Animal Health Solutions

40 | Covetrus ph: 855.724.3461 | fx: 888.329.3861 | covetrus.com "Vaccines aren't necessary" In addition to concerns over side effects, clients may also underestimate their pet's risk of actually contracting a disease. Fortunately, vaccines have done their jobs very well. So well, in fact, that many pet owners have been unexposed to the diseases vaccines protect against. Being unfamiliar with pre-vaccine disease prevalence or real-world symptoms, they may believe that the risk and/or severity of the disease is very low. This can leave the impression that a potential side effect – regardless of how unlikely the pet is to experience it – is still more dangerous than the disease itself. As we know, the opposite is true. Disease is a very real threat, and the diseases you're vaccinating against can be harmful or even fatal to pets – hence, the development and widespread recommendation of vaccines. Nicholas Dodman, a Tufts University professor emeritus of veterinary medicine, noted in a recent Time article that, "When I was Scotland at a time they didn't vaccinate, I saw horrible cases of distemper… You see the way animals suffer, and you would always vaccinate." 2 If we stop protecting our pets against disease, the unfortunate result could be a return to this state. Unfortunately, pets are often at an even higher risk for disease than humans, because their lifestyles involve more risk factors (time spent outdoors, close physical contact, ingesting foreign material, etc.). As measles outbreaks occur in areas with decreased rates of vaccination, we have an opportunity to educate pet owners on the actual risk and severity of disease, compared to perception in times of full vaccination and herd immunity. Don't dismiss. Educate. Perhaps the most important thing to remember when speaking with vaccine-shy pet owners is that they have their pets' best interests at heart. They love their pets and want to do what's best for them. It's the responsibility of animal health professionals to ensure that pet owners have all of the information they need to make an informed decision. Stress your role as the pet's health advocate. You and your staff have spent years becoming experts in veterinary medicine, and developing a strong commitment to pets. Be prepared with resources to recommend for pet owners who want to read and learn more. You may not convince every client, but research shows people are more likely to accept recommendations after a face-to-face conversation in which they feel they've been heard and treated with respect. 5 Finally, work with hesitant pet owners to form a personalized plan that works for them. This may include options like titer testing, longer-term schedules that dose vaccines one at a time over a longer period of time, or selecting vaccines with lower-volume doses. The choice to vaccinate is ultimately the pet parent's to make, so it's in our best interest – and that of our patients – to listen to and address their owners' concerns. 1. American Veterinarian, 8/10/2017: https://www.americanveterinarian.com/news/ antivaccination-movement-going-to-the-dogs 2. Time Magazine, 3/8/2019: time.com/5538926/dogs-vaccines-antivaxxers 3. Dogs Naturally (undated): https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/why-i-dont- vaccinate-my-dogs-at-all 4. "Effects of Vaccination on the Endocrine and Immune Systems of Dogs, Phase II", Purdue University, November 1,1999 5. Healthy Debate, 8/31/17: https://healthydebate ca/2017/08/topic/vaccine-safety- hesitancy

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