WSAVA issue guidelines for new puppy owners

The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) has issued guidelines to veterinary surgeons and dog owners, which aim to ensure that dogs are protected from infectious disease, while reducing the number of vaccines that are given routinely.

The guidelines include, aiming to vaccinate every animal with core vaccines and vaccinating each animal less often. Core vaccines are those that are required by every dog in order to protect them from life-threatening infectious diseases that remain prevalent throughout the world.

The guidelines also suggest vaccinations should not be given any more frequently than every three years after the 12 month booster injection following the puppy/kitten series. In addition the WSAVA strongly supports the concept of the ‘annual health check’, which considers the entire health and wellbeing of the individual dog.

Full guidelines are available at this link: http://www.wsava.org/guidelines/vaccination-guidelines