The Use of Vaccination to Maintain Animal Health

Question 1

What’s the aim of vaccination?

Answer 1

• to protect the vaccinated animal from suffering the effects of infectious disease
• to help prevent the spread of infectious disease

Question 2

What is acquired immunity?

Answer 2

recognises and responds to pathogens, post infection produced specific cells/antibodies. Slower reaction than innate but memory cells formed - meaning quicker reaction if same infection again

Question 3

What is innate immunity?

Answer 3

Pre existing - enzymes eat already in the system destroy bacteria. Rapidly activated - phagocytosis by macrophages etc

Question 4

What is cellular immunity?

Answer 4

No antibodies, cells that organise immune cell functions etc T cells and B cells

Question 5

What is humoral immunity?

Answer 5

cells manufacturing antibodies

Question 6

What is passive immunity?

Answer 6

Ready made antibodies e.g. giving antitoxins/antisera with concentrated antibodies in them. Does not give long term protection.

Question 7

What is active immunity?

Answer 7

Immunity developed within the organism. Lots of vaccines stimulate immune system. Causes ‘immunological memory stimulated by exposure’, so if the animal is exposed to those infections again the immune system can out a response more quickly

Question 8

Which vaccines contain live organism that have been modified when cultured?

Answer 8

Attenuated (modified, live) vaccines

Question 9

What vaccines contain inactivated/killed organisms?

Answer 9

Inactivated (killed) vaccines

Question 10

When an animals has a reaction to a vaccine what is it that it normally reacts to?

Answer 10

the adjuvant - the chemical that carries the pathogen

Question 11

Whats the difference between subunit, recombinant and vector vaccines?

Answer 11

Subunit - small fragment/fragments of pathogens
Recombinant - subunit vaccine that is genetically engineered
vector - Subunits added to different non-pathogenic live virus e.g. canarypox virus + FelV antigens

Question 12

What are the routes of administration for vaccines?

Answer 12

subcut - most common
nasal drops - e.g kennel cough - localised immunity stimulated
oral route - not in UK

Question 13

How should vaccines be stored?

Answer 13

• refrigerated at 2 - 4 degrees
• warmth will kill live vaccines
• stock must be rotated- shortest expiry first

Question 14

Who is responsible for vaccination certificates?

Answer 14

veterinary surgeons

Question 15

What reasons might cause a vaccination to fail?

Answer 15

• exposure to disease shortly after vacc
• already incubating disease
• vacc passed expiry date/stored incorrectly/incorrectly administered
• on drugs that interfere with vacc
• poor immune system
• booster not kept UTD
• timing of primary course done incorrectly

Question 16

What symptoms might be experienced with a vaccine reaction?

Answer 16

• swelling at injection site
• urticaria (rash skin condition)
• v+/d+
• depression
• ataxia
• shivering
• collapse
• abscess

Question 17

What can be done if a reaction does occur?

Answer 17

• steroids can be given

- supportive tx if signs of shock

Question 18

When is the first vaccine given?

Answer 18

8 weeks

when the maternally derived antibodies start to fall

Question 19

When is the second vaccine given?

Answer 19

2- 4 weeks after first

so at 10 -12 weeks

Question 20

How is canine distemper spread and what type of vaccine is it?

Answer 20

inhalation and live

Question 21

How is infectious canine hepatitis spread?

Answer 21

inhalation/ingestion

Question 22

How is canine parvovirus spread and what type of vaccine is it?

Answer 22

ingestion of faecally contaminated material and live

Question 23

How is canine leptospirosis spread and what type of vaccine is it?

Answer 23

through MM and skin abrasions and inactivated bacterial

Question 24

How is canine parainfluenza spread and what type of vaccine is it?

Answer 24

inhalation and live

Question 25

How is feline panleucopenia spread and what type of vaccine is it?

Answer 25

body excretions and live attenuated

Question 26

How is cat ‘flu’ spread?

Answer 26

saliva, ocular and nasal discharges

Question 27

How is feline leukaemia spread and what type of vaccine is it?

Answer 27

saliva and inactivated

Question 28

How is feline chlamydophila psittaci and what type of vaccine is it?

Answer 28

ocular secretions and inactivated

Question 29

What are horses routinely vaccinated against?

Answer 29

equine influenza

tetanus

Question 30

How many days apart must the 2 injections of the primary course be, according to the jockey club?

Answer 30

21 - 92 days apart

Question 31

How many days from the last primary injection must the first booster be done, according to the jockey club?

Answer 31

150 - 215 days later

Question 32

When can the following boosters be carried out, according to the jockey club?

Answer 32

within 365 days

Question 33

How do FEI rules differ from the jockey club relating to equine boosters?

Answer 33

FEI requires the boosters following the 2nd injection to be done 365 days later whereas the jockey club requires the first boosters to be done within 150 - 215 days later then following boosters must be done within 365 days?

Question 34

What is the schedule for the tetanus vaccinations?

Answer 34

primary course - 2 injections, 28 days apart
first booster - within 365 days of 2nd injection
following boosters - only need to be done 1-2years apart

Question 35

What age are horses vaccinated against tetanus?

Answer 35

5 months of age

- if the mare wasn’t vaccinated during pregnancy, the mare and foal should be given tetanus antitoxin

Question 36

What are rabbits vaccinated against?

Answer 36

myxomatosis and viral haemorrhagic disease