5 Facts to Know About Your Pets and Their Vaccinations
Vaccines are essential to your pet’s wellbeing and long-term health, and we recommend vaccinating all pets for their safety and yours.
5 Things to Know About Pets and Vaccines
1. Should Your Pet Be Vaccinated?
We recommend vaccinations for all pets. Not only are some vaccines required by law, but they also help protect your pets, your human family members, and your community. Vaccines prevent the spread of dangerous and contagious diseases, many of which are zoonotic, life-threatening, and have no cure.
2. Are There Risks With Vaccinating Pets?
Although there is a slight risk that a pet could have an allergic reaction to a vaccine, the risks associated are minimal and rare. The risk of serious illness as a result of contracting a preventable disease, however, is quite high.
3. Which Vaccines Should Your Pet Have?
Pet vaccines are split into two categories: core and non-core vaccines. Core vaccines are required by law and/or recommended for all pets. Non-core vaccines are recommended on a case-by-case basis based on each individual pet’s lifestyle and potential exposure risk.
Our veterinarians can talk with you about the core vaccines required for your pets in addition to providing you with recommendations and answering your questions about the non-core vaccines that are available.
4. When Should Your Pet Be Vaccinated?
Both puppies and kittens begin their vaccination schedules between six and eight weeks of age. They then undergo a frequent vaccine and booster schedule that is spread out over a year. After this time, adult pets receive booster vaccines for the rest of their lives. Booster shots are usually administered on an annual basis or every three years depending on the types of vaccines administered.
5. Booster Shots Are Vital to Protecting Your Pet
Just like people need booster shots for certain vaccinations (such as tetanus), pets need to receive their booster shots on schedule. As time passes, the effectiveness of their vaccines wears off and they can once again become vulnerable to contracting a dangerous illness. We maintain our patients on annual vaccine appointments to ensure their vaccinations are kept current. If you aren’t sure when your pet was last vaccinated, we welcome you to contact our office. We can use special testing to help determine if your pet is in need of any vaccines.
Pet Vaccinations and Wellness Care in Winnipeg
At Sage Creek Animal Hospital, we provide our patients with comprehensive wellness and preventative care including pet vaccines, parasite prevention, nutritional counselling, and more. To schedule an appointment, please contact our office today.
