Love Shots: Why Vaccinating Your Pup Matters

Prevent deadly diseases and save health care costs by vaccinating your pet. photo: AdobeStock

Why should I vaccinate my pup? We’ll give you five good reasons, but really, the first two alone should be enough for anyone who cares about their pet. We’ll throw in the last three for free. 

• Vaccinations prevent deadly pet illnesses. Pets are at risk of contracting common deadly diseases such as distemper, parvo, and panleukopenia.  Vaccines provide immunity against several diseases and can lessen the severity or prevent certain diseases altogether.  Pet vaccinations also  save pet lives by helping to achieve herd immunity, stopping the spread of disease, and helping to end preventable euthanasia.

• Vaccinations save heartache and money. Many pet guardians can receive free or low-cost, preventative vaccines for their animals. Compare that to the expense of treating preventable diseases, such as parvo or distemper, which can cost thousands of dollars without any assurance of a good outcome. If you do get your pet vaccinated at a low-cost clinic or pet store, remember that it is still very important to establish a relationship with a veterinarian for yearly visits.  Having a veterinarian who knows you and your pet is vitally important for your pet’s lifelong health and happiness. It also saves you money by staying on top of preventative medicine and avoiding costly emergency clinic visits.

• Vaccinations help keep pets and people safe. Vaccinations help prevent diseases that can be passed between animals, and they also guard against diseases that can be passed from animals to humans.

• Vaccinations help protect your pet from diseases carried by wildlife. Diseases prevalent in wildlife, such as rabies and distemper, can infect unvaccinated pets. Experts agree that widespread use of vaccinations within the last century has prevented death and disease in millions of animals.

• Vaccinations are often required by law. In many areas, local or state ordinances require certain vaccinations of household pets. If your unvaccinated pet bites another pet or human, you could be liable for legal and medical bills. In some cases, your dog may be quarantined or even put down.

What Are Vaccines, Anyway?

Vaccines are used to induce an acquired immune response to a disease agent beyond what might be present as a part of the innate immune response. The efficacy and duration of immunity of an individual vaccine is highly dependent upon the type of vaccine used (e.g., modified live, killed, recombinant/vectored) and the individual patient’s health, age, genetics, and exposure history. 

While vaccine safety is tested by vaccine companies prior to licensing for general use, individual instances of adverse reactions can and do occur. This is generally a small percentage of the vaccinated population, and the benefits of vaccination have been shown to far outweigh the risks.

Serious Reactions Are Rare

Any type of medical treatment including vaccination has associated risks, but the risk should be weighed against the benefits of protecting your pet, your family, and your community from potentially fatal diseases. The majority of pets respond well to vaccines. 

The most common adverse responses to vaccination are mild and short-term. Serious reactions are rare. An uncommon but serious adverse reaction that can occur in cats is tumor growth (sarcomas), which can develop weeks, months, or even years after a vaccination. However, recent improvements in vaccination technology and technique have greatly reduced the occurrence of sarcomas.  

Always inform your veterinarian if your pet has had previous reactions to any vaccine or medication. If in doubt, wait for 30-60 minutes following vaccination before taking your pet home from the vet’s office.

When Should I Get My Pet Vaccinated?  

It is important to follow the recommendations of your veterinarian about the timing and frequency in your pet’s first vaccinations.  Very young animals are highly susceptible to infectious disease because their immune system is not yet fully mature. They receive protection through antibodies in their mother’s milk, but the protection is not long-lasting and there may be gaps in protection as the milk antibodies decrease and their immune system is still maturing. 

Maternal antibodies can also interfere with a puppy or kitten’s vaccine response, so a series of vaccines is typically recommended to ensure that the animal  receives a vaccine as early as possible after maternal antibodies subside. An incomplete series of vaccinations may lead to incomplete protection, making puppies and kittens vulnerable to infection.  

Talk With Your Vet

Always talk with your veterinarian about your pet’s lifestyle, including any expected travel to other geographical locations or contact with other pets or wild animals. These factors impact your pet’s risk of exposure to certain diseases and might impact the type of vaccines recommended.  Your veterinarian will be able to tailor a program of vaccinations and preventive health care that’s right for your pet and that will help maintain a lifetime of protection from painful and debilitating infectious diseases. 

In short, a vaccination is a shot of love that protects the health of your furry friend and brings peace of mind to you. So why should I vaccinate my pet? The real question is: why wouldn’t you?