Vaccines Poised for a Comeback
Vaccines are a perennially controversial subject in veterinary (and human) medicine. As I have mentioned many times on this blog, nobody knows with any true certainty how often pets should receive vaccines (although plenty of people have strong opinions about the matter).
Over the last several years, the trend in the veterinary community has been to vaccinate pets less often. But researchers are discovering new uses for vaccines that might reverse that trend.
Historically, vaccines have been used to protect individuals from communicable diseases such as parvovirus. However, a new generation of vaccines is likely to emerge in the next decade to combat an entirely different problem: cancer.
In fact, anti-cancer vaccines already exist. The vaccine for human papilloma virus is, in essence, a vaccine against cervical cancer in people. And, as I mentioned in a previous post, veterinary oncologists are using a vaccine to help treat oral melanoma in dogs.
A veritable army of researchers is exploring new ways to use vaccines to fight cancer. And the work is paying off. An article in the May 31, 2008 issue of The Economist discusses the results of clinical trials of a vaccine against a highly deadly type of brain tumor. An excerpt from the article is below.
A piece of research expected to be unveiled on June 1st by Duane Mitchell of Duke University . . . hints that glioblastomas, the most lethal form of brain tumor, may . . . be susceptible to vaccination.
There are two means by which vaccines may be used to fight cancer. The first is to vaccinate against cancer-causing viruses (this is the basis for the vaccines against cervical cancer and glioblastoma). The second is to give a vaccine that stimulates the body’s immune system to attack cancerous cells (this is how the canine melanoma vaccine works).
Cancer is a leading killer of pets and people. Vaccines may prove to be a very important tool for fighting cancer in the future.
You have questions. 
I had originally gotten my cats their shots as kittens but never followed up. I had talked to many cat owners with indoor cats who have never had their cats shots updated after the intial kitten ones will no ill effects. However, recently in my state a law was passed that if your cats do not get their rabies shots every 3 years they can be taken away from you. The vet then informed me that the Distemper shot was only $10 and it now lasts 3 years (I thought it was every year), so I ended up getting the vaccinated anyway. With all the strays around the area who come on our porch, sometimes even spraying our doors, I figured better safe than sorry. I find the cancer vaccine article interesting, as I have a friend who has had more than one cat die from cancer.
Cancer vaccine… sounds great! When can I sign up my dogs??
As for normal vaccines I get them done yearly or when they’re recommended by my vet. We watch them carefully for reactions and if any of my pets start having problems we’ll consider doing titers. So far no reactions so I’ll continue to vaccinate this way. Just not vaccinating your pets because you *think* they might have a problem or are getting over vaccinated is like playing Russian roulette with your pet. Unless your pet is having reactions (very rarely does a life threatening reaction occur from the first vaccine, they generally escalate every time vaccinated if they’re going to have a problem) it’s not going to hurt them to do the recommended vaccines.
Excellent!! We will definatly be getting the new cancer vaccines ASAP. As for normal vaccines, we do the same as Sara - as often as the vet reccomends. It’s absolutly crazy not to get your pet (or child!!!) vaccinated on an unfound suspicion.
I get the boys vaccinated every 3 years for rabies, bordatella annually (for a kennel) and, after talking with our vet, alternate the others with titres. Our clinic says the most important thing is to have the boys get physicals since we do not have a lot of contact with other dogs. If that changed, we would revisit our vaccination schedule.
I get my dog vaccinated whenever my vet reccomends it to me. I get rabies every 3 years and all of the rest yearly.
I think the title and first two paragraphs of this article are extremely misleading, because the article itself has very little to do with annual vaccines and the controversy surrounding them, it’s about very specific vaccines for cancer.
Veterinary studies have shown that you cannot make a dog more immune by vaccinating annually - the dog either has antibodies or it does not. Revaccinating is not necessary if antibodies are present because it won’t do anything - again, you can’t be more immune than immune.
You can, however, increase the risk of vaccinosis (illness caused by vaccines) by overvaccinating, and some dogs are more at risk from certain vaccines or revaccinations than others. It’s one of the reasons the Lymes and Leptospirosis vaccines are so controversial, not to mention vaccines containing thimerosal. But that’s a whole different subject for discussion, and I’m sure most pet owners don’t even care. They’ll vaccinate “whenever the vet sends a note.”