Dear Editor:
The American College of Veterinary Microbiologists (ACVM) was invited by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) to comment on the “Report of the AAHA Canine Vaccine Task Force: 2003 Canine Vaccine Guidelines, Recommendations, and Supporting Literature” (
Our committee agrees that decisions regarding selection of vaccines and vaccination interval should be made on an individual basis by a veterinarian with a valid client-patient relationship. The committee also agrees with the concept of designating vaccines as core vaccines, non-core vaccines, and “not generally recommended” vaccines. We emphasize that the final decision on vaccine usage depends on the professional judgment of the veterinarian. Some of the non-core vaccines, such as Leptospirosis vaccines, may be used by a majority...