One of the most frequent questions that I am asked in my veterinary practice is “What vaccines does my kitten, puppy, dog or cat need?” Right behind that is “How often does my pet need to be vaccinated?” Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, is the question “Are these vaccines safe for my dog or cat?”
Are Vaccines Safe for Pets?
Let’s start by answering the last question first. Both canine and feline vaccinations carry the risk of side effects, just like any other medication. There are very few, if any, medications that come with no risk.
So, the question becomes, why give vaccines to a pet if there is risk involved? The answer to that question is that there is also great benefit in vaccinating pets. In some cases, these vaccines can be life-saving.
A good example of the life-saving aspect of vaccination is in the recent of outbreak of parvovirus that my hospital and others in the area have been seeing within the last few weeks. In my hospital, we have seen literally dozens of puppies infected with parvovirus. Unfortunately, not all of these puppies have survived the infection.
What do all of these puppies have in common? None of these puppies, not a single one that I have seen, have been adequately vaccinated against this disease. For most if not all of these puppies, vaccination would have prevented the infection and kept them healthy.
Parvovirus Vaccinations for Puppies, a True Life Example
One really unfortunate case was a 5 month old puppy that was obtained from a breeder. The breeder informed the puppy’s new owner that the puppy should not receive any vaccines prior to 6 months of age because it would be unsafe for the puppy. Unfortunately, the new owner believed the breeder to be providing accurate information when in fact the information was quite incorrect. Because of the misinformation provided by an ill-informed lay person together with the innocent lack of knowledge possessed by a well-meaning pet owner, the puppy did not live to be 6 months of age. She expired a few days ago of a disease that could easily have been prevented by proper vaccination.
The Case Against Vaccination for Dogs and Cats
There are a number of people who advocate not vaccinating dogs and cats. Their fears do carry some weight. Vaccinations have been implicated in contributing to or even causing some types of cancer. Vaccines are also suspected to cause disorders of immune function as well as other medical issues.
I do not dispute these possibilities nor do I discount their importance. However, I cannot look past the fact that vaccines can protect dogs and cats (and particularly puppies and kittens) from deadly diseases. In my opinion, if a dog or cat dies of a preventable disease such as canine parvovirus or feline distemper because of a lack of proper vaccination, it really makes very little difference what types of problem that vaccine could potentially have many years from the vaccination date.
What Vaccinations are Necessary for a Dog or Cat? Or a Puppy or Kitten?
The answer to that question depends on the lifestyle and individual risks encountered by that particular pet. Vaccine schedules and protocols are not a one-size-fits-all proposal. A pet owner is best advised to discuss with their veterinarian which vaccinations are necessary for each individual pet.
How Often Should Vaccines be Administered?
Again, the answer depends on the individual pet and the type of vaccine being used. This is also a matter that a pet owner is best served discussing with their veterinarian. Some vaccines need to be given every three years, others need to be repeated yearly. Your veterinarian can determine, with your help, which vaccines your pet needs (and which he does not need) and develop a logical vaccination schedule that can help keep your pet healthy and happy.
In the coming weeks, we’ll be discussing in more depth the individual canine and feline vaccines that are available. So stay tuned. But remember that this material is meant for education purposes only and your best source of information about your pet is your own veterinarian.
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I’ve been doing a lot of reading on the human anti-vax movement and I know that there are pet owners starting to feel the same way. Vaccinations are very important even if you have a house cat that never goes outside. My friend Michele had a rabid bat fly inside her house the other week. She was pretty glad that her cat was up to date on his shots.
you can read up on her story here
http://petnewsandviews.com/2010/08/a-bat-in-my-house/
Hi, Karen.
Yes, that’s a great point. Scenarios like this are totally unpredictable and this one could have been disastrous if the cat had not been vaccinated.
To add to this scenario, more than once I’ve had pet owners bring a second, new pet home only to find that the new pet was suffering from a contagious infectious disease, like canine parvovirus or feline viral upper respiratory infection. If vaccinated, the first pet is in a lot less danger than if not vaccinated in a case like this.
Thanks for sharing that story, Karen.
Lorie, I would like to discuss pros and cons of individual versus combo vaccines.
Hi, Jana.
I think that is an important issue and I will be discussing that in greater length during the course of this article series. So stay tuned and thanks for your interest
I’ve got some puppies coming in from a backyard breeder who may have parvo or distemper. I’ll be taking them to the vet as quickly as possible, but I’m wondering, are they are risk to Bill (my Boston), even if he is up to date on his shots?
Hi Kyla.
That’s a great question and one I hear from a lot of other pet owners who adopt or foster puppies too.
In answer, your Bill, being an immunized adult with a healthy immune system, should be pretty safe from parvovirus or distemper. I would actually be more concerned about parasites like coccidia or Giardia. Having your veterinarian check a fecal sample for the puppies should tell you whether these are problems. In the meantime, paying attention to sanitation, which I know you do anyway, should keep Bill safe.
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