(20.09.2022) "Vaccinate as many dogs as possible, but only as often as necessary" is the motto of experts worldwide, such as the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) or the Standing Commission on Vaccination in Veterinary Medicine (StIKo Vet).

With this demand, the current vaccination management in the veterinary sector must be generally reconsidered and modernised. But how can this demand of the experts be implemented in practice and how can a modern, holistic vaccination management be established for the dog?

Vaccination management in dogs in practice Discussions about the frequency of vaccinations are becoming increasingly vocal in society. There is a broad consensus that the necessity of the recommended vaccinations is generally undisputed and necessary. As many animals as possible should be given the core vaccines and build up sufficient immunity.

According to the WSAVA, the core vaccines should not be administered more frequently than every three years after the first vaccination series. Thus, a booster vaccination should be given after three years at the earliest. However, this only applies to animals that no longer have any immune protection and for which a booster vaccination is therefore actually necessary.

The reason why not all animals have to be revaccinated across the board after 3 years is simple: the duration of immunity (DOI) is many years and can last until the end of the animal's life. Above all, according to the WSAVA, it is completely pointless to vaccinate animals more frequently than necessary in order to increase the antibody titre.

In the case of existing immune protection, too early booster vaccinations do not increase the antibody titre level and thus do not generate additional immune protection.

On this basis, modern vaccination management dictates that each individual animal should be vaccinated as infrequently as necessary. But how can this be implemented in practice?

First, it must be determined individually whether the individual animal has sufficient immune protection. Current guidelines (for example, from the WSAVA) confirm that the presence of antibodies against parvo, distemper and adenovirus, regardless of the titre level, indicates protective immunity and immunological memory.

For these 3 parameters, the demand of the Vaccination Commission for individual vaccination management in dogs can thus be implemented in practice by determining the antibodies present.

For the so-called antibody titer test, the individual antibodies of the dog are determined in a blood sample. In the opinion of the WSAVA, vaccination against parvo, distemper and adenovirus should only be carried out if the titre test is negative. It should be noted that only vaccinations against parvovirus and distemper are considered core vaccines.

First test, then vaccinate! This is the conclusion of the experts and should form the basis of modern vaccination management in dogs. With this strategy, the need for vaccination of each individual animal can be checked directly in practice.

The antibody titer test thus forms the basis for the establishment of an individual vaccination management and can either be carried out directly in the practice with a rapid test within a few minutes or a laboratory examination can be requested.

In order to meet the demand of the experts from the vaccination commissions and to build up an individual vaccination management, the demand remains at this point to the pharmaceutical industry, but also to the licensing authorities, that all 3 vaccines must be available and licensed individually, so that the practitioner can also implement the demand of the WSAVA in practice.

“Vaccinate as many dogs as possible but only as often as needed”

“Vaccinate as many dogs as possible but only as often as needed” - that’s the motto of leading veterinary associations such as the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA). Vaccines continue to be life-savers for people and animals.

Vaccinating as many dogs as possible is essential to reach the so-called herd immunity: in order to avoid epidemics, we should aim for the highest possible vaccination coverage of the dog population (at least 70%). While this can be achieved by awareness campaigns, the “only vaccinate when needed” part is just as important. And here’s where in-house antibody tests such as the Fassisi CantiCheck Plus kit come in.

Tailor-made vaccination protocols
According to the WSAVA vaccination guidelines group, the ‘necessary’ or so-called core vaccines for dogs include those against canine distemper virus (CDV), canine adenovirus (CAV types 1 and 2) and canine parvovirus (CPV)1. Tailor-made vaccination protocols are key: together with the dog owner, the vet should set up a tailor-made vaccination protocol. What is the age, origin and lifestyle of the pet? Does it travel or will it spend time in boarding kennels? Is it used for breeding, showing or competitions? Whatever their lifestyle, all dogs will require core vaccines, defined by the WSAVA as those “that all dogs throughout the world should receive to protect against infectious diseases of global significance”. Additionally, non-core vaccines can be given, according to the lifestyle.

Core vaccines: not more than once every 3 years
But even core vaccines should not be given needlessly. According to the WSAVA, they should not be given any more frequently than every three years following the primary vaccination series, which includes the first booster following the puppy series. The reason is simple: the duration of immunity (DOI) is many years and may be up to the lifetime of the pet.
For the core vaccines, the WSAVA guidelines specify that the presence of antibodies – regardless of the titre – indicates protective immunity and immunological memory. They even stress that “giving more frequent vaccines to animals in an attempt to increase antibody titres is a pointless exercise”.

In-house antibody testing: when to use?
Checking for the presence of antibody for core vaccine components (CDV, CAV, CPV) is therefore a useful tool to determine immune protection, and the use of in-house tests is supported by the WSAVA guidelines. Ideal tests are fast – providing the result in minutes – and provide a simple “yes/no” answer, such as the Fassisi CantiCheck Plus kit, which tests for the presence of CDV. CAV and CPV antibodies.
This test has several applications:

• to check the protective immunity in puppies
• to determine the immune status of dogs
• when managing infectious disease outbreaks in shelters
• in case of adverse events

Is my puppy safe? Measuring vaccine take-up
According to the WSAVA guidelines, the third dose of core vaccines should be administered at 16 weeks of age or older. Testing puppies at 20 weeks of age will show which ones are seropositive – and therefore protected. Seropositive puppies would not require their 26 or 52-week booster and could next receive their core booster 3 years later.
Seronegative puppies should be revaccinated and retested to check they are able to developing protective immunity. Those that fail to respond after revaccination may be either ‘low responders’ or genetically-determined ‘non-responders’ incapable of mounting an immune response to that antigenic component of the vaccine. Such animals are rare, but certain breeds such as the Rottweiler are predisposed to developing a less effective immune responses to CPV and rabies virus.

