog or cat based on his beliefs, knowledge, and wallet. Our companion animals can't speak for themselves, but their trust and loyalty deserve the very best we can give them to insure their good health and quality of life. A little research into the current vaccine protocols will help in the decision process regarding vaccination. Incidentally, the only vaccine that is required by law is the Rabies vaccine.

To insure that one's pet is adequately immune to diseases, without the risk of over vaccinating, a simple yearly blood test can be performed. Yearly titering is so much safer for our pets, and will afford the pet parent peace of mind. Knowing that one is doing all they can to provide a long healthy life for their companion animal, is certainly worth the small price of yearly titering.

"There is less risk associated with taking a blood sample for a titer test than giving an unnecessary vaccination."

-Veterinary Medicine, February, 2002.

Dodds WJ. More bumps on the vaccine road. Adv Vet Med 41:715-732, 1999.

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