I am very pleased to announce that AKC Canine Health Foundation, with your club's support, has funded a 2-year study to investigate the causes for vaccination-induced allergic reactions in dogs.

 

Allergic reactions are the most common adverse event associated with vaccination in dogs.  Recent research has demonstrated that small dogs are at higher risk for these reactions.   Although the specific cause of allergic reactions in dogs remains unknown, vaccine components residual from the manufacturing process have been incriminated.  Our study will compare the serum antibody concentrations in Australian Terriers demonstrating allergic reactions versus antibody concentrations in other Australian Terriers that don't have reactions, seeking to identify the vaccine components that stimulate allergic reactions.

 

Our desire is to receive serum samples from at least 25 Australian Terriers with allergic reactions after vaccination and 25 Australian Terriers (their littermates, if possible) that did not experience reactions after vaccination.  We are asking owners to have their veterinarian draw blood (3-5 ml) from each dog within 1 month of vaccination/reaction, and we will coordinate with the veterinarian to mail us the serum from the blood.  We will analyze the samples for increases in antibodies against vaccine components that might have caused the allergic reaction.  Owners may choose to receive the results of the tests for their dog(s) or may remain anonymous.

 

I would greatly appreciate your widest dissemination of this study to your club members. Information regarding the study and client consent forms is posted on our website at (http://www.vet.purdue.edu/k9vaxrxn/), and this information is also attached.  If you or your club members should have any questions, please contact me at 765-496-3393 or gemoore@purdue.edu . Thanks for your support!