Leptospirosis Vaccine

[Moo]

I was looking through Holly's contract, which has changed in a few minor ways since Kirby's contract. And I noticed that in bold around the health guarantee and breeding section is says that the

-buyer will never have the dog vaccinated against LEPTO.

Why might this be ?

[jnc_mcguire]

I don't know maybe it is something to do with the breed. I just know that when you go to the vet when they are pups that comes in with the 5 way shot. Maybe you need to call the breeder and find out why.

[Cearbhaill]

Many dogs are allergic to the lepto vaccine, and it gives only something like six months immunity to start with so a lot of risk for not much pay off.

[cotonbacchus]

I just looked it up and thought I'd paste this info on the Lepto vaccine

The Leptospirosis vaccine is a controversial one. Leptospirosis
is an important disease because it can be transmitted to man and
some other animals, and can cause severe kidney disease. As
mentioned above, it is one of the vaccines most likely to cause a
fatal anaphylaxis in puppies, so many breeders just don't give it.
Until recently, the vaccine only covered two serovars and was
effective in less than 50-75% of dogs that received the vaccine.
But two more serovars have been recently added, and leptospirosis
has become endemic in some areas. Therefore, the decision to
include Leptospira will have to be made on the basis of its
presence in the dog's area, as well as the future performance of
the two new serovars.

[bdrcol22]

I know that a lot of dogs have reactions to that vaccine... But I give any vaccines individually, so I know which one cause the problem.

But as far as Lepto is concerned, it can be a nasty disease. We had an out break of it at the vets office that I used to work at. And it is transmitted through urine, and humans can get it, which is why there is such a push to give it.

I don't give it, however.

[Deb's Tiny Dogs]

One the advice of our holistic vet, we don't do it. She says there's are at least over 100 strains of Lepto and the vaccine only works for 4 or 5. She doesn't feel the benefits outweigh the risks for our dogs.

[Sheltiemama]

Some breeds do not tollerate the Lepto vaccine well. Shelties are one breed that can not be innoculated with this vaccine, though some owners have given it and had no adverse reactions. So I would assume because your contract states that the Lepto should never be given that your breed has a history of reactions or that the vaccine may have reacted on one of her parents. In the shelties it's the MDR1 mutant gene that causes the problem I am not sure if your breed carrys a similar mutation. It might be interesting to research that...

[Bosley Slave]

Originally Posted by Deb's Tiny Dogs

One the advice of our holistic vet, we don't do it. She says there's are at least over 100 strains of Lepto and the vaccine only works for 4 or 5. She doesn't feel the benefits outweigh the risks for our dogs.

I have talked to many vets and breeders. They all agree that it is a high risk vaccine and not all that effective in preventing it. I have not had my dogs Lepto vaccinated and don't plan to. Quite a high reaction rate with toy/small dogs too.

[Kris L. Christi]

Moo,

Holly is a small breed of dog -- the information below on the Leptospira vaccine might answer the question you raised about her contract.

Kris

LEPTOSPIRA VACCINE--Adverse Reactions

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Regarding the Lepto vaccine, on Page 2 of the American Animal Hospital Association's 2003 Canine Vaccine Guidelines and Recommendations, it states that "Optional or 'noncore' vaccines are those that the committee believe should be considered only in special circumstances because their use is more dependent on the exposure risk of the individual animal. Issues of geographic distribution and lifestyle should be considered before administering these vaccines. In addition, the diseases involved are generally self-limiting or respond readily to treatment. The committee believes this group of vaccines comprises distemper-meases virus (D-MV), canine parainfluenza virus (CPIV), Leptospira spp., Bordetella bronchispetica, and Borrelia burdorferi."

Furthermore, on Page 7, Tables 1 of the AAHA Guidelines referenced above, it states under Revaccination (Booster Recommendations) that the Leptospira interrogans vaccine "....this product carries high-risk for adverse vaccine events." Under Overall Comments and Recommendations they elaborate: "Anecdotal reports from veterinarians and breeders suggest that the incidence of postvaccination reactions (acute anaphylaxis) in puppies (<12 wks of age) and small-breed dogs is high. Reactions are most severe in young (<9 wks of age) puppies. Routine use of the vaccine should be delayed until dogs are >9 wks of age."

On Page 8 of the 2006 American Animal Hospital Association's Canine Vaccine Guidelines, it states that "Veterinarians are advised of anecdotal 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 high exposure risk."

Leptospira isa “killed” vaccine and is associated with clinically significant adverse reactions. According to the 2003 AAHA Guidelines (Page 16), "...killed vaccines are much more likely to cause hypersensitivity reactions (e.g., immune-mediated disease)."Further, the AAHA task force reports on Page 18 that, "Bacterial vaccines, especially killed whole organism products …..are much more likely to cause adverse reactions than subunit or live bacterial vaccines or MLV vaccines, especially if given topically. Several killed bacterial products are used as immunomodulators/adjuvants. Thus, their presence in a combination vaccine product may enhance or suppress the immune response or may cause an undesired response (e.g., IgE hypersensitivity or a class of antibody that is not protective)."