Meet us at the following Trade Shows:

London Vet Show, 11-12/11/2021
Medica Düssseldorf, 15-18/11/2021
Vet-Congress Berlin, 19-20/11/2021

The independent study evaluated the quality and practicability of four point-of-care tests for the detection of anti-CPV antibodies. Specificity was the most significant indicator since the detection is used to show the specific immune status of an adult dog. If antibodies are present, unnecessary vaccinations can be avoided. A total of 241 dog sera were tested. Virus neutralization was used as the reference method.

Due to its specificity of 98% and ease of performance, the CanTiCheck test became the test of choice.

Link to the study
Link to the article in „Tierärztliche Praxis“

Fassisi has moved to new premises!

Our new home is now at Marie-Curie-Strasse 8, 37079 Goettingen, Germany.

News section under revision.

Our website now has a new design (but it is a work in progress).

The new Version 2015 of our Fassisi FeLFIV is now available. Now with optimized flow characteristics.

Fassisi offers vocational training schemes which are audited and certified by the German Chamber of Commerce & Industry (IHK).

The testing of ticks for Borrelia is now even easier. Due to the new test setup the sensitivity of the Fassisi BoTick of the test could be increased further.

Also thanks to the new test cassette weak test lines can be better recognized and the tick sample fluid runs more harmoniously over the test strip.

Fassisi now develops and manufactures customer-specific products on a commission basis using our innovative technologies.

Contact us for more information.

Fassisi has registered three more products in Germany to sell in the German market with the FLI:

• Fassisi FeLV - as single test derived from the Fassisi FeLFIV double test
• Fassisi PiDia Light - as test for the use for large animals
• Fassisi LymeBo - for the use in dogs

The Fassisi Triple Test for dogs and cats is now available. Fassisi Triple, the rapid test for the reliable and easy on-site detection of Parvovirus (FPV, CPV), Corona virus (FCoV, CCV) and Giardia in feces of dogs or cats.

Please contact us for further information.

The Fassisi GmbH has received an extension of the manufacturer authorization according to § 13 AMG (German Pharmaceuticals Act) and is now entitled to manufacture and distribute a wider range of medicinal products according to the German Pharmaceuticals Act.

Furthermore, the Fassisi GmbH has received the certification according to  GMP guidelines (good manufacturing practice) .

The rapid test AllerBovine is for the on-site detection of elevated concentrations of bovine allergens in homes from dust samples. The test supports i.a. preventive measures to reduce by bovine allergens caused respiratory diseases. The test was developed in cooperation with the University of Goettingen.

Further information will follow later.

New product developments:

Livestock

Fassisi IgG calf - the rapid test for the semi-quantitative determination of the IgG level in new born calves in the ranges 0-5, 5-10 and >10 mg/ml in serum

Fassisi BoDia light - the rapid test for calf scours for the parallel detection of Clostridium perfringens and Rotavirus in faeces of calves

Companion animals

Fassisi EhrCanis - the rapid test for the detection Ehrlichia canis antibodies in whole blood, serum, plasma of dogs

Fassisi LymeBo - the rapid test for the detection of Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies in whole blood, serum, plasma of dogs

Now availible as single tests:

Companion animals

Fassisi FeLV - the rapid test for the detection of FeLV antigens in whole blood, serum, plasma of cats

Fassisi FIV - the rapid test for the detection of FIV antibodies in whole blood, serum, plasma of cats

Fassisi Parvo - the rapid test for the detection of Parvovirus in faeces of dogs and cats

Fassisi Corona - the rapid test for the detection of Coronavirus in faeces of dogs and cats

New product combination:

Fassisi Triple - the rapid test for the parallel detection of Parvovirus, Coronavirus and Giardia in faecal samples of dogs and cats

Further information will follow soon.

Fassisi GmbH has been granted a manufacturing licence in accordance with section 13 of the German Medicinal Products Act (Arzneimittelgesetz – AMG) and is therefore now authorised to manufacture and distribute compliant medicinal products.

These manufacturing licences are necessary for the production of rapid veterinary test systems in Germany and also safeguard the high quality standards associated with the “Made in Germany” label.

In the first Quarter of 2012 we will complete and offer two new tests:

• A Lyme Ab test for detection borreliosis antibodies in blood
• An E. canis test for detection of Ehrlichia canis in blood
  

Furtermore another new test for horses also is expected in first Quarter of 2012 to be offered.

On 27 September 2011 in Boenen, North Rhein-Westphalia, Fassisi was awarded first place in the Bio-founder Competition 2011 for an innovative rapid test product and the corresponding marketing concept.

We would like to say thank you for this award and look forward to the imminent market launch of Fassisi Tetacheck.

We are looking forward to your comments and suggestions.