Why Should You Vaccinate Your Pet?

Prior to the invention of vaccinations, both people and animals would frequently die from viral and bacterial infections. Before vaccinations an animal would have to be exposed to the virus or bacteria and try to fight it off in order to develop immunity. Vaccinations are a safe way to expose an animal to that virus and develop immunity without the animal actually contracting the disease. Young puppies are given some immunity from their mothers while nursing but this fades very quickly, which is why the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) recommends starting vaccinations at eight weeks of age. The vaccination protocols that we use at West Ridge Animal Hospital, have been tested and developed by the AVMA to ensure that your pet remains immune to virus or bacteria being vaccinated for. 

A question we frequently get is, “Why should I vaccinate my indoor cat for rabies?” Unfortunately, there has been a significant increase in the number of positive rabies incidences in Weld County over the last few years. The two most common carriers of the virus are bats and skunks; and it is certainly not uncommon for a bat to make its way down your chimney and into your home. This bat could then go on to bite your cat or, if you have a hunter, your cat could eat the bat, exposing herself to the virus by puncturing the saliva glands. Rabies cannot be cured in animals, so the consequences of this would be quite dire. Also, due to the severity of the virus, Colorado has made vaccinating your pet against rabies a state law. 

Another question we get a lot is “Do I need to vaccinate my older animal?” The simple answer is yes; your animals need to stay up to date on their vaccinations for the course of their lives. Currently, all studies indicate that the core vaccinations in dogs – rabies and the distemper/ parvovirus combo – last three years before their immunity fades while the non-core vaccinations last one year. In cats the only vaccination found to last three years is the distemper combo and all other vaccinations have bene shown to last one year. Therefore, it is essential to keep your pet up to date in order to preserve the immunity. Older animals, just like older people, have weakened immune systems so it is, in fact, even more important to vaccinate your older animals to help them remain immune to the lethal viruses and bacteria they could be exposed to. 

Finally, remember that not all of the non-core vaccinations are appropriate for every animal. Your veterinary nurse will be able to guide you in making decisions about the best vaccination protocol for your animal.

For reference and further reading: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/vaccinations. Also: https://www.avma.org/public/PetCare/Pages/vaccinations.aspx.