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Old 01-18-2016, 10:37 AM   #2
mimimomo
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The Small Breed Half-Dose Vaccine Pilot Study Results

What is a pilot study?
A pilot study, pilot project or pilot experiment is a small scale initial study conducted in order to evaluate feasibility, time, cost, adverse events, and effect size (statistical variability) to predict an appropriate sample size and, if needed, improve upon the study design prior to performance of a full-scale research project. – adapted from Wikipedia
Even with the convincing results of the pilot study, changes in current vaccine guidelines will likely take years to implement.


Background
For decades, the human and animal immunological communities have asserted that vaccines are “one size fits all”. The premise is that even though patients are not the same, the immune system response is similar. While exceptions do exist in human vaccines, dosages basically come in two amounts: adult and pediatric. I have questioned the “one size fits all” claim for years. The human population, of course, has much less variability in size compared to dogs. For instance, an 8 week old St. Bernard puppy will weigh approximately 8 pounds and will grow to approximately 160 pounds. An 8 week old Papillon will weigh approximately 2 pounds and will be approximately 9 pounds as an adult. Common sense begets that the Papillon does not need the same vaccine dosage amount as a St. Bernard. Indeed, medications, heartworm preventatives, food, collars, harnesses and even dog clothing are based on size. Could you imagine feeding a Papillon two pounds of food a day? It would be unfathomable!



Case in point, vaccine products are stated to provide a sufficient excess of antigen for the average-sized animal so they are likely to be either too much for the toy breeds or too little for the giant breeds. Although the minimum immunizing doses have been established, the optimum dosages required for disease protection have yet to be determined.


What we do know based upon nearly 5 decades of clinical and research experience with vaccinations in companion animals: the dose of CDV and CPV vaccines can be reduced to 50%, but not more, for small breed and small mixed breed type dogs, based upon their body weight, and still convey full duration of immunity. This applies to puppies and older dogs of small breeds and breed types that weigh 12 pounds or less as adults. Serum vaccine antibody titers have also been performed 3 or more weeks after vaccination. As reported for dogs given a full dose of vaccine, greater than 95% of the dogs given a full or a half dose mounted what is considered to be protective antibody titers to both canine distemper and parvovirus.


Study Objective
The purpose of the recently completed study was to document the serum antibody titer responses from administering a half-dose of a bivalent distemper/parvovirus vaccine to small breed adult dogs that had not been vaccinated in at least 3 years.


Sample Size and Population Characteristics
13 small breed dogs


Sample Population Characteristics
- Between the ages of 3 and 9
- Weighed 12 pounds or less
- No routine booster vaccines for at least 3 years

Method and Timeline
1. Whole blood sample collected that was sent to Hemopet’s Hemolife Diagnostic Laboratory for baseline antibody level testing (titer).
2. Veterinarian administered half-dose distemper/parvovirus vaccine.
3. 4 weeks post-vaccination: blood sample drawn and sent to Hemolife for titer testing.
4. 6 months post-vaccination: blood sample drawn and sent to Hemolife for titer testing.



Conclusions
The 4-week and 6-month titer tests demonstrated that antibody levels to the canine distemper and parvovirus diseases had a sustained increase in all of the study’s dogs compared to the pre-vaccination blood sample. As the presence of measurable canine distemper and parvovirus serum antibody titers reflect immunity to these viruses, and given that vaccines are known to cause adverse events, especially in smaller dogs, results of this study confirmed that receiving a half-dose of canine distemper/parvovirus vaccine was efficacious for this study cohort. Further investigations could address a larger number of smaller canines.
W. Jean Dodds, DVM
Hemopet / NutriScan
11561 Salinaz Avenue
Garden Grove, CA 92843


References
“2011 AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines.” American Animal Hospital Association, Sept.-Oct. 2011. Web. 17 Jan. 2016. <https://www.aaha.org/professional/resources/canine_vaccine.aspx>.
“Distemper in Dogs.” PetMD, n.d. Web. 17 Jan. 2016. <http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/respiratory/c_dg_canine_distemper>.
Dodds, W. Jean, DVM. “2013 and 2014 Canine Vaccination Protocol - W. Jean Dodds, DVM.” Dr. Jean Dodds’ Pet Health Resource Blog. 11 Nov. 2013. Web. 17 Jan. 2016. <http://drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/66693331640/dodds-dog-vaccination-protocol-2013-2014#.VpqdPiorLIV>.
Dodds, W. Jean, DVM. “Complementary and alternative veterinary medicine: the immune system.” Clin Tech Sm An Pract. 2012;17(1):58–63.
Dodds, W. Jean, DVM. “Efficacy of a Half-Dose Canine Parvovirus and Distemper Vaccine in Small Adult Dogs: A Pilot Study.” AHVMA Journal 41.Winter (2015): 12-21.
Dodds, W. Jean, DVM. “More bumps on the vaccine road.” Adv Vet Med. 1999;41:715–732.
Dodds, W. Jean, DVM. “Puppy and Kitten Vaccinations: Timing Is Critical.” Dr. Jean Dodds’ Pet Health Resource Blog. 5 Mar. 2014. Web. 17 Jan. 2016. <http://drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/78666367482/maternal-antibodies-vaccines#.VpqPqyorLIV>.
Dodds, W. Jean, DVM. “To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate for Infectious Canine Hepatitis?” Dr. Jean Dodds’ Pet Health Resource Blog. 7 Jan. 2013. Web. 17 Jan. 2016. <http://drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/39965294628/infectious-canine-hepatitis-vaccination#.Vpq-IyorLIV>.
Dodds, W. Jean, DVM. “Vaccine-related issues.” Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine (eds: Allen M. Schoen and Susan G. Wynn). Mosby-Year Book, St. Louis, MO, 1997p. 701–712.
Dodds, W. Jean, DVM. “Vaccines: When Too Much of a Good Thing Turns Bad (Part 2).” Dr. Jean Dodds’ Pet Health Resource Blog. 25 Sept. 2012. Web. 17 Jan. 2016. <http://drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/32291451370/canine-vaccines-when-too-much-turns-bad-part-2#.VpqETyorLIV>.
Hustead DR, Carpenter T, Sawyer DC, et al. “Vaccination issues of concern to practitioners.” J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1999;214:1000–1002.
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“Parvo in Dogs.” Parvovirus Infection. PetMD, n.d. Web. 17 Jan. 2016. <http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/infectious-parasitic/c_dg_canine_parvovirus_infection>.
“Pilot Experiment.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 17 Jan. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot_experiment>.
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Taguchi M, Namikawa K, Maruo T, et al. “Antibodies to parvovirus, distemper virus and adenovirus conferred to household dogs using commercial combination vaccines containing Leptospira bacterin.” Vet Rec. 2010;167:931–934.
Taguchi M, Namikawa K, Maruo T, et al. "Booster effect of canine distemper, canine parvovirus infection and infectious canine hepatitis combination vaccine in domesticated adult dogs.” Microbiol Immunol. 2012;56:579–582.
Twark L, Dodds WJ. "Clinical application of serum parvovirus and distemper virus antibody titers for determining revaccination strategies in healthy dogs.” J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2000;217:1021–1024.
"Vaccine Doses.” HealthyChildren.org, 21 Nov. 2015. Web. 17 Jan. 2016. <https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/immunizations/Pages/Vaccine-Doses.aspx>.
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