Canine Influenza Vaccine

[gracegirl]

The dog flu has turned up in 40 states now, with some cases being fatal. (A very small percentage of dogs with already compromised immune systems.) The shot is a series of two shots given two weeks apart. The cost is about $20 per shot, or $40 total for the series.

 

I called my vet. G + F go to the dog park about once a week. They also spend a lot of time with DBF's dog. DBF lives downtown and his dog has a lot of contact with many other dogs in the city. The vet recommended the vaccination for my pups. I am still undecided.

 

Discuss!

[Guest Energy11]

My friend has to Greys who are certified therapy dogs. She is also a instructor/trainer for therapy dogs, so her dogs are always in contact with other dogs. She got the vaccine for both her dogs, 10, and 3, NO bad reactions.

 

I do NOT take my dogs anyplace where other dogs go, so they don't need the vaccine, BUT, if I did, or still worked at a vet, I would be the vaccine.

 

If yours are exposed to other dogs, I would get the vaccine. Good Luck!

[rschultz]

i take my dog to a kennel twice a year, other than that he isn't around too many dogs..just people. She is due for her yearly shots in a week so i will ask my vet. I didn't realize the canine flu is so prevalent? Do u know percentages of numbers? I am curious to see how large the numbers are.

[Guest formercatlady]

I got the vaccine for both my greys. I can’t remember the exact figures/statistics my vet provided, but he said the fatality rate in greys was significantly higher than in other dogs..I want to say 25% higher?

 

Nuff said..for me anyway

[Burpdog]

I believe it was discussed on here once and one of the big wig vets said no to the vaccine. I'll go & try to find it.

 

GT Thread

 

This is taken from an email from NGA. My vet has the same opinion.

 

Actually, there is not much debate about the scientific merits of the vaccine. There is considerable evidence that the vaccine is not all that effective clinically because, in part the disease is so mild. Most of this is coming from the vaccine company that has a profit motive and a few individuals that have financial conflicts of interest. The fact is that the USDA granted a "conditional" rather than a full license for this vaccine that will last only one-year because effectiveness could not be scientifically demonstrated. The vaccine under well control experimental conditions did not prevent fever, it did not prevent infection, reduced but did not prevent shedding, and modestly reduced but did not prevent coughing. In short, the vaccine is safe but has not been shown to be effective. One of the key items of scientific data is missing. This is call Number Needed to Treat (NNT). The NNT tells us how many dogs would need to be vaccinated to prevent clinical disease or death. Based on the current information the NNT for this vaccine appears to be very high. In other words, many many thousands (perhaps 10s of thousands) of dogs would need to be vaccinated to prevent one infect or death. Regardless of whether they are in a kennel environment. The question is whether this cost is worth the benefit. If InterVet was truly interested in whether or not the vaccine was effective, they would give you the vaccine and a placebo so that you could learn for yourself if it is effective. The risk is that the vaccine, if used without scientific evidence that it is truly effective, would provide a false sense of security thus actually increasing the chances of transmission. It will also interfere with blood tests that will make arriving at a diagnosis much more difficult. In short, this is a vaccine looking for a disease worth preventing. And even then, it fails to prevent infection, clinical disease, or transmission. There is no scientific justification to use the vaccine at this time. A more effective approach is to promptly diagnose and treat all dogs that show clinical signs of respiratory infection with the appropriate antibiotic in order to prevent secondary bacterial infections. This approach is very successful in preventing serious disease. Brad Fenwick -- Gary Guccione Executive Director National Greyhound Association garyg@ngagreyhounds.com 785-263-4660

Edited December 1, 2009 by Burpdog

[Chicocat]

Worth repeating:

 

Dr. Brad Fenwick, DVM, PhD, DACVM; Vice President for Research and Professor of Infectious Disease Pathobiology at Virginia Tech, has done extensive research into developing a vaccine for kennel cough.

[gracegirl]

So I guess I'm curious about whether this is a state-by-state case. Alemedia East, a very well respected vet in Colorado and recommended by several greyhound groups as the go-to vet for greys in the Denver Metro area is really pushing the vaccine. I have only talked to my vet, not Alemedia East, about the vaccine. However, AE is where DBF's dog goes and they have been featured in several news articles recently.

[gracegirl]

Worth repeating:

 

Dr. Brad Fenwick, DVM, PhD, DACVM; Vice President for Research and Professor of Infectious Disease Pathobiology at Virginia Tech, has done extensive research into developing a vaccine for kennel cough.

Is this who developed the Canine Influenza vaccine as well? Does Dr. Brad Fenwick recommend the vaccine? I'm confused by the statement above, as it relates to kennel cough and not influenza.

[Guest mcsheltie]

Worth repeating:

 

Dr. Brad Fenwick, DVM, PhD, DACVM; Vice President for Research and Professor of Infectious Disease Pathobiology at Virginia Tech, has done extensive research into developing a vaccine for kennel cough.

Is this who developed the Canine Influenza vaccine as well? Does Dr. Brad Fenwick recommend the vaccine? I'm confused by the statement above, as it relates to kennel cough and not influenza.

 

Fenwick's statement regarding the flu vaccine is in Burpdog's post (post #5) He is not recommending the vaccine "There is considerable evidence that the vaccine is not all that effective clinically."

[gracegirl]

Worth repeating:

 

Dr. Brad Fenwick, DVM, PhD, DACVM; Vice President for Research and Professor of Infectious Disease Pathobiology at Virginia Tech, has done extensive research into developing a vaccine for kennel cough.

Is this who developed the Canine Influenza vaccine as well? Does Dr. Brad Fenwick recommend the vaccine? I'm confused by the statement above, as it relates to kennel cough and not influenza.

 

Fenwick's statement regarding the flu vaccine is in Burpdog's post (post #5) He is not recommending the vaccine "There is considerable evidence that the vaccine is not all that effective clinically."

I see his name now...I believed that statement to be from Gary Guccione of NGA. Fenwick's name didn't stand out until I reread the statement for the fourth time.

[Chicocat]

Oops, sorry. Thought Dr Fenwick's name would be seen, but I added my post pretty quickly last night.

 

I hold his opinion in high regard, based on all the work he has done with greyhounds, both at K-State and Virginia Tech.

 

 

[tbhounds]

Honestly, you need to take your dogs social life into consideration on whether or not to vaccinate---do you board or does your dog go to doggie day care? Also, I think you need to see how prevalent it is in your area. Here in NJ there have been numerous fatalities do to the influenza virus. Does anyone remember the fatal "kennel cough" strand that was so deadly to our hounds at the tracks---yup, the flu. Research has indicated that the vaccine has not had any ill side-effects. That being said I, by no means am endorsing the vaccine but, I think it should be given consideration if your dog may be at risk. Speak to your vet. (FYI--my own dogs are not vaccinated).

[greyhndz]

I brought this up over the summer. This is per Guillermo Couto, in turn, quoting an authority on canine infectious disease. Check out this thread