- Duragesic (Fentanyl) patch. For best results, this patch should be applied several hours or even the day before the surgery. Note that fentanyl can cause respiratory depression, especially when used in high doses, so be alert for signs of problems and contact your vet right away if you suspect any. If in doubt, and your dog is having ANY problems breathing, remove the patch right away yourself and then get your dog to the vet. Sighthounds, with little body fat, may have more trouble than other breeds. See For Tootsie for more information on potential problems -- I still consider this drug safer and more effective than NSAIDs, but whatever you use, you must be alert to signs that your dog is in trouble and react quickly.
- Morphine, Oxycodone (Oxycontin) and Hydrocodone are other narcotics that can be used for dogs. Note that morphine may be a problem for some breeds of dogs, including the Collie, Australian Shepherd (all sizes), Shetland Sheepdog, English Shepherd, Old English Sheepdog, McNab, German Shepherd, Long-haired Whippet and Silken Windhound. There is now a test available to screen for the presence of the mutated mdr1 gene that causes this problem, see Multidrug Sensitivity for more information. Also see MDR1 Problem Drugs List with North American Brand & Trade Names for a more extensive list of drugs and their brand names that should be avoided if your dog carries this gene.
Not recommended (but commonly used):
- Torbutrol/Torbugesic (butorphanol), a mild narcotic, is not recommended. Its effect is limited (especially if given orally rather than injected), it lasts for less than one hour, and it may actually interfere with the body's own pain control. It is also one of the drugs that Collies and related breeds may react to. See Forget the Torbugesic for more information.
For more technical information on pain relief, refer (or
have your vet refer) to Pain
Management at the Veterinary Anesthesia Support Group. Also see their
four-part article on Peri-Operative Pain Management: Looking Beyond
Butorphanol:
- Part 1 covers the need for pain management, and the use of pre-anesthesia drugs for pain control.
- Part 2 gives detailed information on the use of opioids, butorphanol and buprenorphine.
- Part 3 gives detailed information on various drugs, including sedatives/tranquilizers, medetomidine (Domitor), benzodiazepines, ketamine, amantadine, and NSAIDs.
- Part 4 gives detailed information on local anesthetics, anticonvulsants, constant rate infusions, transdermal drug delivery, epidermal injections, and drugs that can be used at home after surgery.
- Also, talk to the surgeon and/or anesthesiologist about an epidural. I think such usage is fairly new, but the results can be amazing, especially for orthopedic surgeries. See the article A painless approach to pain management and Epidurals at the Veterinary Anesthesia Support Group for more information on these drugs and procedures.
If you use any of these drugs, discontinue and notify your vet
immediately if your dog shows any signs of problems whatsoever. These
may include any of the following: vomiting, diarrhea, dark or bloody stools,
changes in appetite, changes in the frequency or or amount of urination
and drinking, yellowing of the whites of the eyes, or any behavioral change
such as aggression or lethargy, disorientation, staring off into space,
circling, lack of coordination when walking, or hyperactivity. Never give
your dog human medictions such as Tylenol (Acetaminophen), Advil (ibuprofen),
or Aleve (naproxen), they can be very dangerous for dogs (and even more
so for cats).
Aspirin
is OK, particularly the buffered kind, such as Ascriptin or Vetrin,
if given with food (do not give aspirin to cats).
Holistic alternatives include very high potency Arnica, such as 1M, or other specific homeopathic remedy, and possibly acupuncture.
For more information on pain management, see the following articles
by Christie Keith:
Pain in Dogs and Cats:
Basics and Introduction
Pain in Dogs and Cats:
What You Can Do About It
Serious Chronic and
Acute Pain, and Surgery
Also see Pain Control
in Dogs and Cats for a good overview of the different types of
medications available.
Your vet may be interested in Options
for Analgesia in Dogs, a comprehensive article on current pain
management techniques before, during and after surgery.
