The PetCot Company: FAQs About Vaccinating Your Pet

August is National Immunization Awareness Month, and while this particular holiday is typically meant to raise awareness of the importance of vaccines for humans, it still serves as a great reminder that your dogs also need routine vaccines to prevent illnesses and diseases. Vaccinating your dog has long been considered one of the easiest ways to help them live long, healthy lives. With the recent controversy of the risks incurred, you may have some questions about vaccinating. So this week, the PetCot Company offers answers to some common questions around the topic.

What Are Vaccines?
A vaccine is a biological substance designed to protect humans from infections caused by bacteria and viruses. Vaccines help prepare the body's immune system to fight the invasion of disease-causing organisms. Vaccines contain antigens, which look like the disease-causing organism to the immune system but don't actually cause disease. When the vaccine is introduced to the body, the immune system is mildly stimulated. If a dog is ever exposed to the real disease, his immune system is now prepared to recognize and fight it off entirely or reduce the severity of the illness.

How Important Are Vaccines?
When managing the health of your dog, vaccines are very important. However, not every dog needs to be vaccinated against every disease. Your veterinarian will best know what vaccinations are right for your dog. Factors that should be examined include age, medical history, environment, travel habits and lifestyle. Most vets highly recommend administering core vaccines to healthy dogs.

What are Core Vaccines?
Core vaccines are considered vital to all dogs based on the risk of exposure, severity of disease or transmissibility to humans. Canine parvovirus, distemper, canine hepatitis and rabies are considered core vaccines. Non-core vaccines are given depending on the dog’s exposure risk. These include vaccines against Bordetella bronchiseptica, Borrelia burgdorferi and Leptospira bacteria. Your veterinarian can determine what non-core vaccines are best for your dog, but the core vaccines are a must.

How Often Should You Vaccinate?

Typically it's recommended to vaccinate puppies as early as 6-8 weeks of age and at 3-4 week intervals until the puppy reaches 16 weeks old. After that, your pet's vaccine schedule will depend on the type of vaccine, your dog’s age, medical history, environment and lifestyle. Some adult dogs might receive certain vaccines, such as a rabies vaccine, annually, while other vaccines might be given every 3 years or longer.

Are There Risks or Side Effects?

Immunizations mildly stimulate an animal’s immune system in order to create protection from specific infectious diseases. This stimulation can create mild symptoms, ranging from soreness at the injection site to fever and allergic reactions. Another less common side effect is the development of immune mediated disease following vaccination. Most dogs show no ill effect from vaccination, but as with any medical procedure, there is a small chance of side effects. In most cases, the risks are much smaller than the risks of disease itself.

While there are controversial concerns about the safety of vaccinating, studies have shown that dogs who have been vaccinated live longer, healthier lives than those who have not. And while it may be hard to see your pup get shots, it's better to go through that brief moment of uncomfort than to watch your dog suffer from preventable illnesses and diseases. Vaccines can cause side effects that make your dog tired or sore, so after your pup's annual vaccines, make sure your dog has a comfy place to rest. A premium raised dog bed is perfect for keeping your dog comfortable and give them a place to feel safe after such an eventful visit. Visit our website to order your dog's PetCot bed today!

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