WHY VACCINATE YOUR PET?
From the moment you agreed to have a pet, you have assumed the responsibility of caring for it, loving it, and providing it with health, both for the safety of your new pet and for that of your family, your little friend may be exposed to various infectious agents that could attack him.
Did you know that vaccinations for cats and dogs have the same importance as in humans?
Our pet can come into contact with uncontrolled dogs and cats that are carriers of many diseases, remember that we live in an aggressive world of viruses and bacteria, full of
dangers, which even if they are not seen can cause a lot of damage.
To find out which vaccine our pet needs, it is important to approach the Veterinarian to explain and carry out the appropriate vaccination plan for our pet, that is, when to administer it and under what conditions.
Vaccines for dogs and cats
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"Vaccines are health products that elicit protective immune responses in animals and prepare them to fight future infections caused by disease-causing agents." Currently there are a wide variety of vaccines, thanks to them companion animals like yours have the opportunity to live a longer and healthier life.
How do vaccines work in dogs and cats?
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To vaccinate, means to inoculate an attenuated disease into the body of the animal so that the body and the immune system detect it and provoke the manufacture of defenses. These defenses do not live forever in your pet's body, so it is necessary to revaccinate so that the body can produce them again.
Vaccination of a disease should be done when your pet's antibodies do not exist or are very
low.
If your dog or cat is vaccinated with sufficient antibodies, the vaccine will not have any effect on the body, this is the reason why the Veterinarian must develop a vaccination plan for our pet, it will indicate the moment more suitable for vaccinating.
When you have a puppy at home, before vaccinating it is advisable to deworm it, it is important to strictly follow the guidelines of your Veterinarian will mark you, in this way you will be effectively protecting it and with it, also your family.
There are some factors that could affect the timing of your pet's vaccinations such as: the puppy's immune status, the area of ​​residence and the family's habits.
The standard vaccination schedule recommends starting from a puppy with the vaccination, this is from the sixth week and from there, repeating the vaccination during the following weeks. For puppies and kittens, the last vaccine in the series will be given when they are between 12 and 16 weeks of age.
What are the basic vaccinations that you should give your dog and cat?
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Vaccines are classified as basic and non-basic.
* The basic vaccines for dogs are: rabies, distemper, adenovirus-2 and parvovirus.
* The basic vaccines for cats are: rabies, rhinotracheitis (feline herpes virus-1), panleukopenia (feline distemper) and calicivirus.
Non-basic vaccines are those optional that pets can benefit from according to their risk of exposure to the disease.
The decision of how often your pet needs booster vaccines depends on several factors such as: the general health of your pet and the risk of exposure to the diseases in question. Your Veterinarian may recommend yearly boosters after considering your pet's lifestyle and risk of disease. This means that the choice of administration of any vaccine will be done in conjunction with your trusted Veterinarian.
Vaccination is a common practice that also offers the possibility of carrying out periodic check-ups on your pet and knowing how his general health is.
In some cases, the vaccine can also have adverse effects for some dogs or cats. One of the most common effects, especially in puppies, is lethargy and fever. Normally this happens shortly after inoculating the vaccine, in these cases it is not necessary to do anything, since the signs disappear after a few hours.
Another effect could appear in the form of a cyst, that is, a hardened lump at the injection site. This happens because perhaps your pet is more sensitive to the brand of the vaccine or simply did not stay still at the time of the puncture.
In the event of any adverse reaction, it is important to contact your Veterinarian.
Remember, vaccinate your pet since she is lifetime partner!
Sources:
© 2014, Intervet International B.V., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA. All rights reserved.
COLEAM
COLmenar In defense of Animals and the Environment
Apiary 29170
Malaga
