The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) has released updated vaccination guidelines for companion dogs and cats. We, of course, at Hemopet find it a fascinating read and encourage you to give it an in depth read, too.
In this review, we will:
- point out items that stood out to us – some of them are new to this set of guidelines and others are carried over from previous versions;
- focus primarily (not entirely) on the impact on North America;
- not discuss rabies vaccination; and,
- finally, include links to other articles on our website that will provide further explanation to questions that may arise.
Core and Non-Core Vaccines
The 2016 WSAVA vaccination guidelines clearly defined the difference between core and non-core vaccines. The newly revised definitions of 2024 are a bit inconsistent. Do the revised definitions impact the guidelines? Yes.
2016
Core vaccines as those which ALL dogs and cats, regardless of circumstances or geographical location, should receive. Core vaccines protect animals from severe, life‐threatening diseases that have global distribution.
Non‐core vaccines as those that are required by only those animals whose geographical location, local environment or lifestyle places them at risk of contracting specific infections.
2024
Core vaccines are those that ALL dogs and cats should receive, after considering their lifestyle and the geographical areas in which they live or to which they travel. Some core vaccines protect animals from potentially life-threatening diseases that have global distribution while others protect against life-threatening diseases that are prevalent only in particular countries or regions.
Non-core vaccines as those that should be highly recommended in animals whose geographical location and/or lifestyle (e.g. indoor-outdoor access, multi-pet household) places them at risk of contracting particular infections not designated as core.
What’s the same and what has changed?
What is the same: vaccines against feline panleukopenia (FPV; a parvovirus), feline calicivirus (FCV), and feline herpesvirus (FHV) are still considered as global core. The same can be said about vaccines against canine distemper (CDV), canine adenovirus-2 (CAV-2; cross-protects against infectious canine hepatitis), and canine parvovirus (CPV). We agree with these recommendations except for CAV-2.
What has changed: vaccine against feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is now considered core. Additionally, the canine vaccines against leptospirosis are now considered core based on geographical location and if the vaccines provide protection against the serovars in the area. We discuss leptospirosis later in this document.
Monovalent Vaccines
The WSAVA committee subtly admonishes the unavailability of certain monovalent vaccines. The committee only went into specifics regarding the lack of monovalent FeLV vaccine in Southern Australia.
Why is this important? Because fewer components in vaccines reduce the chance of adverse events.
Body Weight
The committee recognizes the growing body of evidence that small dogs have a higher risk of suffering an adverse event than large dogs and that large dogs may not be adequately protected with the current vaccine dosages. Of course, they want more evidence and more studies. We agree more evidence and studies need to be conducted. We are overjoyed that the committee addresses the possible correlations between body weight, vaccine amount and adverse events that we have been harping about for over a decade. In fact, we remember the times when we were laughed at for even mentioning the topic.
Canine Parainfluenza Vaccine
For years, the canine parainfluenza vaccine (CPiV) has been administered via injection with the core vaccines against CDV, CAV-2, and CPV.
The 2016 WSAVA recommendations stated that the canine parainfluenza vaccine (CPiV) was non-core for dogs not in a shelter environment. The same applies in 2024.
In a shelter environment, injectable CPiV was optional in 2016 with the core vaccines. Intranasal or oral Bordetella and CPiV was strongly recommended for shelter environments.
The 2024 WSAVA guidelines now consider parainfluenza as ‘core’ for shelter dogs due to their environment. We understand the committee’s logic because so many dogs will be housed in small and possibly unventilated spaces.
However, they recommend that puppies be administered the three core vaccines plus CPiV immediately upon admission starting at one month of age —much too young in our view for them to receive this strong immune challenge in the presence of their residual maternal immunity. Additionally, they recommend administering the Bordetella vaccine intranasally with at least parainfluenza immediately at admission starting at 3 weeks of age – even younger!
Ultimately, we do not understand – nor do they explain – that both the injected and intranasal parainfluenza vaccines are ‘core’ and both should be administered. In our opinion, only one should be required and we prefer the oral or intranasal versions.
