Pet Vaccines 101: Why Vaccinate Your Pets?

The Importance of Vaccinating Your Pet

As with the vaccinations that have been designed for people, pet vaccines protect your companion animal against a variety of serious conditions that could threaten the overall health or longevity of your pet.

While it might not seem overly important to keep your dog or cat's vaccinations up to date, especially if money is tight, we highly recommend keeping them up-to-date. Your pet's shots are likely to cost far less than treatment for the particular illnesses vaccines protect against.

How Pet Vaccines Work

Vaccines help your pet develop antibodies to build immunity against the contagious or deadly disease it is intended to protect against. Once your dog or cat has been vaccinated, the body gets a disease-enabling organism to stimulate the immune system and tell the body how it should fight those diseases in the future. 

Although pet vaccines aren't 100% effective, they can help your pet fight off illnesses or recover much more quickly if they do become infected.

Not All Pets Need All Vaccines

Just because a vaccination is available does not necessarily mean that it is required for your pet. Speak to your vet about your pet's lifestyle in order to find out which vaccines are best for your dog or cat. 

There are numerous factors that contribute to your pet's need for certain vaccinations including their lifestyle and the location you live in. The rabies vaccines for pets over 6 months of age are required by law in most places across the US and Canada. This vaccination must be kept up to date and a certificate will be provided to pet owners once their dog or cat has been vaccinated. 

Why Should I Vaccinate My Pet?

By proactively vaccinating your pet and keeping your pet up-to-date on their booster shots, you can preserve and protect your pet's health from dangerous, deadly diseases. 

Many vaccinations are mandated across the United States, such as rabies for both dogs and cats. Residents require vaccination records in many areas to obtain a pet license.

If you travel with your pet, stay in pet-friendly hotels, go to dog parks or have your pet groomed, vaccinations may be required and can prevent your furry friend from contracting contagious diseases from other animals, in addition to inadvertently spreading infection. This is also true for pet-sitting services, doggy daycares and other businesses. 

Dogs

Even if your dog is always on a leash when they are outside of your home there is still a risk of contracting a disease or illness. Many bacteria and viruses can live for long periods of time on surfaces, so without even coming nose to nose with another dog, your pet could contract a serious disease. Other conditions are airborne and are easily contracted by pets who encounter infected dogs while out walking.

Cats

While it may seem obvious that outdoor cats face an increased risk of contracting serious diseases, it can be easy to dismiss your indoor cat's need for vaccines. It only takes a second for your feline friend to escape out of an open window or door. Many cat viruses can linger on the ground or on surfaces for long periods of time. Meaning that even if you get your escaped kitty back into the house quickly, there is still a risk of exposure. Not only could your cat escape, but it is also possible for a wild animal to sneak into your house and pose a risk to your cat's health and your own.

Core Vaccines for Pets

These types of vaccines are recommended for all cats and dogs living in the United States, core vaccines are designed to help protect your pet by preventing diseases that are commonly found in your area. These diseases are spread easily between animals (and in some cases, from animals to people) and have a high fatality rate. 

Core Vaccinations for Cats

• Panleukopenia (Feline Distemper or Feline Parvo)
• Feline Calicivirus
• Feline Herpesvirus Type I (Rhinotracheitis)
• Rabies

Core Vaccinations for Dogs

• Canine Parvovirus
• Distemper
• Canine Hepatitis
• Rabies

Lifestyle Vaccinations 

Lifestyle vaccines can protect your dog or cat against diseases that they may be exposed to depending on their particular lifestyle. For example, dogs who spend time with other dogs in doggie daycares or cats that spend a great deal of time outdoors. The following are lifestyle vaccines that you may want to consider for your four-legged friend.

Lifestyle Vaccines for Cats:

• Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV)
• Chlamydia (Chlamydophila felis)

Lifestyle Vaccines for Dogs:

• Bordetella (Kennel Cough)
• Leptospirosis
• Canine Influenza (Dog Flu)
• Lyme Disease (Borrelia burgdorferi)

Booster Shots

Depending on which vaccine your adult dog or cat has received, their booster shots will be required either annually or every three years. Your vet will tell you when your pet should be brought back for booster shots. Booster shots are essential for maintaining your pet's immunity.

Vaccine Protection

It's important to note that your puppy or kitten will not be fully protected by their vaccines until they’ve received all of their vaccinations - when they are about 12 to 16 weeks old. After your vet has administered all of their initial vaccinations, your young pet will be protected against the conditions or diseases covered by the vaccines.

We recommend keeping your puppy or kitten in restricted to low-risk areas (such as your own backyard) if you plan to allow them outdoors before they have been fully vaccinated against the diseases listed above.

Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet.