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Vaccines are on everyone’s mind nowadays (well, one vaccine in particular), and we figure it is a great time to remind everyone how important vaccines are for our four-legged friends. At Green Dog Dental, we want you to feel comfortable about the vaccines you give your dog. We encourage you to make this a part of their annual check up along with using the highest quality pet products for a healthier, longer life.
Do I Need To Vaccine My Dog?
Vaccinating your dog or cat is the single most important thing you can do for their health. Thanks to veterinary science, there are preventative vaccines for dozens of dangerous and lethal illnesses.
Start with Puppies and Kittens if Possible
Often, vaccination begins when your dog or cat is a puppy or kitten. There are set schedules that veterinarians recommend ensuring that your pet has the protection they need, particularly when they’re young and especially susceptible to illness. In fact, it is quite likely that your pet has received at least a handful of vaccinations before they even arrive home.
The Miracle of the Rabies Vaccine
A great example of the miracle of vaccines is the rabies vaccine. For thousands of years, rabies had terrified humanity because it was obvious that the bite of a rabid animal lead to an inevitable, horrible death. Before 1885, when Louis Pasteur developed the earliest effective vaccine against rabies, being bitten by a rabid animal and developing rabies was always fatal. Always. No matter what you did, no matter how quickly you went to the doctor, contracting rabies was a death sentence for animals and humans alike.
Did You Know That Rabies Can Be Lethal?
Rabies can still be a death sentence to pets and people that aren’t vaccinated, but preexposure vaccination has done wonders to reduce the risk of contracting rabies in humans who are high-risk, and vaccinating pets has led to a complete eradication of the disease in some countries.
Nowadays, pets are routinely vaccinated against rabies and rabies infections have plummeted. And rabies is only one of the many vaccines that your dog or cat are eligible for. Vaccines can also prevent kennel cough (common if your dog goes to doggy daycare or the dog park), distemper, parvovirus, and canine hepatitis.
Vaccines Make You Welcome Everywhere
Besides the health benefits of vaccination, failing to inoculate your pet can be very limiting. Unvaccinated dogs and cats will not be welcome in places where vaccinations are mandatory, like doggy daycare and boarding facilities, parks, and on airplanes.
If you have any questions about vaccination, your vet can help you decide when to vaccinate and can recommend an inoculation schedule for your pet that you’re comfortable with and help advise as to which vaccines your pet needs in order to live a happy and long life.
Learn more tips about pet wellness at the Green Dog Gazette and our article on the importance of pet dental care.