Pet immunizations are essential tools to aid in the healthy upbringing of your pet. Learn more about the series of injections and why your pet needs them.
Why does my pet need immunizations?
While your pet is still young, it’s immune system
Pet immunizations are essential tools to aid in the healthy upbringing of your pet. Learn more about the series of injections and why your pet needs them.
Why does my pet need immunizations?
While your pet is still young, it’s immune system isn’t mature enough to fight against common bacteria, viruses, nor the onset of common diseases. Immunization is the medical procedure in which an animal is provided an agent to help strengthen their immune system, as well as develop the antibodies to fight against certain illnesses.
It’s important to keep up to schedule with all the core vaccinations, as well as the booster shots that follow each year. While it may seem like a major inconvenience to especially busy pet parents, these injections provide your pet immunity from deadly diseases that may plague not only you and your household but the rest of your community if contagious.
Pet immunizations are a series of injections that provide lifetime protection for your pets. Not only do they minimize risks for the acquisition of widespread illnesses, but they also help your pet prevent ailments that may be caught in the future.
What are the types of vaccines?
There are two types of vaccinations that can be administered to your pet. They are classified by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) as the core, and non-core vaccines.
The core vaccines are those that should be taken by all animals, regardless of breed, size, or age. This type of vaccine specifically aids in the prevention of contracting widespread diseases such as:
- Canine distemper
- Canine hepatitis
- Panleukopenia, or feline distemper
- Feline Calcivirus
- Feline Herpesvirus
Meanwhile, non-core vaccines are those that should be administered based on the pet’s lifestyle and exposure risk. They are considered as supplements depending on the specific pet’s needs. This includes:
- Bordetella bronchiseptica
- Leptospira bacteria
- Borrelia burgdorferi
- Feline leukemia virus
- Chlamydophila felis
- Feline immunodeficiency virus
Can I vaccinate my own pet?
You may provide your own pet with its own set of immunizations, however, state and health public officials would not recognize this legally.
Technically speaking, only veterinarians are certified by the state to officially provide these injections. While it may pose some benefits for you to do it at home, you will have to sign a release form that acknowledges risk of self-administration.
The convenience and assurance you get from having the procedure done at an authorized hospital with competent staff is definitely unmatched compared to having to do it yourself. Going to your veterinarian for the procedure is what is generally recommended.
What happens if I don’t vaccinate my pet?
Not giving your pet the immunizations he needs may mean that your pet is highly susceptible to acquiring a wide range of illnesses that may cost more money to treat later on.
If you don’t give your pet any form of immunization, his bodily functions and immune systems are at risk of contracting diseases he might not be able to handle. This could lead to several unwanted outcomes that could be prevented with regular injections.
While there aren’t any studies that show the definite outcome of not submitting your pet to immunizations, it heightens the risk that your pet might catch something along the way.
Are shelter cats and dogs vaccinated?
Yes, they are. Vaccination is an integral part of any shelter or pet organization’s mission to protect their animals’ health and well being.
These pets are provided with the core vaccines most commonly administered in your vet hospital.
Should you decide to adopt a pet from the shelter, you are provided with the assurance that the animal isn’t exposed to disease, nor will it spread illness to your home and pets.