Vaccines Current Thoughts, Current Strategies

Vaccines are in the forefront of people’s minds these days, particularly regarding benefits versus risks

- Lucy Drury

Vaccinating livestock is not a new thing; the first animal vaccine was invented in 1879 by Louis Pasteur for chicken cholera, followed by anthrax vaccines for sheep and cattle in 1881 and rabies vaccines in 1884. Since then, the veterinary vaccine industry has become big business, valued at US$7 billion in 2017 and predicted to reach US$9 billion in 2024. 1

Principles of Vaccination

The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) / American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) give detailed guidelines for both core and non-core vaccines (see aaha.org/globalassets/02-guide lines/feline-vaccination-guidlines/resource-center/2020-aahaa-afp-fe line-vaccination-guidelines.pdf for a detailed review of these guidelines). Both organizations also advocate for veterinarians to create individualized, lifestyle-based vaccination plans.2 Veterinarians should consider the cat’s life stage, health status, nutritional status, and the population density of their home. Do they travel? Do they encounter cats outside their household? All these things and more should be considered when developing a vaccination plan.

In her presentation, “Creating Individualized Feline Vaccination Protocols”5, Dr. Amy Stone gives four principles that she believes should be considered when deciding when or when not to vaccinate.

• Vaccinate the largest possible number of animals in the population at risk.

• Vaccinate each individual animal no more frequently than necessary.

• Vaccinate only against the infectious agents to which individuals have a realistic risk of exposure, infection, and subsequent development of disease.

• Vaccinate only when the potential benefits outweigh the potential risks.