As the old adage goes, prevention is better than cure. Similar to us humans, our beloved pets are susceptible to illnesses and diseases that will accelerate their health deterioration. Thus, regular visits to the veterinary clinic are natural and whilst it may be beneficial for our pet’s health and our own mental health, our finances will take the brunt. The vet bills will exponentially increase with every visit and to avoid the considerable payout, limit your vet visits by preventing these illnesses in the first place!
The solution: vaccination. Vaccinations are a procedure whereby the body is introduced to an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism, triggering an immune response to produce antibodies to combat this disease. The body will then prevent future infections and lessen its severity if the body does come in contact with the disease – and this goes for your pets too!
Does Vaccination Protect My Pet?
For most animals, vaccination is an effective prevention measure for future diseases and illnesses. In some cases, whilst rare, a vaccinated pet may not have developed adequate immunity and will thus, fall ill. Breakdowns in protection do occur, and in such cases, your pets will require a series of vaccinations.
Newborn pets, especially, require these series of vaccinations as they are highly susceptible to falling ill since the natural immunity from their mother’s milk will gradually wear off. To limit these gaps in protection, a series of vaccination is usually scheduled 3-4 weeks apart. For most newborns, scheduled vaccinations will only wane and stop when they are 12-16 weeks old.
The Risks
As with any other medical procedures, vaccinations do come with their risks. Most common adverse responses are mild and short term, including sluggishness, fever and reduced appetite, amongst many others. Subtle swelling or temporary pain at the vaccination area is also possible. These responses should only last within a day or two, but if it continues to persist, you’ll need to discuss it with your veterinarian. If the reactions include diarrhoea, difficulty breathing, collapse or any of the like, it may indicate an allergic reaction and an immediate visit to the vet is paramount.
Have a talk with your veterinarian on the vaccine safety, including the potential adverse side effects that may develop. Whilst vaccination is not without risk, your pet’s health will be even more vulnerable without it.
Which Vaccines Should Be Administered For My Pet?
The vaccines your pet requires is highly dependant on a few factors, mainly the type of pet you have and its lifestyle. In any case, core vaccines are always recommended. For dogs, this includes protection against canine distemper virus (CDV), the variants of canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) and canine adenovirus (CAV). For cats, this includes protection from feline calicivirus (FCV), feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1) and feline parvovirus (FPV).
Pets with unique needs will require non-core vaccines but before you select the various vaccines for your pet, discuss it with your vet. They will take a lot of considerations at hand, including your pet’s particulars, its lifestyle and the like, to tailor a vaccine recommendation just for your pet. This will also include the vaccination schedule as some vaccines provide protection for more than a year, whilst others don’t.
On top of the different types of vaccinations to give your pet, you’d also be given veterinary tips that will further strengthen your pet’s immune system and guarantee its long life. Help your pet maintain a lifetime of infectious disease protection with this simple yet effective precautionary measure.