Zoetis Inc.’s Vanguard crLyme vaccine for dogs now comes with a 15-month duration of immunity claim, an improvement over the previous recommendation of annual revaccination.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture granted the claim for a product that Zoetis promotes as the only multivalent recombinant Lyme vaccine formulated to ward off the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi, which is transmitted by the blacklegged, or deer, tick.
“With the combination of this 15-month claim and the innovative coverage that Vanguard crLyme provides to help protect dogs from Borrelia burgdorferi infection, veterinarians can feel confident when using it that they are helping to provide year-round Lyme disease protection for their canine patients,” said J. Michael McFarland, DVM, DAVBP, executive director of companion animal marketing at Zoetis.
The independent Companion Animal Parasite Council recommends year-round tick control in areas where Lyme disease is endemic or emerging. Lyme disease is most prevalent in the Northeastern United States, where about 13 percent of dogs typically test positive for infection, CAPC reported.
Clinical signs of Lyme disease in dogs include lameness, enlarged lymph nodes, fever, lack of appetite and depression, Zoetis stated. In rare cases, kidney failure is possible.
A few added months of proven immunity is a boon for vaccinated dogs, said Zoetis consultant Richard E. Goldstein, DVM, DACVIM, the chief medical officer at Animal Medical Center in New York City.
“One of the most important aspects of efficacy of an annual vaccine is that it truly lasts the full 12 months or more,” Dr. Goldstein said. “In the past, breaks have been associated with Ixodes tick exposure as circulating OspA titers have waned prior to the end of the year with other Lyme vaccines currently on the market.”
Zoetis, headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, reported the new immunity claim Thursday.
Vanguard crLyme was launched in January 2016.