Leptospirosis
We understand the 2024 committee’s reasoning that the vaccines against leptospirosis should be considered core in endemic areas because some Leptospira serovars are life-threatening, the disease is zoonotic, and some vaccines may provide cross-protection against other serovars. However, regarding North America specifically, the public reporting of canine leptospirosis outbreaks is not as detailed as we would like and does not justify moving the vaccine’s status from non-core to core.
On top of that, we are even more confused because the 2024 committee continues to categorize vaccines against leptospirosis as non-core for shelter dogs when there was an outbreak in Los Angeles County in 2021 attributed to the similar environments of doggy daycares and kennels.
Lyme Disease Vaccines
According to the committee, the efficacy of the vaccines against Lyme disease is uncertain and that other tick-borne diseases rely on tick prevention and inspection. However, they still list the vaccines as non-core. We are hopeful the committee moves Lyme vaccines to the category of “not recommended” with the next set of guidelines.
Homeopathic Nosodes
The committee states, “Nosodes cannot be expected to prevent any infectious disease. There is very scant evidence of safety and efficacy. In a small number of publications, nosodes have been shown to lack efficacy.” Agreed. We wish they would have referenced holistic veterinarian Dr. Susan Wynn’s work which was published in the Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association.
Dr. Wynn performed a controlled nosode study in the late 1990’s with Dr. Ronald Schultz. Her 1998 JAVMA article discussed this and two other nosode trials.
Dr. Wynn and the late Dr. Ronald Schultz (University of Wisconsin; Principal Investigator of the Rabies Challenge Fund) performed the only controlled, albeit small, parvovirus nosode study.
- 13 – Sample size
- 5 – Unvaccinated control group; not given nosodes
- 1 – Contact-control dog for the nosode-treatment group
- 7 – Unvaccinated and given nosodes. Parvovirus nosodes given orally and in ascending potencies in a manner recommended by veterinary homeopaths.
- Control and experimental groups exposed to the 2a and 2b strains of canine parvovirus. The dose (1 X tissue culture infectious doses) was less than or equal to the viral challenge a dog would be expected to encounter in a parvovirus contaminated environment.
- Results: 5 out of 7 nosode treated dogs passed away; 5 out of 6 control dogs passed away.
- Study findings: Parvovirus nosode failed to provide adequate protection from infection or disease.
Dr. Wynn states it most eloquently, “Until well designed studies are completed and thousands of pet owners make a concerted effort to help with potential retrospective studies, nosodes remain an unknown quantity, and I do not recommend using them as a sole strategy for disease prevention.”
Serological Antibody Titer Testing
In 2016 and again in 2024, the WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines have partially embraced serological titer testing of CDV, CPV, CAV for puppies. For kittens, the guidelines mention titer testing for antibodies against FPV, but it is not discussed to the degree like puppy titer testing.
In a snapshot, the WSAVA states that a companion pet caregiver can choose to have their puppy titer tested for those three diseases four or more weeks after the final set of initial vaccinations. If a puppy has a positive test result, the puppy does not need to be revaccinated for another three years. If they choose not to titer test, WSAVA recommends vaccinating once more at 26 weeks and then three years after that.
For instance, the association suggests the last set of puppy vaccinations against CDV, CPV, and CAV-2 (covers CAV) be given at 16 weeks. At 20-26 weeks of age, titer test or opt for a final vaccination at 26 weeks.
One of the key points WSAVA emphasizes is that laboratory testing is the gold standard for serological titer testing and is much preferred over the in-house tests – particularly for CDV and CAV. By the way, Hemopet’s Hemolife Diagnostics Laboratory performs titer testing. More importantly, the results are then personally reviewed and interpreted by Dr. W. Jean Dodds and two trained veterinary colleagues, Drs. Andrew Zuckerman and Gary Richter.
It is interesting to see how one set of guidelines are influenced or respond to another set. For example, the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) 2022 Canine Vaccination Guidelines do not condone antibody titer testing but allow for a few exceptions. On the other hand, the AAHA/AAFP 2020 Feline Vaccination Guidelines do support titer testing for certain diseases like FPV.