Vaccination Info

[2tollers]

I just copied this from the FlyballOz group page. I'm trying to learn a little about this stuff (just starting) so any comments would be appreciated. My breed suffers from immune system problems and I would prefer not to over vaccinate them but unfortunately most organisations require current certificates.

Hi all,

Just sending thru this email with a bit of history in to the following email i

will be sending. Sydney University is calling for dogs to have blood samples taken for this study. All dogs will only be required to give small amounts of blood samples (about 2-5ml) enough to do a titre test only.

Permission to cross-post has been given also, so if you know of anyone who may be interested please share.

If anyone knows of any breeders who may have recently had new litters that may

also be a help so feel free to pass on to them also.

Maria (PICSI)

Dear Fellow PICSI Members,

Wonderful news regarding the study: Sydney Uni's application (with PICSI as co-applicant) for a grant from the Canine Research Foundation, to finance the 'Investigations into the immunologic memory of dogs vaccinated with commercial vaccines against canine parvovirus and canine distemper virus in Australia" has been approved for funding by the Canine Research Foundation.

I wish to thank Dr Jacqueline Norris, Senior Lecturer in Veterinary Microbiology, and Dr Christine Hawke, Lecturer in Professional Practice, at the Faculty of Veterinary Science Sydney University for agreeing to carry out the study, for drawing up the Study Protocol and submitting the grant application to the Canine Research Foundation. I would very much like to thank Rose Hey for passing on the details for the grant applications published in Dogs Australia (formerly Canine Journal) early this year - without this 'snippet' from the magazine, we would have never known... My sincere thanks go to PICSI Committee for supporting this project and to Sue Town for designing a database to capture vaccination histories and titre test results. Thank you to everybody who submitted their dogs' details for the initial database. Thank you to Maria, for all your support and encouragement with this (and my "other" projects - you've got the patience of a saint). My thanks to Barbara Fougere, All Natural Vet Care, for also agreeing to support the study. To my boy, Jake, for being patient when our walks and playtime were cancelled or cut short because some paper needed to be read.

The study is to commence in February 2008 and run for 2 years. To recap, and for those who are new to the list (and my waffling about annual vaccinations), the study will involve the taking of blood samples from dogs to determine the antibody levels in the dog's blood against canine parvovirus and canine distemper virus. Both these diseases have been vaccinated against annually in combination with adenovirus (C3), sometimes with parainfluenza virus (C4) and/or Bordetella Bronchispetica (C5). Of late, C7 has been used, and the extra 2 antigens are coronavirus and leptospirosis. Neither one of these vaccinations is recommended by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA). To peruse their "new" guidelines (released in October 2007, following the annual congress here in Sydney in August 2007), please

visit the WSAVA website. Follow the link to VGG (Vaccination Guidelines

Group). Interesting also that the President of the WSAVA has URGED all

veterinarians to implement the Group's recommendation which call for inter-vaccination intervals of at least 3 years.

Based on the original principle of vaccination, the aim of vaccinating our dogs is to elicit a response from the dog's immune system and priming it against these viruses. In addition to antibodies which circulate in the blood, memory cells (templates/copies of each virus) are made and stored in the body for recall at a future date, should the body encounter the very same antigen/virus in the environment. The traditional puppy shot series of 3 injections is to ensure that the vaccine will eventually break through any residual maternal antibodies (antibodies against infectious diseases which are passed on by the bitch to her offspring) which can block vaccine virus, resulting in a "wasted injection" and, more importantly, no protection for the dog. Injection does

not equal inoculation/vaccination! Within the framework of the study,

both antibody and cellular immunity will be investigated. The bottom line

is that, if your dog has circulating antibodies against the viruses he/she was

vaccinated against, any booster vaccination with the same antigens will not

add to or enhance immunity, but - unnecessary doses of vaccine - might trigger

or cause immune system disease, especially if your dog is genetically predisposed to developing allergies, hypersensitivities, or autoimmunity (this is when the immune system attacks and destroys the body's own (blood or tissue) cells. PICSI currently has well over 30 dogs which have not been vaccinated for between 2 and 4+ years. These dogs range in age from 2 to 11 years.

My hope is that we can all work together to support this important study. For me personally, the aim is that the health, well-being and longevity of our beloved dogs is safeguarded, and that, down the track, the Australian dog owning community will have home-grown research on hand to make fully informed decisions on the appropriate healthcare of their animals. Thank you all.

[wylie]

Any further information like a name and phone number or email address?

I would love to participate

[2tollers]

Hi wylie,

This is the only info I have. This post is also from Yahoo FlyballOz.

hi all, Maria again ;-)

permission to crosspost and to share ;-)

here is the info on the study at the uni calling for unvaccinated dogs...

please feel free to contact: flyballbea@...

for more details as Bea is liasing with the Uni on this study ;-)

Maria

Hi ALL,

The study is to start this month, and one requirement will be for TOTALLY

UNVACCINATED DOGS - not just puppy shots (we have a stable full of Vizslas to

help us out with that !). If there is anybody on the list who knows somebody with

a dog that was never vaccinated,please let me know. This might just about prove

to be the trickiest part of the recruitment process.Anybody belonging to other

lists, please feel free to cross-post,however, do bear in mind that the owner

will need to present the dog to Sydney University in Camperdown.Anybody with

contacts to breeders ? - might be a long shot...Thank you Cheers Bea

ETA That email address in incomplete I think because when you send a note via Yahoo that's all the info you need. If your meet the criteria you could either join the group or I could find out contact details for you.

Edited February 3, 2008 by 2tollers

[DeltaCharlie]

Flyball goes back again on tuesday so I will speak to Bea and Maria about it and find out more info for you. Bea has been really pushing for this for a long time, many a drink was had once we found out they had approved the grant

What would you like me to ask?

[2tollers]

Getting the grant would definitely call for drinks. I think it's great but I imagine the drug companies don't.

wylie I would think you have to live in Sydney. I don't know if there's any other ways of being involved other than donating your dogs blood.

[westielover]

Thank goodness they are finally doing a study here!

My dogs have been titre tested for the past 3 years - with great results so far.

[marytea13]

I just copied this from the FlyballOz group page. I'm trying to learn a little about this stuff (just starting) so any comments would be appreciated. My breed suffers from immune system problems and I would prefer not to over vaccinate them but unfortunately most organisations require current certificates.

I am most interest to see this message which I've bee searching & was my reason for joining this site.

I would urge dog owners to contribute to this study for the health of future dogs. My mini poodle has an auto immune condition that is being treated by 2 holistic vets partic with Chinese herbs that seem to be working. He had titre tests early 2006 & results were ok but we were going on hols & kennel required current vac. By the end of 2006 he was very 'sick' & local vet removed several teeth but he continued no well so I took him to holistic vet who diagnosed auto immune response - by this time his mouth was full of ulcers - his won tissue being attacked by his body. His mouth currently is better but he still has saliva that has to be wiped away but its less in amount & smell! Unfortunaely I had a prvious poodle that had to be pts due to same condition. So my plea is for dog owners to please participate if possible. marytea13

[The Spotted Devil]

I also posted this in the Breeders Forum not realising this thread was going....

Contact Bea via e-mail: [email protected]