There is a new extended release opioid product that is currently in
the research stage, not yet commercially available, but it appears to hold
great promise for the future. See On
the Forefront: Extended-release liposomal opioids for treating pain in
dogs
ANESTHESIA
You may want to ask your vet what kind of anesthesia will be used, as the older drug Halothane is not considered as safe as Isoflurane and other newer anesthetics.If you have a dog prone to seizures, talk to your vet about avoiding the use of phenothiazine tranquilizers (such as acepromazine) and ketamine.
Certain breeds are thought to have problems with certain drugs, including Belgian Shepherds, Greyhounds and other Sighthounds, Brachycephalic dogs (such as Pugs), and Mastiffs, Boxers and Bull Terriers (Acepromazine), so be sure your vet is aware of this before your dog has surgery. Note that Acepromazine and possibly morphine are among the drugs that Collies and related breeds (Australian Shepherd (including miniatures), German Shepherd, English Shepherd, Old English Sheepdog, McNab, Shetland Sheepdog, Longhaired Whippet and Silken Windhound) may react to. The Handbook of Veterinary Drugs says "Giant breeds, as well as greyhounds, appear quite sensitive to the clinical effects of the drug [Acepromazine], yet terrier breeds appear more resistant. Boxer dogs, on the other hand, are predisposed to hypotensive and bradycardic effects of the drug."
See Your Pet is Going to be Anesthetized... for an excellent article on anesthesia issues. For more technical info, refer to the Veterinary Anesthesia Support Group.
BEFORE SURGERY
You should stop most supplements a few days before the surgery, and maybe for a day or two after, as many of them can cause bleeding, including fish oil (salmon oil), evening primrose oil, borage oil, garlic, ginger, vitamin A, high-dose vitamin E, and white willow bark. Chondroitin may also increase bleeding, but glucosamine apparently does not. Bromelain and other proteolytic enzymes may also increase bleeding. MSM apparently can occasionally act as a blood thinner as well. Herbs that can cause blood thinning include alfalfa, chamomile, ginkgo biloba, hawthorne, red clover and some mushrooms.In addition, high doses of Vitamin C may interefere with anesthesia, so again, best to discontinue for at least a day or two before surgery.
My dog threw up dried yams (rawhide chew substitute that she had been given the day before) following surgery, so I think it's a good idea to avoid giving any kind of chew that might not be digested quickly for a couple of days before surgery.
An herbal immune booster, such as Tasha's Immune Formula, can be given both before and after surgery to help build up their immune systems and fight off any infections. Milk Thistle given before and after surgery may also help protect the liver from any effects of anesthesia.
AFTER SURGERY
Milk Thistle or Tasha's Detox Formula can be given for a week after surgery to help detoxify from the anesthesia. Ginger (capsules or fresh) can be given to help with nausea from anesthesia.On the incision itself, you can use aloe to help it heal and to soothe. Be sure to apply with something sterile, like a Q-tip, or just squirt the ointment directly on the incision without using your fingers, so you don't contaminate the wound with bacteria. Califlora (calendula) gel can also be used on the wound to heal and soothe. Colloidal silver will help prevent infection and heal without scarring, but if the wound is draining, you may want to wait so it doesn't close up too fast. The same is true of Calendula. Colloidal silver can also be given internally, to help prevent infection. Arnica gel, Traumeel and Rescue Remedy cream can be used around the wound, but not directly on it. You should be able to find all of these at your local health food store, or even ordinary drug store. Warm compresses may be helpful, especially if the wound is draining. If things aren't looking good around the incision site, and you suspect cellulitis (the tissue around the wound seems hard), hot compresses 3 times daily with the herb plantain can help. If necessary, Bitter Orange/Apple can be applied around the incision but not directly on it to help prevent licking. Vitamin E can be applied to the incision after it has healed to soften the skin and possibly reduce scarring, but research shows that topical vitamin E may actually slow wound healing and increase scarring if applied immediately after surgery, and may cause a skin reaction as well.
