Vaccinations

NZVA's position is that every dog and cat should be appropriately immunised, and each individual animal should be vaccinated as frequently as considered necessary by their veterinarian to provide protection.

The welfare of the animal should be the primary consideration when discussing vaccination, and vaccines to be used should be determined within a veterinarian-client-patient relationship.

The Companion Animal Veterinarians (CAV) branch of the NZVA has developed an information sheet to help veterinarians talk to clients about vaccine-associated adverse events. These events are very uncommon and, when they do occur, they are usually mild. Veterinarians have an obligation to let clients know about the risks associated with administering vaccines. However, it's important to remind clients that vaccinating pets is a safe, effective practice that is critical to preventing and controlling infectious disease outbreaks.

Vaccinating your pet: Effective and safe [Information sheet]

In May 2024, New Zealand Food Safety (NZFS) confirmed that it had received a small number of reports of suspected vaccine-associated canine distemper in New Zealand puppies following vaccination with Vanguard Plus 5 (ACVM Registration Number A007448). There have been no similar reports received for older dogs after vaccination.

Zoetis is working with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines (ACVM) to investigate the deaths of seven puppies since June 2021. On 29 March 2025, Zoetis wrote to customers again to advise that two further reports had been received. In August 2024, a 12-week-old puppy developed confirmed post-vaccinal canine distemper encephalitis (PVE) following the second of two vaccinations with Vanguard Plus 5. In March 2025, four puppies from a litter of eight developed signs consistent with PVE after receiving their first vaccination with Vanguard Plus 5. Zoetis is thoroughly investigating these cases, including genetic examination.

The NZVA remains in regular contact with Zoetis and ACVM. We made a written submission to ACVM about the Vanguard Plus 5 reassessment in September 2024. The reassessment is still underway, and ACVM will issue an update once it is complete. In the meantime, Vanguard Plus 5 is still available and in use.

NZVA recommendations for veterinary teams

1. Continue core puppy vaccination

Vaccination remains essential for protecting against canine distemper virus (CDV) and other diseases such as parvovirus and adenovirus. With no naturally occurring CDV in New Zealand, the focus is on preventing re-emergence via fomites, importation, or wildlife reservoirs.

Vaccine-associated adverse events are very uncommon and, when they do occur, they are usually mild. Veterinarians have an obligation to let clients know about the risks associated with administering vaccines. However, it's important to remind clients that vaccinating pets is a safe, effective practice that is critical to preventing and controlling infectious disease outbreaks. Protection from serious disease by vaccination far outweighs the potential risks.

2. Support informed consent with transparency

Some of you have asked what you should be disclosing to clients during informed consent discussions. The NZVA recommends veterinary teams:

clearly inform clients that:
- CDV is not currently endemic in New Zealand
- as of 16 April 2025, there have been reports of suspected post-vaccinal canine distemper in 12 puppies following vaccination with Vanguard Plus 5, resulting in the death of the affected puppies
- the product is under regulatory reassessment by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines (ACVM) team
- alternative vaccines using different strains of CDV are available in New Zealand.
use the Veterinary Council of New Zealand (VCNZ) guidance on informed consent as a foundation, but recognise that further clarity is needed for this specific situation.
download the Companion Animal Veterinarians branch information sheet on vaccine-associated adverse events to help guide your conversations.

3. Consider vaccine selection

In New Zealand, all available canine distemper vaccines are based on modified live virus, but they don't all use the same strain. Vanguard Plus 5 contains a Rockborn-like strain, which has been associated with these specific cases of post-vaccinal distemper in puppies. Other vaccines in New Zealand use the Onderstepoort strain.

Veterinarians can choose to use non-Rockborn vaccines, particularly:

in puppies receiving their primary vaccinations
when there may be concerns about potential immunosuppression.

4. Report all adverse events

Veterinarians are encouraged to report any suspected vaccine reactions to the registrant of the product and MPI. Make sure the owner is aware that you’re making the report. You can learn more about making a report on MPI’s website.

Underreporting is a known issue in both human and veterinary medicine. We recognise that reported cases may not reflect the full scope of events.

Please be aware that CDV is a notifiable disease under the Biosecurity Act 1993. If you diagnose or suspect a case of CDV, contact MPI immediately on 0800 80 99 66.

The NZVA is here to support you and your team as we navigate this complex situation. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us at nzva@vets.org.nz.