The Leptospira vaccine is also an "adjuvanted" vaccine, as are the Lyme and Rabies vaccines. "The World Health Organization (WHO) in 1999 classified veterinary vaccine adjuvants as Class III/IV carcinogens with Class IV being the highest risk," IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carinogenic Risks to Humans: Volune 74, World Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Feb. 23-Mar. 2, 1999, p. 24, 305, 310.


A fuller discussion of the Lepto vaccine can be found on Page 14, in which it is reported that, "Immunity is an ill-defined term for Leptospira ssp. products. If immunity is defined as protection from infection or prevention of bacterial-shedding, then there is little or no enduring immunity."

Dr. Alice Wolf, Professor of Small Animal Internal Medicine at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine, stated in an address (Vaccines of the Present and Future http://www.vin.com/VINDBPub/SearchPB/Proceedings/PR05000/PR00141.htm) at the 2001 World Small Animal Veterinary Association World Congress that: "The most reactive vaccines for dogs include leptospirosis bacterin and Borrelia [Lyme]vaccine.".

Personally, I found the most stunning quote in this entire document to be on Page 18, in which the task force declares: "However, the ethical issue that our profession struggles with today is whether economics justifies giving an animal a drug (vaccines are biologic drugs) that is not necessarily required. As a minimum, we should allow pet owners to make this choice rather than make it for them."

Combination Vaccines, Multiple Shots--on Page 16 of the 2003 AAHA Guidelines under Immunological Factors Determining Vaccine Safety, it states that: "Although increasing the number of components in a vaccine may be more convenient for the practitioner or owner, the likelihood for adverse effects may increase. Also, interference can occur among the components. Care must be taken not to administer a product containing too many vaccines simultaneously if adverse events are to be avoided and optimal immune responses are sought. "
__________________________________________________ _________________
Duration of Immunity to Canine Vaccines: What We Know and Don't Know, Dr. Ronald Schultz http://www.cedarbayvet.com/duration_of_immunity.htm

What Everyone Needs to Know about Canine Vaccines, Dr. Ronald Schultz http://www.puliclub.org/CHF/AKC2007Conf/What%20Everyone%20Needs%20to%20Know%20About%20Cani ne%20Vaccines.htm

World Small Animal Veterinary Association 2007 Vaccine Guidelines http://www.wsava.org/SAC.htmScroll down to Vaccine Guidelines 2007 (PDF)


The 2003 American Animal Hospital Association's Canine Vaccine Guidelines are accessible online athttp://www.leerburg.com/special_report.htm .

The 2006 American Animal Hospital Association's Canine Vaccine Guidelines are downloadable in PDF format at http://www.aahanet.org/PublicDocumen...s06Revised.pdf .

Veterinarian, Dr. Robert Rogers,has an excellent presentation on veterinary vaccines at http://www.newvaccinationprotocols.com/

October 1, 2002 DVM Newsletter article entitled, AVMA, AAHA to Release Vaccine Positions, http://www.dvmnewsmagazine.com/dvm/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=35171

July 1, 2003 DVM Newsletter article entitled, What Do We Tell Our Clients?, Developing thorough plan to educate staff on changing vaccine protocols essential for maintaining solid relationships with clients and ensuring quality care http://www.dvmnewsmagazine.com/dvm/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=61696

July 1, 2003, DVM Newsletter article, Developing Common Sense Strategies for Fiscal Responsibility: Using an interactive template to plan service protocol changes http://www.dvmnewsmagazine.com/dvm/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=61694

Animal Wellness Magazine Article Vol. 8 Issue 6, How Often Does he REALLY Need A Rabies Shot Animal Wellness Magazine - devoted to natural health in animals

The Rabies Challenge Animal Wise Radio Interview
Listen to Animal Wise (scroll down to The Rabies Challenge 12/9/07)

The Vaccine Challenge Animal Talk Naturally Online Radio Show » The Vaccine Challenge - Show #91

US Declared Canine-Rabies Free -- CDC Announces at Inaugural World Rabies Day Symposium CDC Press Release - September 7, 2007

Rabies Prevention -- United States, 1991 Recommendations of the Immunization Practices Advisory Committee (ACIP), Center for Disease Control's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly March 22, 1991 / 40(RR03);1-19 http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00041987.htm "A fully vaccinated dog or cat is unlikely to become infected with rabies, although rare cases have been reported (48). In a nationwide study of rabies among dogs and cats in 1988, only one dog and two cats that were vaccinated contracted rabies (49). All three of these animals had received only single doses of vaccine; no documented vaccine failures occurred among dogs or cats that had received two vaccinations. "

[BabyElephant]

We give Lepto annually in the UK - a number of unvaccinated dogs in my area have died from lepto in the past few months. Poppy is required to have her lepto shots up to date in order to go visiting as a Therapy Dog.

I didn't realise that Lepto was such a contraversial vaccine with many issues.