Vitamins, especially vitamins C and E, may help with wound healing. This may be a good time to give your dog a multi-vitamin even if you do not do so normally. When using vitamin C, it is best to increase the dosage gradually, as too much can cause loose stools. Note that most multi-vitamin products made for dogs contain too little of anything to be very useful, and human multi-vitamins may contain minerals in inappropriate amounts. I recommend Berte's Daily Blend or Berte's Immune Blend (usually at half dose), or a comparable product. See the human oriented article, Vitamin C and Diet Speeds Recovery From Oral Surgery Wounds and the Google book excerpt from Nutrition and Wound Healing for more information.
If antibiotics are used, you should give Probiotics for up to six months following the antibiotic usage, to help restore the beneficial microorganisms in the gut that the antibiotics kill off (along with the bad ones). You can use Acidophilus, but I think it is better to include multiple strains of bacteria. I use Berte's Ultra Probiotic Powder. Be warned that Fastrack and some probiotics that include lactose have been known to cause diarrhea in some dogs. Yogurt contains some probiotics, but not enough to restore the populations in the intestinal system following antibiotic usage.
If your dog had abdominal surgery and you feed raw meaty bones, it may be best to discontinue the bones until the incisions are completely healed (around 10-14 days), and then gradually add them back in. During this time, you can grind them up, or just feed meat with 1/2 teaspoon ground eggshell per pound of meat added back in to balance the calcium/phosphorus ratios.
POST SURGICAL AIDS
See the following for alternatives to the large plastic e-collars used to keep dogs from getting at their stitches, and other post-surgical aids:E-collar alternatives:
Neck's Best Thing Collar
Bite Not Collar
Soft Elizabethan Collar (Soft-E collar), also available at vetamerica.com
Pet Botanics E-Collar
Trimline Veterinary Recovery Collar
Optivizor
protects the eyes following eye surgery. This company also offers Novaguard,
which is more like a regular e-collar except that it covers the face only,
rather than the ears and neck. See gallery
for pictures. The company is in Australia, but there is a distributor in
the US. My dog Piglet used the Optivizor following her recent eye surgery,
and it worked very well.
Body suits and coverings (some can also work in place of an e-collar):
K9 Top Coat -- stretchable
body suit to cover wounds
DogLeggs -- coverings
for elbows and hocks (for comfort, hygromas, calluses), carpal brace
(for carpal ligament problems), booties and more
WoundWear -- full and
partial body suits
Therapaw -- Dog Boots
to protect painful and injured paws
Ice and heat packs:
Canine Icers wraps
designed for holding ice or warming packs for knees, hocks, elbows, shoulders
and more. Also offers carpal (wrist) supports.
Bellas
Hot/Cold Pain Relief Pack
Support harnesses and more:
Walkabout and WalkaBelly
Harnesses slings to help you support your dog, plus diapers and
other help for dogs with orthopedic problems.
Comfort
Lift Carrier sling to help you support your dog, also offers ramps,
steps and orthopedic beds.
Pet Support Suit
heavy duty support harness that lets you help your dog to get around. Use
coupon code IR 0006 to save $10 on any pet support suit (good thru
12/31/08).
Hartman's Hip Helper
full-body harness that can be left on, for medium to large dogs weak in
the rear.
Guardian
Gear Lift & Lead 4-In-1 Dog Harness inexpensive support harness
for both front and rear.
Mobility
Sling mid-region support
Products
for Arthritic Dogs links to several sites that offer slings and
supports for dogs.
Stretchers
and Slings for big dogs
Braces, splints, orthotics and prosthetics:
Ortho Vet Splints --
provides support for lower limb injuries, and prevents knuckling due to
nerve paralysis.
WoundWear -- knee brace
for cruciate injuries.
K9 Dog Orthotic
Brace for Stifle (Knee), Hock (back of the leg), Carpus Joint (wrist),
and prosthetics for pets.
Ortho Pets Custom Orthotic
and Prosthetic devices for pets.
