How you can help - write to your local media
In the UK, letters have been sent to vets, local authorities, boarding establishments, breed/breed rescue clubs, all types of training clubs, breeders, and insurers, plus a press release to all major UK media.
To enable the campaign to gain maximum publicity we need you to write/contact your local media (newspaper/radio/TV). The main points we have raised (that you can use in your letters) are:
The main points (taken from the letters we have sent) that need to be put across for you to use when contacting the media are:
1) It is often believed that annual vaccination is a requirement to establish immunity and that it does no harm. Wrong!
2) The WSAVA (World Small Animal Veterinary Association) state:
i) “we should vaccinate against the core diseases no more frequently than every three years. This is often taken to mean that we should vaccinate every three years – but this is not the case. If the dog is already immune to these three core diseases, re-vaccinating will not add any extra immunity.”
ii) The only reliable way of knowing whether a dog is immune is to ascertain whether the dog has antibodies to the core diseases. Vaccination in itself does not offer a guarantee of protection. “The WSAVA supports the use of titre testing. This is where a small sample of blood is taken from the dog and checked for the presence of circulating antibodies. The presence of circulating antibodies indicates that the dog is immune, and revaccination (with core vaccines) is not required. You may decide to titre test before giving the 12 month booster, as this may show that boosting is unnecessary. New in-practice titre-testing kits are now available which will allow your veterinarian to do a titre test very quickly, without sending the blood sample to a laboratory”
iii) Leptospirosis
“Vaccination should be restricted to use in geographical areas where a significant risk of exposure has been established or for dogs whose lifestyle places them at significant risk”
“Protection against infection with different serovars is variable. This product is associated with the greatest number of adverse reactions to any vaccine. In particular, veterinarians are advised of reports of acute anaphylaxis in toy breeds following administration of leptospirosis vaccines. Routine vaccination of toy breeds should only be considered in dogs known to have a very high risk of exposure”
iv) Kennel Cough “Canine respiratory disease complex (kennel cough) is not a vaccine-preventable disease”
“you should check with your kennel because some will demand kennel cough vaccines, and others will not accept dogs that have been vaccinated against kennel cough (due to shedding)”
3) The Kennel Club states:
Health and Breeder Services manager Bill Lambert said “there are a number of ways in which breeders could choose to protect or immunise their animals”
“While vaccination is a commonly used method, the KC would wish to make clear there is no blanket requirement for members of the ABS [Assured Breeder Scheme] to use conventional vaccination either annual or otherwise”
We asked Mr Lambert to incorporate the WSAVA guidelines into their policy, and at the time of writing he informs us that, “it has been decided that the wording of the advice sheet template for assured breeders will be changed. Once this has been done it will be submitted to the Dog Health Group and General Committee”. You can contact Mr Lambert with any queries about the Kennel Club guidelines on vaccination at:
Bill.Lambert@thekennelclub.org.uk
4) Vaccine data sheets state “not for use in an unhealthy/immune compromised animal” or similar. Vets should be able to provide a letter of waiver of the requirement to be vaccinated on the grounds of health issues to avoid adverse reactions.
5) The Pet Welfare Alliance has written to all UK veterinary practices and included details of the new in-practice VacciCheck titer test and arranged a discount for them with the supplier. Letters have been sent to local authorities, boarding establishments, breed/breed rescue clubs/societies, training clubs, breeders, charity/rescue, and pet insurers in the UK, asking them to incorporate the current scientific guidelines into their policies.
To enable the campaign to gain maximum publicity we need you to write/contact your local media (newspaper/radio/TV). The main points we have raised (that you can use in your letters) are:
The main points (taken from the letters we have sent) that need to be put across for you to use when contacting the media are:
1) It is often believed that annual vaccination is a requirement to establish immunity and that it does no harm. Wrong!
2) The WSAVA (World Small Animal Veterinary Association) state:
i) “we should vaccinate against the core diseases no more frequently than every three years. This is often taken to mean that we should vaccinate every three years – but this is not the case. If the dog is already immune to these three core diseases, re-vaccinating will not add any extra immunity.”
ii) The only reliable way of knowing whether a dog is immune is to ascertain whether the dog has antibodies to the core diseases. Vaccination in itself does not offer a guarantee of protection. “The WSAVA supports the use of titre testing. This is where a small sample of blood is taken from the dog and checked for the presence of circulating antibodies. The presence of circulating antibodies indicates that the dog is immune, and revaccination (with core vaccines) is not required. You may decide to titre test before giving the 12 month booster, as this may show that boosting is unnecessary. New in-practice titre-testing kits are now available which will allow your veterinarian to do a titre test very quickly, without sending the blood sample to a laboratory”
iii) Leptospirosis
“Vaccination should be restricted to use in geographical areas where a significant risk of exposure has been established or for dogs whose lifestyle places them at significant risk”
“Protection against infection with different serovars is variable. This product is associated with the greatest number of adverse reactions to any vaccine. In particular, veterinarians are advised of reports of acute anaphylaxis in toy breeds following administration of leptospirosis vaccines. Routine vaccination of toy breeds should only be considered in dogs known to have a very high risk of exposure”
iv) Kennel Cough “Canine respiratory disease complex (kennel cough) is not a vaccine-preventable disease”
“you should check with your kennel because some will demand kennel cough vaccines, and others will not accept dogs that have been vaccinated against kennel cough (due to shedding)”
3) The Kennel Club states:
Health and Breeder Services manager Bill Lambert said “there are a number of ways in which breeders could choose to protect or immunise their animals”
“While vaccination is a commonly used method, the KC would wish to make clear there is no blanket requirement for members of the ABS [Assured Breeder Scheme] to use conventional vaccination either annual or otherwise”
We asked Mr Lambert to incorporate the WSAVA guidelines into their policy, and at the time of writing he informs us that, “it has been decided that the wording of the advice sheet template for assured breeders will be changed. Once this has been done it will be submitted to the Dog Health Group and General Committee”. You can contact Mr Lambert with any queries about the Kennel Club guidelines on vaccination at:
Bill.Lambert@thekennelclub.org.uk
4) Vaccine data sheets state “not for use in an unhealthy/immune compromised animal” or similar. Vets should be able to provide a letter of waiver of the requirement to be vaccinated on the grounds of health issues to avoid adverse reactions.
5) The Pet Welfare Alliance has written to all UK veterinary practices and included details of the new in-practice VacciCheck titer test and arranged a discount for them with the supplier. Letters have been sent to local authorities, boarding establishments, breed/breed rescue clubs/societies, training clubs, breeders, charity/rescue, and pet insurers in the UK, asking them to incorporate the current scientific guidelines into their policies.