WSAVA Vaccination Group begins two-year project
The Vaccination Guidelines Group (VGG) of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) has launched a new two-year project that aims to help provide advice for veterinarians in Asia on optimal vaccination practice.
The group has launched the project because they say the continent has what they call “a relatively high small companion animal infectious disease pressure”.
The VGG began their project in Japan in July this year and met with Japanese small animal veterinary associations, veterinary practitioners and veterinary school academics in Tokyo. The Japanese pet insurance industry, vaccine producers and the Japanese regulatory authority were also invited.
Members of the VGG also met with the deputy director of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) in the Asia Pacific region, Tomoko Ishibashi, to discuss rabies surveillance and control on the continent. Following the meeting, VGG members hosted sessions on vaccinology for practitioners in Osaka and Tokyo, which were attended by 370 veterinarians.
As an additional aid, the group have published a set of small animal vaccination guidelines with accompanying fact sheets and FAQs. They hope these resources will be a practical tool to support Asian vets.
Michael Day, VGG chairman, from the University of Bristol, commented on the project: “The VGG is very pleased to have the opportunity to undertake this new programme of work in a continent where there are particular problems with canine and feline infectious diseases, specifically with the relatively high prevalence of zoonotic canine rabies virus infection."
The VGG is scheduled to meet next in India in September 2012. It will then meet in China in 2013.
Veterinary practices are being urged to help owners safely dispose of any unused and expired pet medicines - not just antibiotics - during November's Animal Medicines Amnesty. 
