Vaccines

Vaccines administer a very low dose of a pathogen to a pet, so that their immune system can “learn” to fight it. When a virus or bacteria enters the animal’s body for the first time, they will not possess an immunity, but introducing the disease prompts their system to manufacture antibodies to help fight it, explains the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Those antibodies then live in their bloodstream so should they encounter that pathogen in real life, they will already have the tools to fight it.  Some animals who receive vaccines will develop total immunity. Others only develop partial immunity. Still others, if they don’t receive booster shots regularly, may lose part or all of their previous immunity.

Your pet should have “core” vaccines and may need “non-core” vaccines. Our veterinarians will help you decide which vaccinations your pet will need based on the overall health and lifestyle of your pet.  

Core vaccines for dogs include Canine Parvovirus, Canine Distemper, Infectious Canine Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, and Rabies. Core inoculations for cats include Feline Panleukopenia, Feline Calicivirus, Feline Rhinotracheitis and Rabies.

Other vaccines available for dogs are Lyme and Bordetella.  For cats, Feline Leukemia vaccines are available and especially recommended if your cat goes outside.  

Vaccines are usually safe and well-vetted and we use a brand of vaccine that is one of the safest types available.  At most, pets may experience a bit of mild fever or discomfort associated with the low dose of the disease they’ve received. In rare cases, however, you may notice a serious allergic reaction: itching and swelling of the skin and face, vomiting and diarrhea, or difficulty breathing. If you notice any of these, please seek veterinary assistance right away.

Want to learn more about vaccinating your pet today? Feel free to get in touch with us at (724) 898-2300!