Canadian Animal Rehab Services
-- custom made braces, pads, walking supports and "wheelchairs."
Canine Orthopedic Leg Braces
-- custom orthopedic leg braces.
K-9 Orthotics
-- Orthotic and prosthetic devices for dogs.
Carts and wheelchairs:
Eddie's Wheels --
Wheelchairs for dogs.
Carts and
Wheelchairs -- information on choosing a cart, and on homemade
carts.
Wheelchair
-- instructions for making a homemade wheelchair, be sure to read the comments
for additional hints.
Canadian Animal Rehab Services
-- custom made wheelchairs.
Dewey's Wheelchairs
for Dogs
K-9 Carts
Doggon' Wheels -- Front,
rear and all wheel drive wheelchairs, plus slings, splints and more. Available
in several countries, including the US, Mexico, UK, France, Germany, Australia,
New Zealand and Japan.
Additional products for handicapped pets:
Handicapped Pets
-- Products, services and support for disabled and handicapped pets.
Disabled
Dogs -- Information and links to wheelchairs and other devices
to help disabled dogs.
Also see Back Disorders
Information & Support for extensive links on everything related
to back and orthopedic problems, and my EMail
Lists web page section under Degenerative Myelopathy, Disc Disease,
and Orthopedic Problems categories.
Purdue College of Veterinary Medicine's Center for Paralysis Research is doing research on new treatments for spinal cord injuries, including PEG-mediated neural repair (PEG is short for Polyethylene Glycol) that has been used successfully for some dogs if treated within 72 hours of suffering a spinal injury. I had trouble with the links on that page; you can get to them from this Research Areas page, though they appear to be out of date. Also see their Office of Veterinary Clinical Trials.
Blood
Test and Urinalysis References
Here are some websites with information about blood tests:
WSU College of Veterinary Medicine: What Do Those Lab Tests Mean?North Western Laboratories Test Interpretation
Laboratory Findings -- click on individual tests for details
Understanding Blood Work: The Biochemical Profile
Understanding Blood Work: The Complete Blood Count (CBC)
Understanding Common Blood Tests
Blood Work: CBC and Chemistry Panel
Chemistry Panels & Tests
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
Interpretation of Lab Test Profiles
Also see the following for a little information on different normal
values for puppies and adults:
http://personal.palouse.net/valeska/puppy-serum-chem-values.htm
http://personal.palouse.net/valeska/puppy-bloodwork-values.htm
Very technical but lots of good information:
Diagnostic
Directory (includes info on all kinds of tests, including blood,
urinalysis, fecal and more)
Detailed
Information on Test Results and Hematology
(click on the individual tests or groups of tests for more information)
Urinalysis:
Urinalysis:
Testing a Urine Sample
Urinalysis
Information on urinalysis results.
Urinalysis
More information on urinalysis results.
Routine
Urinalysis (click on the individual tests or groups of tests
for more information)
Proteinuria:
An Important Clue to Kidney Disease Information on the meaning
of protein in the urine
Normal blood work when dog is sick:
What to
do when blood work is normal in a sick dog Information on additional
diagnostic tests.
Tests for Specific Diseases:
Bile
Acids Overview Bile acid tests for various liver problems
Common
Laboratory Tests in Liver Diseases (human oriented)
Gastrointestinal
Function Tests in Dogs and Cats Tests for pancreatitis, EPI, PLE
and other gastrointestinal diseases
Diagnosing
Liver Disease in Dogs: What do the Tests Really Mean?
