Vaccines are an essential part of keeping your dog healthy, helping to prevent disease, improve longevity, and ensure their overall well-being by bolstering the immune system so it can fight off certain diseases. When your dog is exposed to a disease, their body will recognize the causative agent due to the vaccine and begin to produce antibodies. Vaccines contain a weakened form of the illness, allowing your dog’s immune system to recognize and fight it off before they become ill. Vaccines can protect your dog from potentially fatal diseases and help them live a longer and healthier life.
In this article, we will discuss the importance of dog vaccinations, what diseases they help protect against, and the typical puppy and dog vaccination schedules. We will also discuss the impact of lifestyle and other factors on the types of vaccines your veterinarian will recommend. Lastly, we will explain why it’s important to avoid missing a dog vaccination.
What Are the Benefits of Receiving Vaccinations at a Professional Veterinary Practice?
While some vaccines can be purchased from farm stores, it is critical to vaccinate with a licensed veterinary professional. When vaccines are shipped, they require very specific temperature and quality controls. Vaccines that end up at farm stores often wait in inappropriately warm conditions, leading to inactivation of the vaccine. Additionally, vaccines given without the guidance of a veterinarian are considered null and void by the company who produced them. That means any safety or product guarantees cannot be enforced and, most importantly, your pet may still be at risk of contracting serious diseases. Vaccinating your pet at a professional veterinary practice can provide numerous health benefits. Here are some of the most important reasons why you should vaccinate through a local vet:
- Protection for Pets: Vaccines help stimulate your dog’s immune system to identify and destroy disease-causing agents before they can cause illness, thereby preventing or reducing the severity of future diseases. Vaccines are especially crucial for young pets with no immunity and senior pets who need an immune boost to stay healthy as they age. Certain vaccines are legally required in some regions, such as the rabies vaccine.
- Prevention of Zoonotic Diseases: Vaccines also help ward off zoonotic diseases like leptospirosis and rabies that can spread from animals to humans. This aspect is particularly important if there are immunocompromised individuals in the household, such as small children, the elderly, or those with chronic diseases.
- Protection for Other Pets: Many pet diseases are contagious. Some pets are unable to be vaccinated due to specific conditions. If your pet is vaccinated, it won’t transmit any diseases to other pets, providing protection to the entire pet community.
- Cost Savings: Vaccination can help avoid costly treatments for preventable diseases. Moreover, regular vaccinations can prevent long periods of quarantine and expensive treatments if pets contract diseases.
- Legal and Institutional Requirements: Certain local and state laws require that household pets be vaccinated against specific diseases. Additionally, reputable pet boarding, daycare, and training services require vaccination against certain diseases to protect all participating animals.
- Pet-specific care: Professional veterinary practices provide comprehensive knowledge about which vaccines are necessary based on a pet’s age, lifestyle, and geographical location. Veterinarians can create a personalized vaccination schedule for each pet, accounting for core vaccinations and those based on lifestyle exposure risks.
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What Are the Different Types of Dog Vaccinations?
Dog vaccines are divided into two categories: core and non-core. Core vaccines, which are recommended for all dogs, protect against common or severe contagious diseases. Noncore vaccines are based on the dog’s lifestyle, environment, and overall health.
Core vaccines include rabies, leptospirosis and the distemper/parvo combination vaccine. The distemper/parvo combination vaccine must be given as a series in order to confer complete immunity. Typically, three of these are given, beginning around 8 weeks of age. The rabies vaccine does not require boostering in series. It is given one time at around 16 weeks of age. The rabies vaccine is required for dogs by law. The initial rabies and distemper/parvo combo vaccine will be good for one year, once the series is complete. If your dog stays on schedule, future rabies and distemper/parvo vaccines will be good for three years. This is based on long-term immunological studies that show lasting immune responses to these vaccinations.
Leptospirosis is an illness caused by bacteria that is carried by rats and rabbits. The illness is characterized by liver and kidney failure and is frequently fatal. It is also contagious to humans. Because of all of these things, this vaccine is considered core for all dogs. It can be given in combination with the distemper/parvo vaccine series and does require two boosters to confer complete immunity. After the initial series, the leptospirosis vaccine has been shown to last approximately 15 months. That means that an annual booster is sufficient to maintain immunity, but if it has been longer than 15 months since your dog’s last booster, your veterinarian may recommend repeating the series.
There are several other vaccinations that are offered, depending on lifestyle and locationThe Bordetella vaccine is also known as the "kennel cough" vaccine. Both Bordetella and influenza are illnesses that cause a cough and other upper respiratory signs. They are highly contagious among dogs and are frequently found in shelters, kennels or grooming situations. These vaccines are required by most kennels prior to boarding. Bordetella has to be boostered every 6 months and influenza every 12 months (after an initial 2 vaccine series) to maintain immunity. Dogs who will not be boarded or groomed do not necessarily need these vaccines, however, keep in mind that dog parks are another common site for contraction of these illnesses. They are not typically fatal, but can cause protracted illness and be difficult to treat. Some owners choose to wait on these vaccines until they know their puppy's lifestyle a bit better.
