BY: SAMANTHA BARTLETT, DVM
In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) listed vaccine hesitancy as the top threat to global health. The anti-vaccination movement that has steadily grown throughout the nation has now begun spilling over into the veterinary world. Many owners believe that vaccines can cause more harm than good to their beloved pets.
Veterinarians are seeing an increase in the number of clients that are declining vaccinations. Many cite the belief that vaccines will cause more illness than it will prevent. Some owners believe that an association between vaccines and autism in their pets is possible. Others believe that vaccines just open up the immune system to other illnesses
The American Animal Hospital Association vaccine guidelines not that titer testing is an appropriate option for testing a pet’s protection from a disease. Many owners find this a more attractive route than the recommended vaccine protocols in place. Legally, proof of circulating rabies antibodies does not directly correlate to immunity and currently there is no real way to measure that.
Concerns of an explosion of previously controlled diseases are real with the increase in the number of pet owners that are failing to vaccinate with core vaccines. Some veterinarians believe that part of the drive is that many of these owners have not been around during the times where most of these diseases were rampant and have not seen the devastation that can be caused these deadly viruses.
Other very real concerns are the threats to public health posed by unvaccinated pets. Rabies is a very real threat to humans and many times their pets are the only barrier between them and the wildlife that carry the virus. The widespread vaccination of pets against rabies in the United States changed the landscape of human-contracted rabies. Other disease such as leptospirosis in the united states and Hendra virus in horses in Australia are also very real threats to people.
Ultimately it is up to the veterinary profession to provide education to pet owners on the risks of not vaccinating their pets. In addition, a sincere discussion about pet owner’s fears involving vaccination is in order. While the problem will not be solved in a day, a rational and compassionate approach will help pet owners realize that as veterinary professionals we only have their pet’s best interests at heart and want to do everything we can to ensure a long and healthy life for their pet.
