(Overland Park, Kan. – November 14, 2003) -- Brooks was a three-year-old German Shepherd with big black eyes, a wet tongue and a wagging tail. He was considered part of the family. Two years ago, his veterinarian diagnosed him with leptospirosis. Brooks died within three days. Unfortunately, Brooks had not been vaccinated to help protect him from the disease. Now, when it comes to leptospirosis, his owner Lew Bunch isn't taking any chances. He gets all his dogs vaccinated annually.

"If you don't vaccinate, your dog could die. I would rather vaccinate and know that my dog is protected than gamble with possible exposure," said Bunch.

Vaccines stimulate immune responses that break the disease cycle, protecting pets from viruses and bacteria – invisible threats sometimes posing risks to animals and humans. Zoonotic diseases such as rabies can be transmitted between pets and people. Pets infected with these diseases are even a health risk to their owners and the public. Distemper, Parvo, and leukemia, though not a risk to owners, are just a few of the other viruses that can also place your pet at risk if not properly protected.

Veterinarians make the determination on which vaccines to administer to your pet based on a process called risk assessment. Risk assessment takes into account such factors as where the pet lives, the age of your pet, and the lifestyle of the pet. It is important for pet owners to receive a proper risk assessment to decide what is best for your pet and your family situation, and only your veterinarian can make this medical assessment.

"Annual vaccinations and wellness exams have gotten us to a point where its very uncommon to see the devastating infectious diseases we once saw in companion animal populations; therefore from a scientific standpoint the annual vaccination and wellness exams become the gold standard against which all proposed changes in protocol should be compared,"says John Ellis, DVM, Ph.D., dipl. ACVP, ACVM, an immunologist and virologist from the University of Saskatchewan, Western College of Veterinary Medicine.

Questions about how long duration of immunity from vaccines lasts arose in the late 1990s following the publication of a scientific paper by Dr. Fred Scott of Cornell University. Scott challenged nine cats and demonstrated that some vaccine-induced immunity to distemper and two other respiratory viruses was present.

Following that study, concerns were raised over the suspected incidence of vaccine site-associated sarcomas. A comprehensive study of 31,671 cats was conducted by Dr. Philip H. Kass, Ph.D., a professor at the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. This study concluded that the incidence of vaccine site-associated sarcomas is low and not increasing.

"Results of this study do not support the contention that vaccine site-associated sarcomas are as common as has been suggested….such information could possibly convince those who might otherwise decline immunizations for their pets to reconsider," says Kass.

Jack Stephens, CEO/Founder of Veterinary Pet Insurance, the nation's largest provider of pet health insurance, agrees. "We had just 12 sarcoma claims in 2001 and 14 in 2002, or about 0.01 percent of the claims. It's an extremely small problem, and one we worry about much less than what would happen if people stopped vaccinating.''

Further independent research should help to better define the potential causes (and solutions) for the sarcoma issue; including the role of genetics in predisposing some cats to sarcoma occurrence.

Another concern has been the use of adjuvants in vaccines. Adjuvants are agents designed to increase the immune response to vaccine antigens. Therefore, when used with killed vaccines they increase the body's response to the vaccine and this immunity to infection.

A scientific paper was recently written by Dr. James A. Roth, PhD, Assistant Dean for International Programs at Iowa State University's College of Veterinary Medicine. The paper, published in the May-June 2003 edition of the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, offers a broad perspective on improving the safety and efficacy of animal vaccines with the use of adjuvants.

"By boosting the effectiveness of killed vaccines, adjuvants reduce dependence on modified live vaccines, which have the potential to induce the disease they are designed to prevent. In most cases, the adverse effects of adjuvants are mild, with the benefits of adjuvant use outweighing the hazards," stated Roth.

Vaccines will continue to play an important role in protecting the health of pets, pet owners and the public. After considering the science, it is best for pet owners to see their own practicing veterinarian to schedule a risk assessment to determine which vaccines are best for their individual family pet.

Fort Dodge Animal Health, a division of Wyeth (NYSE:WYE), is a leading manufacturer and distributor of prescription and over-the-counter animal health care products for the livestock, companion animal, equine, swine and poultry industries in North America and international markets. Key Products include CYDECTIN^® Pour-On, QUEST^® Gel, EtoGesic^® Tablets, ProHeart^® Injection, Fel-O-Vax^® FIV and Innovator^TM equine vaccines including Innovator^TM West Nile virus vaccine. The company is headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas.

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