The final vaccine that is available to dogs is the Lyme vaccine. This is strongly recommended in this area, as we are now Lyme endemic and do have a very high tick population. Lyme disease can cause severe illness in dogs and in rare cases, is fatal. The most common symptoms are joint pain, fever and lethargy, but kidney failure can be seen. This vaccine requires an initial series of two vaccines and an annual booster to maintain immunity. If it has been longer than 12 months since your dog’s last Lyme vaccine, your veterinarian may recommend restarting the series.
What Is the Importance of Vaccinating Pets on a Regular Schedule?
The immune system works in a predictable way. Giving vaccines on the right schedule allows it to respond appropriately and robustly. Multiple vaccines can be given at the same time, but once vaccines are given, it is important to wait at least two weeks, but not more than six, before boostering. That means if your dog receives a leptospirosis vaccine today, you should not give a distemper/parvo vaccine tomorrow. However, it is perfectly safe to give both at the same time. This is a confusing concept and asking your veterinarian is your best bet to understand further.
It’s important to vaccinate pets on a regular schedule to prevent the development of deadly diseases. Vaccines help prepare the pet’s immune system to recognize and fight off disease-causing agents, thus preventing or lessening the severity of future diseases. Regular vaccination helps protect them from highly contagious, deadly diseases and improves their overall quality of life.
Not vaccinating on time can be dangerous for your pet as some viruses have no treatment. Failure to stay updated with vaccines can also lead to long periods of quarantine and expensive treatments if your pet contracts a disease, and it can even be fatal in some cases.
What Are the Potential Risks of Not Vaccinating Your Pet?
Failure to vaccinate pets exposes them to various health risks that can be potentially fatal. These diseases range from canine parvovirus and canine distemper virus, which can result in vomiting, diarrhea, pneumonia, and brain disease, to leptospirosis, a bacterial disease that can damage the liver and kidneys. Not adhering to vaccination guidelines can also lead to legal accountability if you skip legally required vaccines.
Unvaccinated pets also pose a significant risk to public health as certain diseases, such as rabies, can be passed between animals and humans. Vaccines can have side effects, but these are typically minor and far outweighed by the benefits of protecting pets, families, and communities from potentially fatal diseases.
Are Vaccinations Required by Law?
Laws for pet vaccinations vary by country and sometimes even within regions in the same country. In the United States, rabies is required by law for all dogs and consequences can be severe if your dog is found to be unvaccinated. When traveling with pets, both domestically and internationally, certain vaccinations are mandatory. In some cases, pets are also required to undergo blood tests, have microchips for identification, and acquire health certificates and permits. This is done to prevent the introduction of new diseases and illnesses into the population and to protect the health of the pet while abroad.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service provides a detailed guide for pet travel, emphasizing the importance of working with a pet’s veterinarian to determine the destination country’s requirements, including any necessary vaccinations, tests, or treatments.
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Does My Dog’s Lifestyle Factor into What Vaccinations My Veterinarian Will Recommend?
Your dog’s lifestyle is a key factor in determining what vaccinations your veterinarian will recommend for your pet. Factors such as whether the dog visits dog parks, groomers, competes in dog shows, swims in freshwater lakes, or goes to boarding facilities can affect the specific vaccinations your dog may need. When making specific vaccine recommendations for a pet, veterinarians should always consider the pet’s lifestyle and risk factors.
What Are Some Tips for Pet Owners on Vaccinating Their Dog?
- Schedule routine check-ups: Regular check-ups are essential for maintaining your pet’s health. Your veterinarian will assess your pet’s overall health and make sure they are up to date on all necessary vaccinations.
- Know the core vaccines: Core vaccines are recommended for all dogs, regardless of their lifestyle or risk factors. These include Distemper, Adenovirus, Leptospirosis, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza, and Rabies.
- Discuss additional vaccines with your vet: Additional vaccines may be necessary based on the dog’s lifestyle and risk factors. Talk to your vet about which additional vaccines may be right for your pet.
- Follow the vaccination schedule: Following a regular vaccination schedule is essential for protecting your pet from disease and ensuring that they maintain immunity against diseases they have already been vaccinated against.
- Be aware of legal requirements: Certain jurisdictions require certain vaccinations by law; it is important to familiarize yourself with the local laws in order to ensure that you are in compliance with them.
Conclusion
Vaccines play a key role in protecting your pet from potentially deadly diseases and ensuring their longevity. At Thornwood Veterinary Clinic, we understand the importance of vaccinating your dog on a regular schedule and providing them with comprehensive care. Our team of experienced veterinarians will work with you to create a personalized vaccination schedule for your dog, accounting for core vaccines and those based on lifestyle exposure risks. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to call our team at (616) 676-1251, or you can email us at [email protected]. Our staff would love to talk with you!
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