Testing
for Kidney Disease Good overview on
urinalysis in relation to kidney disease and blood work
Polydipsic
Pooch Case study of a dog with polydipsia (excessive drinking),
talks about all the possible causes
Effect of diet on test results
A study
comparing the blood work of raw-fed and kibble-fed dogs found that the
raw-fed dogs had higher average BUN and PCV (hematocrit, a measure of red
blood cells) values. Hemoglobin, MCH, MCV and MCHC (all measures of red
blood cells), total protein, albumin, creatinine, BUN/creatinine ratio,
sodium, osmolality, and magnesium were also statistically higher, and total
leukocyte, neutrophil, and lymphocyte counts (all measures of white blood
cells), phosphorus, and glucose were statistically lower according to a
detailed
analysis. Note that all values were still within normal ranges or only
very slightly different; values that are well outside the normal range
are always meaningful. Fasting (no food, but continue to give water) for
at least 12 hours before the blood is drawn should eliminate most effects
on blood tests that are caused by diet. This is a good idea for all dogs,
as a recent meal can also cause lipemia, making blood test results less
reliable (see below).
A study was also done to test whether dogs fed a high-protein diet would have microalbinuria (albumin in the urine, which can be an early sign of kidney disease), and the results were negative; a high-protein diet does not appear to cause microalbinuria. There is speculation that a high-protein diet may also increase urine protein-creatinine (UPC) ratio, though once again, it should remain within the normal range (up to 0.5). If this is a concern, feed your dog a lower-protein diet for a day or two before the test.
Temporary changes in test results due to high-protein diets are not a concern and do not indicate that the diet is harmful. They are the natural result of protein waste products, which the body is designed to handle, and they vary only because most dogs are still fed diets that are high in carbohydrates, which distorts the average values seen on test results. Remember that "average" is not the same as "normal" or "healthy." For more information on the safety of high-protein diets, see High-Protein Diets. I have additional information on my web site in the sections on kidney disease and liver disease.
Effects of hemolysis and lipemia
Note that mistakes in the drawing or handling
of blood can cause certain test results to be skewed. Hemolysis
may cause falsely elevated CPK, AST, LDH, Total Protein, Phosphorus, Potassium,
BUN, Bilirubin and Bile Acids, and falsely decreased GGT, Glucose and Alkaline
Phosphatase. Not fasting a dog for at least 12 hours before a blood
test can cause moderately elevated BUN, as well as Lipemia, which
can result in inaccurate CBC and Biochemistry analyses. Certain drugs,
particularly corticosteroids, can also skew test results. See Eliminating
the Confusion in Test Results and Small
Mammal Clinical Pathology: The Basics for more information. It is a
good idea to get a copy of all test results and look for comments about
hemolysis or lipemia if there are values outside the normal range. In general,
whenever you suddenly have changes in blood work, particularly if they
are unrelated to current symptoms, it can be a good idea to repeat the
test to be sure that the results were accurate before proceeding with further
tests or making changes to diet and medications.
Vaccination
Information
I no longer revaccinate my adult dogs at all, other
than for rabies, as required by law. I am convinced that they have lifetime
protection against all the viral diseases (Parvo, Distemper,
Parainfluenza, Hepatitis/Adenovirus and Rabies). Challenge studies
have been published for most of these diseases (the others have not been
studied) showing that
protection lasts at least seven years; serology
(titer) tests show duration up to 15 years (see Duration
of Immunity to Canine Vaccines summary and full
text). These studies are ongoing, meaning the duration may be even
longer; none of the studies have shown immunity to wear off. I did titers
the first year, for peace of mind, but no longer do them, as I'm satisfied
my dogs are protected and do not need to test them to reassure myself.
The vaccinations for bacterial diseases such as Leptospirosis and Bordetalla are not long lasting, but I don't give those either. I believe that the lepto vaccine does not offer enough of a benefit vs. risk ratio: there are more side effects reported for it than all the other vaccines combined; it only protects against two to four of at least six servovars that affect dogs; the vaccine may work less than 75% of the time; and protection may only last 3 to 9 months. I do have some concern about lepto, which is found in my area. If one of my dogs ever developed any symptoms, I am prepared to treat immediately with amoxicillin. I also do not give the kennel cough (bordetella) vaccine, as I believe the risk of exposure is low for my dogs, and the danger not that great. And I don't vaccinate for Lyme disease because the vaccine itself is too dangerous (it can induce the same symptoms as the disease, but they do not respond to treatment) and again very ineffective (only protects about 50% of dogs that get it, and doesn't last very long). Note that if you do vaccinate for bacterial diseases, these vaccines should be separated from those given for viral diseases, according to veterinary vaccine specialist Ronald Schultz, and the lepto vaccine should never be given before the age of 12 weeks (see What Everyone Needs to Know About Canine Vaccines and Vaccination Programs, pages 62-64).
