Current perspective of vaccination in Spain for dogs and cats from a pharmaceutical approach.

Abstract

Background: The development of clinical pharmacy practice for humans and animals in the recent years has resulted in new goals and challenges for pharmacists that work to improve patient care, preventing medication related problems and optimizing resources. Currently, in Spain, there are so many dogs’ and cats’ vaccines from different manufacturers, with different microorganisms’ combination which are not readily identifiable. This fact makes us wonder if they are all necessary and/or convenient, and if they meet the criteria of the international guidelines. Objective: It aimed to examine the current situation of vaccination in dogs and cats in Spain, as well as if available vaccines are suitable, or if the technical data sheets match with the recommendations of consensus guides. Methods: All available vaccines in Spain were counted, evaluated and classified by using the search engine CIMAvet, into monovalent or combined and suitable or unsuitable according to their composition and vaccination schedule with guidelines WSAVA and COLAVAC. Results: As a result, we found 15 vaccines for dogs and 7 for cats, when attending to its composition. However, it gives rise to 46 vaccines for dogs and 14 for cats, if we regarded to the different manufacturers. The 69.6% of dogs’ and 57.1% of cats’ vaccines were considered unsuitable. Resulting as optimal combinations of microorganisms: Bordetella+Parainfluenza, Distemper+Adenovirus+Parvovirus, Leptospira alone and Rabies alone for dogs and Calicivirus+Herpes virus+Panleukopenia, Leukemia alone and Rabies alone for cats. Besides, it was observed that vaccines data sheet don´t meet with international schedule in percentages of 69.6% and 64.3% respectively. Conclusion: Only 28.6% of dogs’ and 42.9% of cats’ vaccines in Spain, are considered suitable, and 30.4% of dogs’ and 35.7% of cats’ vaccines data sheets fully agree with guidelines. Thus, we highly suggest, data sheets updating a recommended vaccination schedule and the unification in vaccines nomenclature, totally necessary, from our point of view, to help veterinarians in the clinical decision-making process to vaccinate properly with the lowest risks and minimizing costs, promoting therapeutic adherence and providing a beneficial impact on animals and society. .