What vaccinations does your pet need?
You’ve just welcomed a new furry friend into the family – congratulations! But what vaccinations do you need to give them to make sure they stay healthy?
Our friends at the ASPCA have some great tips about just this. Check out some of them here and get all the information on their website.
What are vaccines, and does my animal need them?
Vaccines prepare the body’s immune system against the invasion of disease-causing organisms.
“If a pet is ever exposed to the real disease, his immune system is now prepared to recognize and fight it off entirely or reduce the severity of the illness,” – ASPCA fact sheet.
For your furry friend, the ASPCA says vaccines are very important, but that not every animal needs to be vaccinated for every disease. As a responsible pet parent, you need to discuss with your veterinarian which vaccines they recommend for your companion animal.
Some factors the ASPCA says to take into account include age, medical history, environment, travel habits and lifestyle. The ASPCA also says most veterinarians will highly recommend administering the following core vaccines to healthy companion animals.
Core Vaccines
According to the ASPCA, core vaccines are considered vital to the majority of furry friends because of the risk of exposure, severity of disease or transmissibility to humans.
Dogs
- Canine parvovirus
- Distemper
- Canine hepatitis
- Rabies
Non-core (depending on dog’s exposure risk)
- Bordetella bronchiseptica
- Borrelia burgdorferi
- Leptospira bacteria
Cats:
- Panleukopenia
- Feline calicivirus
- Feline herpesvirus type I (rhinotracheitis)
- Rabies
Non-core (depending on the cat’s lifestyle)
- Feline leukemia virus
- Bordetella
- Chlamydophila felis
- Be sure to consult your veterinarian for the vaccines your furry friend will require. For more information on vaccines, visit the ASPCA’s tip sheet.
