In both veterinary and medical settings discussion around ‘vaccine hesitancy’ is on the rise; with research in the medical fields occurring to try to understand the interplay of factors that are causing this increase. If you are concerned about annual vaccination this article sets out to try to help you navigate that conversation with your vet effectively so you can make the most informed decision you can about vaccination and your pet’s health.  

Table of contents

Take Your Time

Initially, as with any complex conversation, time is crucial. Asking about annual vaccination and its necessity at the end of a consult for a different problem is unlikely to leave time to have the nuanced conversation required. A discussion around annual vaccination is tailored to your pet and their situation. Both you and the vet will need time to be able to ask questions and to really listen to the response. Arranging a consultation specifically to discuss your options in terms of vaccination and any concerns you may have will allow your vet the opportunity to devote the deserved attention and time to conversation that you wish to have.  

How to Prepare

It may be worthwhile considering how to prepare for the conversation. What are your main concerns surrounding vaccination? It is not unusual to enter a vet’s consulting room and, under the pressure of the situation, forget most of what you wanted to ask only to remember it when you get home! So, it may be helpful to write a list highlighting your major concerns and questions that you can refer to during the consultation. 

If your animal’s situation is complex, it may be worth allowing your vet time to prepare for the conversation as well. Perhaps you could consider asking your practice if it might be helpful to send an email to summarise what you want to discuss in your appointment. It might be worth asking if your vet would like any information prior to the appointment; this might include a description of your animal’s lifestyle (outdoor, indoor and where), what your concerns are and what you would like to discuss. This may allow your vet the best opportunity to prepare for the conversation. Global and national guidelines are regularly updated and in some instances your vet may choose to seek specialist advice. 

Try and Take the Emotional Charge Out of the Conversation with Non-Judgement 

Sometimes both vets and owners can feel strongly about vaccinations and it can be easy in emotionally charged conversations for judgement to creep in. Perhaps even judgement of ourselves as well as one another. However, trying to keep at the forefront of our minds that most likely both you and your vet are motivated by wanting the best for your pet can be helpful. 

You may not agree on what that is but that doesn’t mean you are on opposing sides

Being able to listen and speak with as little judgement as possible can take the emotional charge out of the conversation and hopefully create an environment where you can collaboratively exchange information and work towards a plan that feels most appropriate for your pet. 

Try to Be Specific About Your Concerns

Trying to work out exactly what is making you concerned about annual vaccination prior to the appointment can be helpful. Is it a scary social media story you have read? A bad experience of a friend’s pet that had an adverse reaction? Are you concerned about the integrity of drug companies? Are you concerned about all vaccinations? Or are you concerned about over vaccination? Are you concerned about whether your pet needs a certain vaccination? Are you wanting to explore if there are alternatives to vaccination? Or ways of reducing the number of vaccinations? Are you concerned if vaccinations are necessary? 

Many of these questions have complex answers. So, it is critical to ensure you are asking the questions that you need to so that your vet can provide, if possible, the answers you need to help you with your decision making. Feel free to share information about negative experiences or stories that you have heard. It is possible that your vet may be able to provide some context or experience that can provide some reassurance to you. Without knowing what your concerns are it can be hard to provide information to help you with them. 

How to Discuss Risk of Adverse Events

You may be concerned about your pet having an adverse event after vaccination. One of the struggles when discussing annual vaccination and their positive effects balanced by the potential for an adverse event can be around the meaningful quantification of risk. Adverse events do happen after vaccination and often these are the cases that get most talked about both on the internet and in person. Vaccinations in the UK include a datasheet (a leaflet enclosed in vaccination packaging) that provides information on data collected from adverse reactions to vaccinations. These datasheets usually include frequency of animals affected by adverse events. With definitions of frequency often provided in numeric values e.g. the very common 1 in 10 animals in comparison to the very rare which is <1 in 10000 animals or isolated reports. This can help to provide context around the story of an adverse event post vaccination. 

Asking About Procedure and Collection of Data Surrounding Vaccinations

You may be wanting to ask about the procedure around licensing vaccinations and monitoring adverse events from vaccination. In the UK, adverse events following vaccination should be reported to your vet so that they can report them to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate. The Veterinary Medicines Direct then collates information on adverse events. This is an ongoing process with batches of medication and vaccination type recorded and actions such as recalling batches of vaccination if unusual data around adverse events are being obtained. 

