Vaccinations

Kittens and puppies should begin their vaccination series as early as 6-8 weeks in order to boost their immune systems. After this first series, adult cats and dogs require booster vaccines throughout their lives in order to maintain immunity to dangerous diseases.

Most vaccines are needed annually; however, a dog rabies vaccine is only needed every three years; whereas Bortedella is recommended twice a year. At each exam, we will discuss your pet’s lifestyle to ensure they are getting everything they need to stay healthy. Vaccine protocol may change as your pet ages.

Just like human vaccines, pet vaccines were developed to prepare your pet’s immune system to fight disease-causing organisms. Vaccines contain antigens. These appear like the disease-causing organisms to an animal’s immune system causing the immune system to be mildly stimulated, but they don’t actually cause disease. Then, if your pet is ever exposed to the real disease, the immune system will recognize it and fight it off or significantly reduce the severity.

No medication is without any risk, but the benefits of pet vaccines far outweigh the few risks. Pet vaccinations protect animals against devastating diseases including rabies. Pet vaccinations can also protect humans. While approximately 59,000 people die each year from rabies worldwide, only one or two deaths occur in the US (according to the WHO), where laws require pets to be vaccinated. The most likely complications your pet could have from vaccines include tissue swelling at the injection site, mild signs of illness like fever and soreness, and allergic reactions to the vaccine. The likelihood of a serious or dangerous reaction is low; however, the likelihood of a life-threatening disease in an unvaccinated pet is much higher.