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Practice Overview Of Canine Health (POOCH)

Author: Animal Health Trust
Posted: Friday 3rd March, 2006. 00:00:00

An epidemiological investigation of ill health in dogs and any temporal association with vaccination

D.S. Edwards, W.E. Henley, E.R. Ely, J.L.N. Wood

Following a magazine survey, one anti-vaccination campaign group claimed that ten percent of dogs suffered illness within three months of vaccination, implying that canine vaccination was responsible for this ill health due to impairment of the immune system.

An epidemiological investigation, entitled practice overview of canine health (POOCH), was conducted to determine whether a temporal association between canine vaccination and ill health in dogs exists. The study population consisted of dogs that had used the services of a veterinary practice within the previous twelve months. Practices were randomly selected from a national list and individual dogs were randomly selected from the databases of participating practices.

Postal questionnaires were sent by the veterinary practices, with a practice covering letter, a letter explaining the study and a reply paid envelope. One questionnaire, with the name of a specific dog, was sent per household. The questions regarded any signs of ill health in the dog within the two-weeks preceding completion of the questionnaire; its vaccination history and questions about the dog, its household and any flea or worming treatments administered. Owners who had not responded to the questionnaire after three weeks were sent a reminder card. The last vaccination dates for participating dogs were also obtained from the practices. The study was designed to have 80% power to detect a two-fold increase in signs of ill-health for dogs vaccinated within the last three months, compared to dogs vaccinated prior to this.

The data from completed questionnaires were checked for errors before being recorded in a customised MS Access database, following which it was examined using standard approaches for categorical data analysis. Multivariable logistic regression modelling was used to adjust estimates of the effect of recent vaccination on risk of ill-health for potential confounders. Variables were retained in models if they significantly reduced model deviance (likelihood ratio c 2 statistic P

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