All of the 27 Vet Universities in the US have followed the immunization protocol as suggested by Dr. Dodd for years. All of these Hospitals will be changing their Vaccination Programs apparently. This is welcome news and you should print this out and take it with you to your Vet should you need reinforcement against over-vaccination.
VACCINATION NEWSFLASH [CIMDA support] RE: J. DODDS' VACCINE PROTOCOL
I would like to make you aware that all 27 veterinary schools in North America are in the process of changing their protocols for vaccinating dogs and cats. Some of this information will present an ethical & economic challenge to Vets, and there will be skeptics. Some organizations have come up with a political compromise suggesting vaccinations every 3 years to appease those who fear loss of income vs. those concerned about potential side effects. Politics, traditions, or the doctors economic well-being should not be a factor in a medical decision.
NEW PRINCIPLES OF IMMUNOLOGY
Dogs' and cats' immune systems mature fully at 6 months. If a modified live
virus vaccine is given after 6 months of age, it produces immunity, which is
good for the life of the pet (i.e.: canine distemper, parvo, feline distemper).
If another MLV vaccine is given a year later, the antibodies from the first
vaccine neutralize the antigens of the second vaccine and there is little or no
effect. The titer is not "boosted" nor are more memory cells induced.
Not only are annual boosters for parvo and distemper unnecessary, they subject the pet to potential risks of allergic reactions and immune-mediated haemolytic anemia. There is no scientific documentation to back up label claims for annual administration of MLV vaccines.
Puppies receive antibodies through their mothers milk. This natural protection can last 8 - 14 weeks. Puppies & kittens should NOT be vaccinated at LESS than 8 weeks. Maternal immunity will neutralize the vaccine and little protection (0-38%) will be produced. Vaccinati on at 6 weeks will, however, DELAY the timing of the first highly effective vaccine. Vaccinations given 2 weeks apart SUPPRESS rather than stimulate the immune system. A series of vaccinations is given starting at 8 weeks and given 3-4 weeks apart up to 16 weeks of age. Another vaccination given sometime after 6 months of age (usually at l year 4 mo) will provide LIFETIME IMMUNITY.
Veterinarians have become concerned with regard to over vaccinating and continual annual vaccination requirements for dogs and cats. Much of this concern stems from the recent awareness of post-vaccinal complications that can result with currently available biologicals. Knowledge of the various reactions and their predisposing causes helps to avoid their occurrence.
Immunologic Complications
Immunologic reactions that can develop following vaccination can be categorized
as to the four classical types of hypersensitivity reactions.
Type I reactions involve an interaction with cytophilic IgE and antigen with resultant degranulation of circulating basophils and tissue mast cells. In the dog, signs are facial edema, hypotensive shock, weakness, dyspnea and diarrhea. Cats show facial pruritus, salivation, dyspnea, collapse and respiratory distress from acute pulmonary edema
Type II hypersensitivity reactions, resulting in cellular injury have been suspected or reported following the use of MLV vaccines in dogs. Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) and autoimmune nonregenerative anemias (autoimmunity to erythrocyte precursors) have been associated with MLV parvoviral vaccines in some dogs. The dogs with this association had lower platelet counts, increased trend toward intravascular hemolysis and spontaneous microagglutination, and higher mortality than the other affected animals. Transient subclinical thrombocytopenia also has been reported following the use of MLV combination vaccines in dogs.
Type III hypersensitivity reaction, associated with immune-complex formation and deposition, is responsible for the anterior uveitis that occurs in some dogs receiving the MLV--CAV-1 vaccine. This local type III, or Arthus reaction results from virus-antibody complex formation within the eye. The process resolves spontaneously unless secondary complications such as glaucoma develop.
Type IV, or cell-mediated, hypersensitivity reactions can occur following the use of bacille-Calmette-Guérin (BCG) as an immunostimulator or some adjuvants. Large, exuding granulomas may develop at the site of injection. Polyradiculoneuritis has been observed in dogs following use of suckling mouse brain inactivated rabies virus vaccines and some other biologicals in dogs.
Nonimmunologic Complications
Local Reactions.
Many complications have been associated with either local irritation or
production of disease by canine and feline biologics. Local reactions following
vaccination include pain, erythema, swelling, irritation, and abscess
formation. These typically occur within minutes to days after inoculation. Pain
can be caused by many components in the vaccine such as stabilizers, high or
low pH, high osmolality, or preservatives. Swelling is most frequently noted
with the use of inactivated products containing adjuvants or with bacterial
vaccines containing large amounts of foreign protein derived from the culture
media.
Adventitious Agents.
Most viruses grown in cell culture must contain serum and this is usually
obtained from fetal calves. Fatal illness occurred in pregnant bitches
vaccinated for DA2LPP in the last trimester of gestation from Bluetongue virus
inadvertently contained in the vaccine. MEV vaccination is generally not
advised during pregnancy but may be done under unusual circumstances. Signs
were abortion 7 to 9 days after vaccination and death within 48 to 72 hours
with cardiac failure and respiratory distress.
