
Importance of Vaccination
You’ve probably heard that it’s important to vaccinate your kids, but what about your pet? While you may think it’s unnecessary or even unsafe, here are some common reasons to consider vaccinating your pets as well as some things to consider before getting your furry friend vaccinated. If you decide to go forward with vaccination, make sure you choose the right vaccine based on your pet’s health history and lifestyle. With vaccination comes responsibility, but it can be one of the most important steps in protecting the overall health of your pet.
Diseases vaccines prevent
It’s important to keep in mind that vaccinations aren’t foolproof. Depending on your lifestyle and location, they can make your pet much less likely to get certain infectious diseases, but no vaccine is 100 percent effective. The effectiveness of many vaccines decreases over time, especially if you wait too long between shots. It’s up to you to do some research and decide how best to approach protection against specific disease threats. If your pet will be in areas where certain diseases are prevalent, speak with a veterinarian about getting an updated vaccination schedule.
1) Rabies
The CDC recommends that dogs be vaccinated against rabies annually, or every three years in areas where rabies has not been reported for at least five years. Rabies is a deadly disease, so it’s understandable why owners choose to vaccinate their pets. But you should consider your pet’s lifestyle before deciding whether vaccination is right for them. If you take your dog outside on a leash only to visit parks or walk around town—in other words, if they don’t go wandering off leash and interacting with animals they don’t know—you may decide against annual vaccinations, as your pet is unlikely to encounter any stray dogs or raccoons carrying rabies.
2) Canine Distemper
What Is It and How Do You Treat It? The canine distemper virus is a devastating disease that can kill your dog if it isn’t diagnosed and treated early. As such, it’s crucial to understand how canine distemper is transmitted, as well as some of its symptoms and treatment options. Though canine distemper has been nearly eradicated in dogs that live in developed countries like those in North America, it still poses a problem for dogs living on farms or even on average suburban streets.
3) Leptospirosis
Infection with Leptospira bacteria can affect both dogs and humans. When it infects humans, Leptospirosis causes a flu-like illness called Weil's disease, which is treatable with antibiotics. In dogs, it can cause fever, jaundice and organ failure; treatment is also possible but may require hospitalization. Due to environmental factors such as rainfall and flooding, infection rates increase each year during late summer and early fall; however, infection cases can happen at any time of year. If you live in an area where there are frequent outbreaks of Leptospirosis (such as Florida or California), vaccinating your dog against it could help save his life.
4) Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis
Also known as FVR, feline viral rhinotracheitis is a viral infection that affects cats. It is closely related to another virus called feline calicivirus, or FCV. Both viruses cause sneezing and congestion of mucus in your cat’s nose and throat. There may also be other symptoms such as watery eyes, conjunctivitis (redness) or ulcers of lips and tongue.
5) Coronavirus/Panleukopenia
This viral disease is also called feline distemper and can affect dogs and cats. In healthy pets, it’s usually not a problem, but immunocompromised pets, or those who have heart or kidney problems could experience severe complications from Panleukopenia. Symptoms include loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea, high fever and lethargy.