It is also best to give rabies separately from any other vaccines.
Note that modified live canine distemper virus vaccines can suppress the immune system for up to 9 days when combined with canine adenovirus vaccine. This does not occur when the recombinant distemper vaccine is used (see below for more information on recombinant vaccines). See Canine Distemper & Vaccination for reference.
I get my dogs as adults and so do not have to deal with puppy vaccination issues. I think that if I had a puppy, I would vaccinated only for parvo and distemper, and would titer two weeks after vaccinating to see if the vaccines were effective. If so, I would not revaccinate. If the vaccines did not take, due to interference by the maternal immunity, I would repeat the vaccinations and testing.
See the following articles for a good overview of puppy vaccinations and revaccination of adult dogs and older puppies:
Excellent articles on vaccination issues by Christie
Keith:
Puppy
Shots: Vaccination Issues for Breeders
Re-Vaccination:
Vaccination for Previously Vaccinated Dogs and Older Puppies
Titers:
What do they tell us?
Here are some good websites on vaccinations:
Considerations in Designing Effective and Safe Vaccination Programs for Dogs This is a great site for going over each of the vaccines individually.New Principles of Immunology-Canine Good veterinary site that talks about distemper and parvo lifetime immunity. See the links they have for recommended and not recommended vaccinations for both dogs and cats. Also see Critter Advocacy and New Vaccination Protocols for more information from the same source.
Vaccination Protocol by W. Jean Dodds, DVM Revised 2005
The Vaccination Website for Dogs and Cats New Vaccination protocols and lots of information from a panel of veterinarians
Here are the current vaccination recommendations from several veterinary
colleges and the American Animal Hospital Association (still
too much in my opinion but better than the annual vaccines that are still
being used by many vets):
2006
AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines American Animal Hospital Association
(AAHA) Canine Vaccine Task Force recommendations. Includes references to
challenge studies showing duration of immunity of at least 7 years for
Canine Parvovirus, Canine Distemper virus and Canine Adenovirus (see pages
4-5).
General
Guidelines and Strategies for Vaccine Use in Cats and Dogs from
the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, 2005.
Colorado
State University's Small Animal Vaccination Protocol
Ohio
State University VTH Canine and Feline Vaccination Guidelines (2005)
Canine
Vaccination Protocols from North Carolina State University College
of Veterinary Medicine.
Community
Practice Vaccination Protocols from Washington State University
College of Veterinary Medicine
Vaccination
Protocol
for Dogs and Cats from the University of California at Davis School
of Veterinary Medicine.
Three-year vaccines
Intervet is now marketing three-year vaccines under the name Continuum. To the best of my knowledge, there is no difference between these vaccines and any others, except that the maker has tested them for a three-year duration of immunity rather than just one. This may make your vet feel more comfortable about giving vaccines every three years rather than annually, even though all viral vaccines will provide this longer immunity. Continuum offers individual vaccines for parvo, rabies, Lyme disease, leptospirosis and coronavirus (note that vaccination for coronavirus is unnecessary and the vaccine for Lyme disease can cause symptoms of the disease, so I don't recommend either of these). The Lyme vaccine uses recombinant technology that may be safer than older vaccines. They also offer some simple combination vaccines that would be better than the 5-way (and more) vaccines that are often given, but I recommend vaccinating for rabies separately. Also, the combination respiratory vaccine must be administered yearly due to the inclusion of bordetella, a bacterial disease, even though revaccination is not needed for the other two components, adenovirus and parainfluenza, which are viral and therefore immunity is much longer-lasting.Titer Testing
High Titer parvo vaccines are now available that have been developed to override maternal immunity by using especially large amounts of the virus and thus offer protection at an earlier age. I have no information as to whether these vaccines are as safe as the regular kind. See Parvo Vaccinations Options/Prevention for more information.There is an in-office 15-minute blood test, called TiterChek, that can help determine if a dog is protected against two of the most common, life-threatening diseases: canine parvovirus and distemper. The kit is made by Synbiotics Inc., a San Diego veterinary-products company. Ask your vet to check into using it instead of annual vaccinations.
Most labs now offer titer tests as well. For example, Cornell charges $15 each for Adenovirus-1 (Canine Infectious Hepatitis), Distemper and Parvo titer tests, or $45 for all three (Canine Vaccine Panel 2), or $25 for just Distemper and Parvo (Canine Vaccine Panel 1). They also offer titer tests for Coronavirus, Parainfluenza (kennel cough), Herpesvirus and Influenza. Note that Hemopet (Dr. Dodds) also offers titer testing ($36.50 for distemper/parvo, $75 for rabies, which is the most expensive of the titer tests, according to their test request submission form). Note that these are what the lab charges; your vet will charge additional fees for drawing and shipping the blood, and may mark these prices up as well.
See Titers: What do they tell us?, Take the Titer Test and Antech's Vaccine Titer Testing Update for more information on titers.
Thimerosal (mercury) free vaccines
Thimerosal (also sometimes spelled thimersol, thimerosol or thiomersal) is a form of mercury used in most vaccines as a preservative. It is possible that thimerosal may contribute to adverse vaccine reactions. A few companies are making rabies vaccines that do not contain thimerosol. Merial makes a thimerosol-free rabies vaccine called IMRAB 3 TF (the 3 designates a 3-year vaccine, and TF stands for "thimersol free"). There is also a 1-year version, IMRAB 1 TF. Fort Dodge makes a thimerosol-free rabies vaccine called RABVAC 3 TF (while it is not listed on their web site, I did confirm with them that it is still available).Thimerosal is used in other vaccine products, but I don't know of any specifically thimerosal-free versions.
Recombinant Vaccines
Merial is now marketing several recombinant vaccines that are safer than either killed or modified live vaccines. The trade name is Recombitek for dogs (distemper, parvo, cononavirus, kennel cough), Purevax for cats (rabies, FLV and more). These recombinant vaccines do not use adjuvants, which are responsible for many of the side effects of vaccinations. This article by Ronald Schultz, DVM, indicates that the recombinant distemper vaccine is just as effective, or even more so in the case of overcoming maternal antibodies, than the traditional MLV (modified live) vaccine, and quite a bit safer. There is also a recombinant Lyme vaccine, but I am unsure if it is recommended, although it should be safer than the traditional Lyme vaccine (Lyme vaccines can cause a form of the disease that cannot be treated with antibiotics, and so should usually be avoided). See the following websites for a little more information:What
is a recombinant vaccine, and how does it work?
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?A=524
scroll down to the section on What is a Recombinant Vaccine and is it
really better than the other available vaccines types?
The
Production & Types of Vaccines
Dog Vaccines
and Vaccinations
Merial's
Highlights of the 2006 AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines
Articles on why there is no need for annual vaccinations, and some of the problems they can cause:
Vaccinations: A Word of Caution for Our Animals by Dr. Will Falconer, DVMCanine Vaccine Survey by Canine Health Concern, England
Vaccinations Update by Jean Hofve, D.V.M.
Vaccination Decisions by Susan G Wynn, DVM
Vaccination for Cats: Helpful or Harmful? Holisticat article
Links to more info:
Vaccination Issues compiled by Marion MitchellVaccinations Lots of information and links
Vaccines Info from DogLogic
Vaccination Articles from DogLogic
Weighing the Risks and Benefits of Vaccination from DogLogic
Purdue Vaccine Studies from The Hayward Foundation
This page last updated 4/20/2008