Vaccinations

 

Progress in both human and veterinary medicine has called into question the need for annual vaccination of companion animals. Through improved technology, the pharmaceutical industry is now able to confirm that protection from some vaccines last longer than originally thought.

Your pet may still require regular vaccination against potentially fatal, highly contagious diseases. You may also choose to vaccinate regularly against diseases specific to our geographic area or to your pet’s individual exposure circumstances. If your pet is boarded frequently or participates in events with other animals, you will want to discuss vaccination requirements with kennel and event managers before selecting a vaccination program for your pet.

It is also important to realize that some diseases are preventable through vaccination, but others are not. For a vaccine to generate solid long-lasting immunity, the infection must be fairly generalized to the entire body (like canine parvovirus) rather than localized to one organ system (like kennel cough).

Vaccination and Examination:

A choice to reduce the frequency of vaccinations or the number of vaccines given should not change your animal’s need for an annual physical examination. Regular physical examinations, increasing in frequency for geriatric animals, are still your first defense against the onset of serious diseases or health conditions.

Immunizations for Puppies and Kittens:

It is important to remember that it is not the total number of vaccines a young animal receives, but when they are administered during the animal’s immune system development that protects your pet.