Focal cutaneous granulomatous lesions.
These reactions are to adjuvants, which potentiate the immune response by
creating a depot effect. A nodule, which forms typically, regresses in 2-6
weeks. These were histologically characterized by a local nonsuppurative
vasculitis. Similar reactions have been observed in cats and contain foreign
material representing residual adjuvant. An association of these inflammatory
nodules to the development of sarcomas has been made.
Sarcomas.
Neoplastic complications have been reported with increasing frequency following
the use of inactivated adjuvanted vaccines in cats with much lower frequency in
dogs. Rabies and FeLV vaccines have been most commonly incriminated on an
epidemiologic basis in cats although combination inactivated products have also
been associated. The component thought to be associated with postvaccinal
inflammation is the vaccine's adjuvant. The inflammatory reactions to aluminum
and other proprietary adjuvants may predispose cats to a connective tissue
reaction and eventually neoplastic transformation. The estimated time course
ranges from 3 months to 3.5 years postvaccination. Multiple vaccines at the
same site and repeated yearly boosters may increase the risk. Vaccination sites
should be monitored by owners and veterinarians and any enlargement be
examined. Local, very wide excision should be done for any enlargement that
occurs after 3 months. Incomplete excision of a sarcoma usually results in more
aggressive regrowth at the surgical site.
Various recommendations have been made to reduce the frequency of sarcoma development. Manufacturers can assist in determining the substances that are responsible for oncogenesis and making modifications. Veterinarians need to educate clients and alter their vaccination schedules to minimize the use of unnecessary vaccines. Better recording and tracking of reactions is needed. Clients need to observe vaccine sites and continue to bring their pet in for annual examinations.
Systemic Illness.
Systemic illness characterized by fever and malaise may also occur as a result
of self-limiting infection caused by MLV vaccines, usually caused by
replication of the vaccine virus within local lymphoid tissues without viremic
spread. This commonly does not last longer than 1 to 2 days following
vaccination and often explains the transient anorexia and depression noted in
recently vaccinated animals.
Prenatal and Neonatal Infections.
If MLV vaccines are given during pregnancy, vaccine infections can result in
fetal malformation or death or infertility and abortion in the dam. Neonatal
infection can also occur following the use of MLV canine or feline parvoviral
vaccines in puppies or kittens less than 4 to 5 weeks of age. The general
recommendation is to never use MLV vaccines in pregnant females.
Vaccine-Induced Diseases.
Clinical illness can develop as an expected postvaccinal event when intranasal
vaccines are used. The mild clinical syndrome is usually self-limiting, but the
organisms may spread to other susceptible animals. The immunity to such
vaccines is superior to that of parenteral vaccines; however, the clinical
disease that these vaccines can produce has limited their use by many
veterinarians.
Febrile, limping syndrome has been noted in kittens after use of products containing caliciviral or Chlamydophila antigens. Kittens less than 6 months old are usually affected for up to 1 week after vaccination. Related Akita dogs have developed immune-mediated polyarthritis within 3 weeks after vaccination. The dogs usually developed signs by 16 weeks of age consisting of cyclical fever and joint pain with associated laboratory abnormalities. The joint aspirates reveal nonseptic, purulent polyarthritis. Treatment with glucocorticoids helps alleviate the clinical signs but relapses are frequent. Young Weimaraners can develop radiographic changes typical of HOD. These are probably systemic manifestations of the disease syndromes.
Neurologic disease has been a commonly documented postvaccinal reaction described in dogs and cats. This may relate to the overt nature of neurologic illness and decreased immunocompetence of the CNS against MLV agents. Historically, complications following rabies virus vaccination have received the most attention. MLV vaccines are no longer used in the US for this reason. Vaccine-induced rabies in dogs and cats following MLV vaccination begins with paralysis in the inoculated limb within 7 to 21 days and progresses bilaterally and in an ascending fashion.
Encephalomyelitis has been reported after combined distemper virus vaccination in the dog especially in very young pups. Postvaccinal distemper has also been reported following immunosuppression of dogs with cytotoxic chemotherapy and virulent parvoviral infection. Hypertrophic osteodystrophy has also been associated with modified live distemper vaccines. A number of other immunosuppressive influences can facilitate vaccine-induced infections. MLV feline panleukopenia vaccines and canine parvoviral vaccines should not be used in kittens or puppies less than 4 to 5 weeks of age. Cerebellar degeneration and myocarditis may develop in kittens and puppies, respectively, from virulent parvovirus or MLV vaccine virus infection. Immunosuppressed cats can become ill following MLV parvoviral virus vaccines. Parenteral vaccination with one previously licensed MLV canine coronaviral vaccine has been associated with illness. This problem was related to the particular strain that was used in the vaccine. Currently available MLV coronaviral vaccine does not cause problems of this type.
Craig E. Greene
University of Georgia
Athens, GA, USA
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3/26/2008