Like us humans, there are dozens of illnesses that your dog can be exposed to at any minute. In an effort to keep pets safe, vaccines have been developed and improved upon over the years. Like many things in this world, vaccines do carry their pros and cons, along with certain key risks ranging from minor to major. At All Pets Veterinary Medical Center, we want you to be advised about the careful planning of getting your loved pet vaccine injections, and we will cover with you the different routines followed.
Although vaccination has the potential to protect pets against life-threatening diseases, vaccination is not without its risks. Recently, there has been some controversy regarding the duration of protection and timing of vaccination, as well as the safety and necessity of certain pet vaccines. What this means for your dog is that Vaccination is a procedure that has risks and benefits that must be weighed for every dog relative to his or her lifestyle and health. We at All Pets Veterinary Medical Center can determine a vaccination regime that will provide the safest and best protection for your individual dog. Here are answers to some of your most frequently asked questions regarding vaccines.
What Exactly Are Pet Vaccines?
- Vaccines help prepare the body’s immune system to fight the invasion of disease-causing organisms. Pet Vaccines contain something called antigens, which are “disguised” as disease causing organisms to the immune system but are devoid of any disease causing viruses. When the vaccine is introduced to the body, the immune system is mildly stimulated. If a dog is ever exposed to the real disease, his or her immune system is now prepped to recognize and fight off the disease entirely or reduce the intensity of the illness.
Are Vaccines Important to the Health of My Dog?
- Core vaccines are extremely important to managing the health of your dog. That being said, not every dog needs to be vaccinated against every disease. It is very important to discuss with us or another veterinarian about a vaccination protocol that is right for your dog. Factors should be examined include age, medical history, environment, travel habits and lifestyle. All Pets Veterinary Medical Center highly recommends administering core vaccinations to healthy dogs.
What Are Core Vaccines?
- In 2006, the American Animal Hospital Association’s Canine Task Force published a revised version of guidelines regarding canine vaccinations. The guidelines divide pet vaccines into three categories: Core, Non Core, and not recommended.
- Core vaccines are considered vital to all dogs based on risk of exposure, severity of disease, or if it can be transmitted to humans. Canine parvovirus, distermper, canine hepatitis, and rabies are all considered core vaccines by the Task Force.
- Non-Core vaccines are given depending on the dog’s exposure risk. These include vaccines against Bordetella bronchiseptica, Borrelia burgdorferi and Leptospira bacteria.
Giving your pet too many vaccines can overstimulate the immune system and make them extremely sick, or may even cause serious health problems in the future. Sit down with us at All Pets Veterinary Medical Center and we can discuss a necessary health plan for your pet, and administer the correct vaccinations.
