Pet immunizations are so important there’s an entire month dedicated to sharing knowledge about disease prevention. Since August is National Immunization Awareness Month, we want to join the national effort to help pet owners understand various threats to overall health.
Are All Pets the Same?
All pets are different. Pet immunizations are also unique to an individual animal’s overall health, wellness, age, and lifestyle. Because of this, it’s critical that your pet is routinely checked and supported throughout life. Pet immunizations contribute to a longer, healthier life, as they prevent many contagious diseases, including:
- Distemper – Passed through blood, urine, or saliva, your pet could be at risk when sharing food or water bowls with an infected animal.
- Rabies – An immunization required by law, rabies is carried by wild animals and is fatal. It can also infect humans, so it’s a top priority to keep up with this pet immunization.
- Leptospirosis – Found in the contaminated water of lakes, rivers, streams, and ponds, lepto is a bacterium that can also spread to humans. This vaccine reduces the intensity of symptoms and should be boostered every year.
- Lyme disease – High fever, lethargy, and swollen joints and lymph nodes are all common symptoms when an animal is unprotected against Lyme disease. Depending on your pet’s risk of exposure to ticks, he or she should receive this annually.
- Parvovirus – A virus with no cure, parvo can be fatal. However, along with the aforementioned pet immunizations, this one is extremely effective.
- Bordetella – To maximize the effectiveness of this vaccine, it’s recommended that dogs receive a booster every 6 months. This disease spreads rapidly when an infected animal is boarded.
- Feline leukemia virus – Bodily fluids are to blame for the spread of this disease. Luckily, a combination of pet immunizations can protect your cat from this virus.
Some diseases are very hard to treat, have no cure at all, or can even threaten the health of people.
Other Pet Immunizations
There are currently two canine influenza strains, H3N8 and H3N2. The canine influenza vaccine protects dogs who frequent the same areas as other dogs. The disease is passed directly through respiratory droplets when coughing, sneezing, and barking, as well as via exposed objects. While it doesn’t eliminate an infection, the vaccine does reduce severity and duration.
Effective and Safe
The effectiveness of pet immunizations lies in regular, consistent administration. When a pet is fully protected, you reduce the chance of infection. Since several diseases have potentially fatal outcomes, it’s important to recognize veterinary protocols for maximum protection.
If you have any questions related to pet immunizations, we encourage you to contact us. Thank you for helping us support National Immunization Awareness Month!
Tags: Illness In Pets, Immunize Pets, Pet Care, Pet Health & Wellness, Prevent Pet Illness