J.

Aguila

The Pet Vaccine Controversy: Are pets over-vaccinated?

Literature Review

Jharmaine Aguila
Professor Alison Jaenicke
English 202C
April 7, 2015

J. Aguila

Audience: The intended audience for this literature review is pet

owners with dogs and cats seeking further information about the
potential health risks involved in routine pet vaccinations.

Introduction
The development of vaccines has drastically improved the
approach to preventative medicine in both humans and animals.
Vaccines, which are composed of a weakened form of the diseasecausing antigen, aid in strengthening the immune system by eliciting
an immune response through the production of antibodies.
Antibodies respond to the weakened antigen, protecting the body from
developing infection and disease from future exposure. While the use
of vaccines to prevent and eradicate diseases has been effective in
reducing population deaths, there is a rising concern that it may do
more harm than good.
The vaccine controversy is especially a hot topic in the veterinary
community. While humans only require a few vaccines in a lifetime,
animals are vaccinated once or twice a year in their lifetime. Many
argue that frequent administration of vaccines may be linked to the
development of adverse effects ranging from skin irritations to cancer.
And now recent research suggests that immunity against routine
vaccines such as canine distemper and parvovirus can last up to years,
which leaves pet owners and veterinarians questioning: are annual

J. Aguila

vaccines necessary? Many believe so, claiming that it is better to be

safe than sorry and that there is no harm in taking the extra
precautionary step to ensuring the health of their pets.
This literature review aims to educate pet owners about the
hazards of pet vaccines so they can make informed decisions in
whether to vaccinate their pet. It will explore questions such as what
is the ideal vaccination schedule for dogs and cats? and are there
side effects to over-vaccination? If so, how can over-vaccination be
avoided? The review will highlight the vaccination guidelines and
standard practices today, the risks of vaccinating versus not
vaccinating and the potential solutions to avoid over-vaccination.

Vaccination Guidelines and Standard Practices

There are two types of vaccines that veterinarians can
administer to pets: core vaccines and non-core vaccines. Core vaccines
are a set of vaccines that protect against highly infectious diseases
that threaten animal health and even human health. These are usually
vaccines that the veterinarian advises puppies and kittens should
receive upon their first visit. Core vaccines for dogs include distemper,
canine adenovirus-2 (hepatitis and respiratory disease), parvovirus and
rabies. Feline core vaccines include feline viral rhitotracheitis,
calicivirus, panleukopenia, and rabies. Non-core vaccines are

J. Aguila

considered optional and depend on the life style of the animal (Scherk
et al. 785-808).
Current vaccination guidelines developed by American Animal
Hospital Association (AAHA) and the American Academy of Feline
Practitioners (AAFP) provide practical recommendations to help
veterinarians create decisions regarding use and selection of vaccines.
According to AAHA canine vaccine guidelines, it is recommended that
dogs should be revaccinated with core vaccines every three years in
addition to the one-year booster shot after the initial vaccination
(AAHA). And depending on state, provincial, or local laws, rabies
vaccines are required annually or every three years. Recommendations
for yearly vaccinations for cats are also found in the AAFP guidelines.
Although the guidelines are developed by experts in veterinary
medicine, immunology, and infectious disease, some of its
recommendations are not supported by scientific studies and refereed
journal publications. Instead some recommendations are based on
unpublished studies, current knowledge of immunology and from
personal experience (AAHA). In fact, Dr. Richard Ford, a member of the
AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines Task Force, admits the decision
to recommend a three year re-vaccination schedule was an arbitrary
compromise not based on science. (Lou) Furthermore, vaccine
manufacturers such as Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc., Merck

J. Aguila

Animal Health, Merial and Pfizer Animal Health sponsor the published
AAHA guidelines, which creates bias.
Before revisions for the AAHA and AAFP guidelines in
recommending the 3-year schedule, annual vaccinations of corevaccines were part of a normal routine and a widely accepted practice.
It wasnt until the 1990s, where the public grew concern for adverse
effects in pet vaccines when there were a growing number of cases of
cats developing sarcomas (cancerous skin tumors) at vaccination sites
(Hendrick et al. 968). One study confirms that vaccines played a role in
the development of cancer in cats. The study compares two groups of
cats with fibrosarcomas- one with fibrosarcoma at the vaccination site
and the other at a non-vaccinated site (Doddy et al. 165-74). When
analyzing the characteristic histological features of both groups, cats
with fibrosarcomas at the vaccination site had more characteristics for
aggressive tumors than non-fibrosarcomas. However, data was
collected from 170 cats, which may not be sufficient data to produce
concrete evidence.
Even with the revisions for AAHA and AAFP guidelines, many still
question the recommended time interval between revaccination. This
is partly due to new research suggesting immunity can last for more
than one year and sometimes for even a lifetime. Jean Dodds, an
expert in companion animal vaccinology, claims vaccine immunity
against viruses such as canine distemper and parvovirus can last a

