Why Your Pet Absolutely Has To Get His Shots.

No one likes getting shots.
No one.
But, everyone has to get shots to keep certain preventable diseases away.

That includes your cats and dogs. It may look and feel painful when you look at their scared faces during your regular visit to the vet but the payoff is more than worth it considering what vaccines can do to improve the lives of your fur babies.
 

What Happens When You Don’t Have Your Pets Vaccinated?

Our cats and dogs don’t fully understand how diseases work. They live carefree in a world full of stimulants to their senses. They also don’t take any safety precautions when out gallivanting.

Diseases can also easily spread quickly from an unvaccinated animal to an immuno-compromised pet. The sick animal doesn’t even need to be physically present to infect your pet. They can just leave millions of microbes and disease-causing particles in the area you frequent with your fur baby and an extended period or frequent periods of exposure can lead to drastic results.

Without an immune system capable of fighting the disease off, your pet could succumb to the effects of the disease leading to death. On a less grave scale, it could just lead to life-altering physical, neurological or other chronic symptoms that could adversely affect their quality of life.
 

Understanding vaccines

Vaccines prepare the body’s immune system for certain types of diseases. This is done by introducing antigens that look like the organism causing the disease into the body. If your pet is exposed to the real thing, their body is more than capable of fighting it off on its own or at least reduce the drastic effects.

Core Vaccines

There are so many vaccines already out there in the world and although it is possible to have every shot taken, it isn’t recommended or viable so here’s a list of core vaccines you need for your pet cats and dogs.
 

For Dogs:  Canine Parvovirus Distemper Canine Hepatitis Rabies

For Cats:  Panleukopenia (Feline Distemper),  Feline Calicivirus Feline Herpesvirus Type I (Rhinotracheitis)  Rabies

Although these are the Core Vaccines needed, it is extremely important to ensure your cats and dogs get their Rabies shots as a top priority with Distemper coming in next. In certain cities, it is mandatory to have your cats and dogs receive Rabies shots.

Risks Associated With Vaccination

Like all medical procedures, there are risks involved when you have your pet vaccinated. This can range from feelings of soreness to mild or high fever and allergic reactions.

Other effects include: Fever, Sluggishness, Loss of appetite, Swelling, Vomiting, Diarrhea, Difficulty Breathing, and Seizures

Most pets will walk it off though without any side effects. Remember to give them a treat and praise them afterwards to make it a more pleasurable experience. For other vaccines, consult your veterinarian. 

Read more for a list of vaccines we provide.