We love our fur babies so much that to many of us, they are like our children. As such, we want to protect them and keep them healthy. But let’s face it, sometimes our fur babies get into things they shouldn’t. Their sense of smell is acute and dogs and cats get great pleasure from exploring their world with their nose and mouth. When you walk your pup, the majority of the time their nose is to the ground and they check out every bush, fire hydrant, and puddle that they encounter. They are usually checking where other animals have been… and truthfully it’s usually via pee or poop from the other animal. Often you see your dog chew grass… (dirty grass.) They also love puddles… (dirty water.) The same holds true for outdoor cats. And even indoor cats are still exposed. When you come home from an outing, the indoor cat greets you by sniffing and rubbing their face on your pant legs and clothes.

We bring a lot of “things” into our homes on our shoes and clothing… not to mention what the dog brings in. Bacteria and viruses are usually spread to our pets this way… (and airborne viruses just blow in). Though we love our pets dearly, the fact of the matter is that they can get (and give) diseases. Some of the diseases brought into our home via our pets can even infect us. Fortunately, the veterinary profession is dedicated to keeping pets and their owners safe. Protecting our fur babies with vaccines is so important. Read on to learn how they work!

Vaccinations stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies. Antibodies are large proteins that attack a disease and are specific to that disease (lock and key).

When a mammal is born, the first few days of its mother’s milk contains antibodies. When a puppy or kitten drinks that milk, the antibodies that the mother has are transferred to the newborn to provide protection against disease. But those antibodies will disappear after 6 to 8 weeks, leaving the puppy or kitten susceptible again. This is why we begin vaccination protocols at this age.

There are diseases that both dogs and cats can contract, like rabies. There are also diseases that are “species specific” and are unique to either dogs or cats. See the charts below for a list of core vaccines and boosters.

Certain vaccines must be given at a certain age to be effective. Booster shots are important as well. Our job as veterinarians is to guide you and your pet through these somewhat complicated protocols. When you bring your pet to a VOTS clinic, we’ll walk you through the recommendations and help you pick the vaccine package and tests that are most appropriate for your pet’s lifestyle.

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                  Canine Vaccines

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