In the UK, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate is an government agency funded by DEFRA which is involved in protecting animal and public health. Its website states that independent assessment is required in the UK standards for vaccination. These assessments are to ensure vaccinations are manufactured to a consistent quality using uncontaminated high-grade materials; that vaccinations are safe when administered to a range of ages of animal and do not pose a risk to owners; and that high quality scientific data is available to support the primary and booster schedules to ensure protection. There are situations where for some vaccinations some immunocompromised owners may be advised to isolate from their dog following vaccination. Your vet can help direct you to access the publicly available information about vaccination that is published by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate. 

I’ve Heard About Blood Tests instead of Annual Vaccinations

You may want to speak to your vet about blood testing instead of regular vaccination. Commercially available serological (blood) testing, sometimes known as a titre test, is available for some diseases commonly vaccinated against in pets. These tests have a variety of mechanisms but usually measure antibody levels in blood to certain disease-causing pathogens. This can be helpful to assess response or lack of response to vaccination. And in some cases can provide some information about potential correlation with protection against disease.

These blood tests are variable with multiple different interpretations and advice surrounding them especially as the immune system is so complex. They are also not commercially available for all core diseases covered by companion animal vaccinations. If you are interested in considering serological testing for your pet it is something to discuss on a case-by-case basis with your vet. They can then discuss the relative risks of serological testing vs disease risks vs vaccination. 

In young animals, maternally derived immunity (immunity transferred to them in the womb and via milk) can mean that not all young animals respond as expected to vaccination. This can actually mean that some young animals may require further vaccination than the licensed number of doses to ensure they have sufficient protection to mount an immune response when exposed to the infectious disease. There is no perfect model for protection. There is no perfect way to know. Often it is a balancing of risks but providing as much information as possible for discussion can make decision making more bespoke.

What about if my pet has health issues?

Other health issues can be a reason, you may be concerned about vaccinating your pet especially if they have concurrent illnesses or are on medication. Some medications can affect the effectiveness of different types of vaccination and the body’s immunological response to them. Information is available on vaccination packaging to the effects of some medications. It is also true that this information is not available for all medication and in all situations but it is definitely something worth discussing with your vet. Sometimes it is a question about having a nuanced conversation about the risks of vaccinating despite ill-health vs the risk of not vaccinating vs the effect of any medicines on the situation. 

Does my pet’s lifestyle affect their need for vaccination?

Some owners can be concerned that the lifestyle of their pet may affect their need for certain vaccinations. It is important to discuss with your vet your animal’s lifestyle if you have concerns about regular vaccination. Some animals in certain settings may actually require more frequent vaccination than the licensing on UK vaccination depending on their exposure and likely protection and others may have a reduced risk of exposure to contagious diseases which may lead to a different balancing of relative risks. 

What if I want to travel abroad?

When considering travelling abroad to different countries with your pet can open other considerations around vaccination and taking advice from an official veterinary (OV) who is involved in the export certification process for your animal and has knowledge of infectious disease where you are is extremely worthwhile. It is worth providing them with information about where you plan to visit and what you plan to do on your travels. This can help them advise you best on how to protect your pet as possible. Your pet may be ‘immunologically naïve’ to some diseases that they have not been exposed to before if they haven’t left the UK and additional vaccinations or preventative medications may be advisable to protect them when travelling.

Is there a consensus opinion about vaccination in pets?

Sometimes pet owners want to know if there is any consensus statement surrounding vaccination. The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) position statement on vaccination published in 2021 states that the BSAVA ‘strongly supports the use of vaccination in the control of infectious disease in companion animals. It recognises that adverse reactions, including lack of efficacy may occasionally occur, but that the overall benefit/risk analysis strongly supports the continued use of vaccination to control major infectious diseases. The BSAVA strongly recommends that all animals should receive the benefit of solid protective immunity from life-threatening infectious diseases that is conferred by vaccination using licensed veterinary products.’ The statement goes further to support the concept of a thorough discussion of benefits and risks on an individual case basis supporting tailored vaccine programmes to as many animals as possible within that population to maintain the levels of protective immunity. 

You want the best for your pet – so think carefully before making a decision one way or the other

There can also be other practical factors that you may wish to consider and explore in your thinking around annual vaccinations including the impact on insurance cover, ability to send to kennels and day care. Your vet may be able to advise on local policies but some of this information may need to be obtained separately from establishments or your insurance company. 

It is essential in the conversations around vaccination to give yourself time, space and preparation to ask questions, listen to information and be able to advocate for your pet. Every situation is unique and as is often the case there may not be a risk-free option. It is often a case of balancing risks and making the best decision you can together with the information that you have at the time. 

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