Are you wondering if your pet needs to be vaccinated and dewormed? The simple answer is yes because pets are prone to life-threatening diseases if they don’t receive all necessary vaccines and deworming prevention treatments.
What are vaccines?
Vaccines are products specially designed to boost a pet’s immune response against one or more diseases or infections that may occur in the future. Similarly, a vaccine can reduce the severity of an illness. There are numerous pet vaccines available in a veterinarian’s office.
Why do pets need vaccination?
After birth, your pet’s immune system is not fully developed. Thus, making it vulnerable to possible infections and diseases. While pets receive colostrum (breast milk) from their mothers after birth, antibodies are transferred to the baby through the milk. This means the mother’s immunity in the first 16 to 20 weeks of age passes through to the puppies or kittens. After this, the maternal antibodies are no longer available as they stop feeding from the mother.
At 20 weeks, a young pet has to begin to develop its own immunity. Vaccines come in handy at this stage as they help boost the immune system to create stronger immunity. However, you don’t have to wait until your pet is 20 weeks old for vaccination. In fact, you can start as early as eight weeks. It’s also advisable to get booster vaccines every year.
If you are still unsure, below are the reasons why your pet should be vaccinated;
- To prevent future diseases, infections and minimize the severity of a disease.
- Avoid expensive treatments for illnesses preventable through vaccination.
- Some vaccinations ensure pet diseases such as rabies in dogs don’t spread to people.
- Unvaccinated pets are highly likely to get diseases like distemper and rabies from other animals.
- Most state and local laws require pet owners to vaccinate their pets. These required vaccines vary from state to state.
How often should a pet be vaccinated?
Today, veterinarians have even more information regarding pets’ immune systems and possible diseases. Research evidence has proven that some vaccines can trigger immunity beyond one year. However, other vaccines can’t offer protection for an entire year. For these reasons, ensure you book your pet for an annual wellness exam. Your vet can advise on the best vaccination schedule for your particular pet.
There are numerous facts to consider when preparing a pet’s vaccination plan. Details such as age, health condition, and environment all play a part. Your vet can tailor the vaccination plan to ensure your pet remains healthy and active for a lifetime.
Why should you deworm your pet?
Besides vaccination, deworming your pet is also important. Most kittens and puppies are born with intestinal parasites. Other pets pick up these parasites from the environment.
The common worms found in cats and dogs include whipworms, roundworms, tapeworms, and hookworms. If your pet has these worms, it can transmit them to your loved ones. Proper deworming will protect not only your pet but also humans from infestation.
Deworm your pet every two weeks until it’s three months old. Adjust the deworming schedule to once a month until it’s six months old, after which you can transition to deworming four times annually. For maximum protection, deworm your pets monthly.
The pet deworming process is quite simple. Your veterinarian will give your pet an oral pill or liquid medication. The worms and eggs inside your pet’s intestines will then die before it expels them.
Diseases that are preventable with deworming and vaccination
There are many diseases that vaccinations can prevent, allowing your pets to live a healthy, happy life. Plus, regular deworming and vaccinations can decrease unexpected vet bills. Below are the most common diseases vaccination and deworming help prevent.
Dogs
- Canine Parvovirus
- Rabies
- Lyme Disease
- Canine Parainfluenza
- Canine Distemper
- Bordetellosis
- Intestinal Worms
- Heartworm Disease
- Canine Enteric Coronavirus
- Canine Adenovirus-2
Cats
- Feline Panleukopenia
- Feline Leukemia
- Intestinal Worms
- Rabies
- Feline Calicivirus
- Heartworm Disease
- Feline Herpesvirus
- Feline Immunodeficiency Virus
Protect Your Pet and Contact Us Today
Preventive care is much more manageable and affordable compared to treating severe ailments. Additionally, your pet will be much happier and healthier, not to mention less stressed. Appropriate vaccination and deworming are crucial in preventing deadly diseases. Protect your pet and your family today!
Contact Naples Coastal Animal Hospital for any questions about the safety and efficiency of required and recommended vaccines. Our professional team can help by recommending treatment and products to suit your pet’s needs in a fear-free environment. The long-term health and happiness of your family pet is our primary goal.