Importance of Vaccinations for Pets

Vaccines are some of the most important advancements in medicine. Medical professionals credit their development and use with saving millions of lives. They help save more lives than all other interventional and medical treatments available. After all, preventing a disease or illness is far better than treating it.

Treatments are riskier and vary depending on several factors. These include overall health, type of disease, infectious strain, and more. Vaccinations are effective in pets for preventing diseases, anguish, and even death from preventable diseases like rabies.

 

What Are Vaccines?

Vaccines are medical products designed to trigger the immune system’s protective responses. They prepare the immune system to fight or prevent future infections from certain disease-causing organisms. Furthermore, they stimulate the production of antibodies by the immune system. These antibodies identify and destroy or neutralize some disease-causing agents that enter the body.

 

Why Vaccinations For Pets Are Important

To dispel some misinformation or concerns regarding pet vaccinations, consider the following factual reasons why they are important:

 

Purpose Of Pet Vaccines

Vaccines are a preventative measure rather than a curative one. When you get your animal companion vaccinated, it will reduce their likelihood of getting a full-blown infection when exposed to pathogens. Consequently, few, if any, of the potentially fatal symptoms of the serious diseases for which you vaccinated your pet will occur.

Rabies, for example, is a deadly infection that almost always leads to a painful death. No caring pet owner wants to see their furry friend suffer through this disease. Other pets, wildlife, and even humans can spread rabies. Fortunately, rabies vaccines are quite effective at preventing this disease. This is the reason authorities vaccinate wildlife in high-risk areas against rabies.

 

They Prevent The Spread Of Diseases To Other Animals

Another reason to get your pet vaccinated is to prevent them from contracting or spreading animal-borne diseases. Many illnesses veterinarians vaccinate pets against are highly contagious between animals. Some of the common illnesses you need to have your pet vaccinated against include:

• Lyme disease

• Rabies

• Feline leukemia

• Distemper

• Kennel cough

• Parvovirus

• Leptospirosis

These illnesses can spread quite fast in any environment where there is contact between animals. Such environments include pet boarding facilities, parks, grooming facilities, and veterinary clinics. Vaccinating is the best way to protect your pets. It will also prevent the spread of certain deadly illnesses.

 

Prevent The Spread Of Certain Illnesses To Humans

You need to understand that some illnesses can pass from animals to humans. Examples of such illnesses include leptospirosis and rabies. These diseases can make humans seriously ill and can be fatal. So, by vaccinating your pet, you will be protecting yourself and your loved ones as well.

 

Vaccines Keep Pets Healthy

As a loving pet parent, you probably consider your animal companion a member of your family. It is your responsibility to make critical decisions. Those decisions should have a positive impact on their health and well-being.
One of the most effective ways to keep your pet healthy and happy is to have them vaccinated. Your veterinarian at El Abrigado Animal Clinic in Santa Teresa, NM will let you know which vaccines your pet needs and when to schedule them.

To learn more about pet vaccinations, contact our team at El Abrigado Animal Clinic . You can call (575) 589-1818 today to ask our team any questions or to schedule an appointment.