J. Aguila

minimum of five years and up to seven or nine years, and for some
individuals for a lifetime (Thornton). Dodds also explains immunity for
rabies can last for at least seven years according to new data from
performing titers. Titers are tests used to measure the amount of
antibodies in the blood that determine if an animal is still immune.
Again, only a limited number of animals were involved in these studies
according to veterinarian Link Welborn who is a member in the panel
who is responsible for the recent revisions for vaccination guidelines
for dogs and cats. (Thornton)

Pet Vaccine Risks

The main concern for pet owners and veterinarians is the
potential side effects that come with frequent vaccinations. Over the
years, undesired side effects such as feline sarcomas and autoimmune
disorders were observed among animals after vaccine administration
(Meyer 493-514). According to AAHA guidelines, some commonly
observed side effects included reduced or loss of appetite, pain at
injection site, lethargy, and mild fever. However, they fail to mention
the more serious side effects observed by owners and veterinarians.
Clinical signs in dogs included swelling of the eye, hypotensive shock
and collapse (Moore et al. 393-407 ). Adverse effects in cats were often
gastrointestinal and respiratory problems. The reason for these effects
may be due to the accumulation of antigens from repeated

J. Aguila

administration of vaccines over the years, as noted by Smith in the

Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association (vol. 207 Aug 15,
1995)
Another concern for pet vaccines is the universal dosage
administered for all animal sizes. Dr. Mark Russak, president of the
National American Hospital Association, assures that pet vaccines have
correct amounts of antigens to stimulate the immune system against
disease based on scientific trials and research; therefore full doses
should be administered regardless of size (Nickerson). But according to
one cohort study, smaller dogs had a greater reaction rate than larger
dogs. Records from animal clinics were examined for reported adverse
events in dogs vaccinated within 3 days (Moore et al. 1102-1108). They
found that the adverse event rate increased for each additional
milliliter of vaccine in smaller dogs (<10kg). In fact, the rate was more
than double when compared to the rate of increase seen in larger
dogs. However, the study does not include details that describe the
severity of the reported adverse events.
Limited studies exist today to show the correlation between
vaccination and severe effects. One review published in the Veterinary
Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice reports decreased
platelet count (involved in clotting) in dogs after vaccinated with
canine distemper virus. But dogs immediately returned to normal

J. Aguila

conditions, concluding better surveillance is needed to understand the

relationship between disease and vaccination.

Risks for Not Vaccinating

Many are concerned with harming their pets with vaccines that
they choose to avoid vaccination all together. But there are also risks
for not vaccinating. For one, pets have a higher risk of contracting
commonly contagious diseases that may be life threatening.
Distemper, for example, can have detrimental effects on the dogs
immune system and is found to have a high mortality rate (Dogs
Naturally). Viruses such as distemper can be transmitted through the
air or by general contact of contaminated surfaces or contact with
feces of the infected animal. Parvovirus is especially common in urban
areas and can easily infect an unvaccinated animal (ASPCA). Rabies
can easily be contracted from a bite of an infected animal, especially if
the unvaccinated animal lives in an area with wild animals where the
virus is most prevalent.
Once an unvaccinated animal is infected, they become a public
health threat. An infected animal can potentially transmit the virus to
other unaffected animals and cause an outbreak. This is especially a
concern with diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans
such as rabies.

J. Aguila

Avoiding Over Vaccination

To provide the best protection for pets, one must make decisions
based on the needs specifically for their pet. Today it is now more
common for veterinarians to provide titer tests to measure antibody
levels instead of administering annual booster shots (Lou). That way
they can avoid administering unnecessary shots that could potentially
harm the animal. Also, one must determine if pets are at high risk of
contracting a disease by evaluating the health and lifestyle of their pet.
For example, if pets are frequently boarded and will be around other
dogs and cats, it is advised that they receive Bordetella bronchiseptica,
a non-core vaccine. Some pets may be at lower risk of exposure, like
indoor cats for example, and should only be administered those
vaccines required by law. It is also thought to minimize the number of
vaccines administered in one visit to reduce the risk of adverse effects.
(Moore et al. 1102-1108).

