Pet Vaccinations

Do I need to vaccinate my pet?

Pet vaccinations are an important part of preventative health plan for your pet. Thanks to vaccines your pet can live a healthier and longer life. While this article cannot tell you what specific vaccines to give your pet, we can offer some general guidelines.

Vaccines help to build up a pet’s immune system, so if they are exposed to the disease, the chances of them becoming ill are much less. Vaccines to do not guarantee that your pet will not get sick, just like a human getting a flu vaccine, can still get the flu. Vaccines do not necessarily prevent disease, but it will likely minimize the seriousness of the illness if your pet does get sick.



Puppies and kittens are very susceptible to disease. This is why there is usually a series of shots that they receive. Usually the series of shots is given three to four weeks apart until they reach an age of three months. After the initial series is over with, usually your pet will only need booster vaccines every one to three years.

There are many different types of vaccines by different companies. For this reason it is best to let your Veterinarian decide how often you should vaccinate your pet. His/her decision will likely be based on your pet’s age, geographical location, season, and whether your pet is indoors or outdoors.

As with any medical procedure there are some risks. The chances that your pet will have an adverse affect to a vaccine are minimal. There are some lay people with websites on the internet saying you should not vaccinate your dog because there dog had a severe reaction to the vaccine. Smallpox in humans would not have been eliminated it every time someone had an adverse reaction humans stopped taking the vaccine.



Use common sense and talk everything through with your Veterinarian about pet vaccinations. Make sure they explain why your pet needs this vaccine, and if you disagree with them, tell them why.

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