vaccinations

Vaccines are an inescapable part of any pet health plan. They help animals fight disease before it takes hold and keep pet populations safe from infection. To see precisely why vaccines are necessary and how best to ensure your pet’s safety, it’s critical to understand how they work.

How Do Vaccines Work?

Vaccines administer a very low pathogen dose to a pet so their immune system can “learn” to fight it. When a virus or bacteria enters the animal’s body for the first time, it will not possess immunity, but introducing the disease prompts its system to manufacture antibodies to help fight it, explains the  American Veterinary Medical Association.

These antibodies then exist in your pet’s bloodstream from then on, so should they encounter that pathogen in real life, full-strength, they will already have the tools to fight it.

Will My Pet Be 100 Percent Immune?

Some animals who receive vaccines develop total immunity, while others only develop partial immunity. Still, others, if they don’t receive booster shots regularly, your pet may lose part or all of their previous immunity.

That’s why the concept of “herd immunity” is so important. When the entire population susceptible to a particular disease is vaccinated, the disease can’t find a foothold. Therefore, even if an animal didn’t have 100 percent immunity, it wouldn’t matter because other animals couldn’t get infected and pass it on.

Which Vaccines Does My Pet Need?

Your pet needs “core” vaccines and could need “non-core” vaccines. Core vaccines for dogs include canine parvovirus, canine distemper, infectious canine hepatitis, and rabies. Core inoculations for cats include feline panleukopenia, feline calicivirus, feline rhinotracheitis, and rabies. Depending on your dog or cat, we may also recommend other vaccines. For instance, if your cat is at risk of developing feline leukemia, we may advise a vaccine to help combat the chance.

Are There Side Effects to Vaccinating?

Usually, there are no side effects. Vaccines are safe and well-vetted, and veterinarians have used the same ones on dogs and cats for years. Most pets may experience a mild fever or discomfort associated with the low dose of the disease they’ve received. In rare cases, however, you may notice a severe allergic reaction: itching and swelling skin and face, vomiting and diarrhea, or difficulty breathing. If you notice any of this, please contact us at 573-581-4679 and let us know your pet may be experiencing a side effect from a recent vaccination. Mostly, though, vaccinations are a routine part of any pet’s life, and there’s nothing for you to worry about.

For more information or to schedule an appointment for your pet’s vaccination, please contact us at 573-581-4679.

Contact us

Audrain Veterinary Clinic
1624 E. Liberty St. 
Mexico, MO 11/30/2017

Phone: 573-581-4679 
Fax:  573-581-1702