|
1.
Are vaccinations really
necessary?
Yes. Vaccinations help protect your pet from a number of
potentially serious and even fatal diseases, such as Rabies. Not only
that, vaccinations cost considerably less than the treatments available
for the diseases pets are normally vaccinated against. Every pet should
be vaccinated - even indoor dogs and cats can be exposed to a rabid bat.
2.
How do vaccinations work?
Vaccines contain viruses or bacteria that have been modified so
that they will not cause disease. When an animal is vaccinated, it
stimulates two parts of the animal's immune system. One is the
production of antibodies, the other is the stimulation of cell mediated
immunity, which, in combination, mount a response against the bacteria
or virus in question. If the dog or cat is later exposed to that
disease, the two parts of the immune system will react quickly to
destroy the disease-causing agent.
3. Why does my pet need
regular booster vaccinations for the same disease?
The protection provided by a vaccine gradually declines over time.
Your pet needs regular "booster" vaccinations to ensure ongoing immunity
from disease.
4.
Do I need to get my pet
vaccinated every year?
This is a topic which is currently under investigation within
veterinary medicine. Unfortunately, the duration of immunity for each
vaccine is not currently known.
While pet owners can have blood tests done on their pets to
assess the pet's antibody level, this does not test the level of
immunity currently provided by the pet's cell mediated immune system.
Until more is known about the duration of immunity, the frequency and
type of vaccines administered will vary. Talk to your veterinarian about
the risk of viral and bacterial diseases in your area, and the need for
one, two or three year vaccines.
When considering what is best for you pet, please remember that
pets age faster than people. Pets can't talk, and because "survival of
the fittest" meant that only the healthy and strong survived in the
wild, animals will try to hide any evidence of illness as long as
possible. This means that there may not be any outward signs that your
pet is ill until the disease is quite advanced.
That's why, in addition to having regular vaccinations, it is
extremely important that your pet has an annual physical examination. By
performing a yearly physical examination, your veterinarian can detect
early signs of organ dysfunction and illness. With early diagnosis comes
early treatment. Early treatment in turn leads to an increased life span
and an improved quality of life for your pet.
5.
What diseases are vaccines
available for?
Vaccines available for dogs include:
Rabies
Distemper
Hepatitis
Parainfluenza
Parvo virus
Leptospirosis
Lyme Disease
Corona virus
Bordetella
Giardia
Vaccines available for cats include:
Rabies
Panleukopenia
Feline calicivirus
Feline rhinotracheitis
Feline leukemia
Ringworm
Chlamydia
Feline infectious peritonitis
Speak with your veterinarian about which of these vaccines are
necessary for your pet(s).
6.
Are vaccinations 100% safe and
effective?
Although your veterinarian cannot guarantee that a vaccine will
fully protect an animal against a given disease, vaccinations have
proven to be the simplest, safest and most effective means of preventing
a number of diseases in pets.
It is important to administer vaccines only to healthy animals.
If the animal is already suffering from an illness, or is receiving
certain drugs, its immune system may not be able to respond to the
vaccine. For that reason, prior to vaccinating your pet, your
veterinarian will ask you about your pet's medical history and perform a
complete physical examination.
Puppies and kittens require a series of vaccinations during their
first four months of life. Nursing pups and kittens receive antibodies
from their mother's milk (maternal antibodies) which protect them from
disease during the first months of life. These same antibodies can
prevent a vaccine from being totally effective. Consequently, as
maternal antibodies decrease, your veterinarian will give your pet a
series of vaccines spread over a period of 6 to 16 weeks of age, to
provide your pet with the best possible protection.
It is very important that you follow the vaccination schedule
provided by your veterinarian. Missing a vaccine booster or being more
than a few days late could put your pet at risk of contracting disease.
Puppies and kittens should not be exposed to unvaccinated dogs
and cats, sick dogs and cats, or places where dogs and cats roam (public
parks etc.) until they have completed their puppy or kitten series of
vaccinations.
Despite your veterinarian's efforts to design a safe vaccination
protocol for every pet, vaccine reactions can and do occur. Thankfully,
they are not common. Like a drug, a vaccine is capable of causing an
adverse reaction. Some of these reactions are mild (some discomfort at
the injection site, lethargy or loss of appetite for a day or so). Some
of these reactions are more severe (allergic reaction, immunologic
reactions). If your pet has
reacted to a vaccine in the past, inform your veterinarian.
7. I've heard that some
vaccinations cause cancer in cats. Is this true?
Vaccination-induced sarcomas (a form of cancer) in cats are rare.
They occur most commonly with Rabies and Feline Leukemia vaccinations.
It is important for you and your veterinarian to decide if the risk of
your cat being exposed to these diseases is greater than the potential
risk of developing a vaccine-induced sarcoma. If the benefits of
vaccination outweigh the risk of vaccination, then the vaccination
should be given. If your cat develops a lump at the injection site, call
your veterinarian.
VACCINES FOR DOGS
•
VACCINES FOR CATS
|