Conclusion
Vaccines play a vital role in maintaining pet health but their
benefits may come with risks. Although recent observations suggests
over vaccination is to blame for adverse effects, further research is
needed to confirm these concerns. Likewise, there is much more

J. Aguila

10

research to be done to show the link between vaccines and vaccine

related effects. Currently, there is a lack of documentation for postvaccination adverse reactions to create concrete conclusions.
According to AAHA guidelines, there is no vaccine adverse event
database maintained currently available for public review.
Like humans, vaccines affect animals differently. The fact that
pets vary by age, breed, weight, and health status, it is difficult to
predict the risks for vaccine-associated diseases. Vaccinations are
relatively safe for use today as assured by AAHA and AAFP guidelines,
but pet owners should consult with a veterinarian to assess if their pet
is at risk for contracting disease. Therefore, care for each animal
should be individualized to avoid unnecessary vaccinations.

J. Aguila

11

Literature Cited

B. Straw. " Decrease in platelet count after vaccination with distemperhepatitis (DH) vaccine." Vet Med Small Anim Clin, 73.6 (1978):
725-726

Doddy, F.d., L.t. Glickman, N.w. Glickman, and E.b. Janovitz. "Feline
Fibrosarcomas at Vaccination Sites and Non-vaccination Sites."
Journal of Comparative Pathology 114.2 (1996): 165-74. Web.
Duval D., Giger U. " Vaccine-associated immune-mediated hemolytic
anemia in the dog " Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine
10.5 (1996): 290-295.
Hendrick M.J., Goldschmidt M.H., " Do injection site reactions induce
fibrosarcomas in cats?" Journal of American Veterinary Medical
Association 199.8 (1991): 968. Web.
Lou, JoAnna. "Controversy Over Vaccines." The Bark. N.p., 2013. Web.
25 Mar. 2015.

J. Aguila
K

12

L.V. Welborn, J.G. DeVries, R. Ford, R.T. Franklin, K.F. Hurley, K.D.
McClure, et al. 2011 AAHA canine vaccination guidelines
JAAHA, 47 (2011), pp. 142

Martin, Ann N. "Vexing Vaccinations." Vaccination News. N.p., May

2003. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.
Meyer, Kathryn. "Vaccine-Associated Adverse Events." Veterinary
Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice 31.3 (20014):
493-514. Print.
Moore, George E., and Harm Hogenesch. "Adverse Vaccinal Events in
Dogs and Cats." Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small
Animal Practice 40.3 (2010): 393-407. Web.
Moore, George E., and Guptill L.F., "Adverse events diagnosed within
three days of vaccine administration in dogs. Journal of
Veterinary Medical Association, 227 (2005): 1102-1108.
Nickerson, John. "Stamford Vet at Center of Vaccination Debate."
StamfordAdvocate. Hearst Media Services Connecticut, LLC,
n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2015.
"Parvovirus." ASPCA. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.
<https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/parvovirus>.
"Pet Vaccination: Risks and Benefits." Dogs Naturally. N.p., n.d. Web.
<http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/pet-vaccinationrisks-and-benefits/>.

J. Aguila

13

Scherk, M. A., R. B. Ford, R. M. Gaskell, K. Hartmann, K. F. Hurley, M. R.

Lappin, J. K. Levy, S. E. Little, S. K. Nordone, and A. H. Sparkes.
"2013 AAFP Feline Vaccination Advisory Panel Report." Journal
of Feline Medicine and Surgery 15.9 (2013): 785-808. Web.
Smith, Carin A. "Are We Vaccinating Too Much?" Journal of the
American Veterinary Medical Association 4th ser. 207 (1995):
421-25. Web.
Thornton, Kim C. "Still Vaccinating Your Pet Every Year?" NBC News.
N.p., 18 July 2005. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.
<http://www.nbcnews.com/id/8572826/ns/healthpet_health/t/still-vaccinating-your-pet-everyyear/#.VSMV5sbtIwE>.
"The Vaccine Controversy." The Animal Doctor. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar.
2015.