RCVS and VMD remind vets to agree vaccination programmes in advance

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) are reminding veterinary surgeons of the advantages of working with clients to agree in advance a vaccination programme for their dogs.

The reminder comes after the VMD received a number of complaints from owners regarding vaccinations for leptospirosis. The main complaint was that their dogs were administered vaccines with four serovars of Leptospira without owners having first discussed and agreed a vaccination programme with their vet or without the vet discussing any alternatives and the associated benefits and risks. 

Some complainants also described situations where the individual veterinary surgeon may have advised the dog had the L2 vaccine, but was unable to offer it as the practice only stocked L3 or L4 vaccines. In view of the need to tailor vaccine schedules to individual animals, it may be advisable for practices to consider stocking vaccines with different Leptospira compositions (L2, L3 and L4 vaccines).

These complaints come after the VMD published a letter in the Veterinary Record in March 2017 (http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/180/10/257.2), stating that although the likelihood of a dog experiencing an adverse event following leptospirosis vaccination is rare, the risk of adverse events has been found to be higher with the L4 vaccines than with the L2 vaccines.

Noemi Garcia del Blanco, VMD’s Head of Biologicals, said: “Currently an extensive range of dog vaccines is licensed in the UK to suit each individual circumstance, providing protection against many life threatening diseases.  No administration of medicine is risk free, even if it has been granted a marketing authorisation. Both expected and unexpected adverse events can occur following product use.”

All UK-authorised veterinary medicines have a Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) that provides information about the expected safety and efficacy profiles of veterinary medicines when used as recommended and is available on the VMD Product Information Database: https://www.gov.uk/check-animal-medicine-licensed.

In particular, the VMD would like to draw attention to section 4.6 of the SPC that lists the expected adverse events that can be seen following use of a product. Vets are reminded to report all suspected adverse events either to the marketing authorisation holder or to the VMD: https://www.gov.uk/report-veterinary-medicine-problem.

Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar, added: “Under the Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Surgeons we ask that veterinary surgeons be open and honest with clients and respect their needs and requirements and that they also communicate effectively with clients and ensure informed consent.

"In order to fulfil the spirit of the Code we would remind vets that they should discuss and agree with their clients the most suitable vaccination programme for their dog based on its circumstances, the local epidemiological situation and risk of leptospirosis, balanced with the potential risks of adverse events as listed in the product information.

"Such a programme should be agreed at the earliest opportunity with a detailed discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of any particular vaccine or vaccines and should be reviewed or amended should adverse effects arise.”