Vaccinations help protect your pet from a number of potentially serious and even fatal diseases, such as Rabies. Every pet should be vaccinated.
Although your veterinarian cannot guarantee that a vaccine will fully protect an animal against a given disease, vaccinations have proven to be the simplest, safest and most effective means of preventing a number of diseases in pets.
The protection provided by a vaccine gradually declines over time. The duration of immunity of each vaccine varies and there are presently studies being done to determine what is optimally beneficial. The vaccination protocol recommended by Highview / Meadows is aligned with the current veterinary medical literature.
Puppies and kittens require a series of vaccinations during their first four months of life. Nursing pups and kittens receive antibodies from their mother’s milk (maternal antibodies) which protect them from disease during the first months of life. These same antibodies can prevent a vaccine from being totally effective. Consequently, as maternal antibodies decrease, your veterinarian will give your pet a series of vaccines spread over a period of 6 to 16 weeks of age, to provide your pet with the best possible protection.
Puppies and kittens should not be exposed to unvaccinated dogs and cats, sick dogs and cats, or places where dogs and cats roam (public parks etc.) until they have completed their puppy or kitten series of vaccinations.
It is important to administer vaccines only to healthy animals. If the animal is already suffering from an illness, or is receiving certain drugs, its immune system may not be able to respond to the vaccine. For that reason, prior to vaccinating your pet, your veterinarian will ask you about your pet’s medical history and perform a complete physical examination.
Despite your veterinarian’s efforts to design a safe vaccination protocol for every pet, vaccine reactions can and do occur. Thankfully, they are not common. Like a drug, a vaccine is capable of causing an adverse reaction. Some of these reactions are mild (some discomfort at the injection site, lethargy or loss of appetite for a day or so). Some of these reactions are more severe (allergic reaction, immunologic reactions). If your pet has reacted to a vaccine in the past, inform your veterinarian.
Highview Animal Clinic has a recommended course of action with regards to vaccinations as outlined below. Depending on the habits of your pet not all may be necessary. Your veterinarian will consult with you on the best course of action.
DOGS
- Rabies
- Distemper
- Hepatitis
- Parainfluenza
- Parvo Virus
- Lyme Disease
- Bordetella
Other vaccinations that are available and given in special circumstances:
- Leptospirosis
- Giardia
- Corona Virus
CATS
- Rabies
- Panleukopenia (Distemper)
- Feline Calicivirus
- Feline Rhinotracheitis
- Feline Leukemia
(Other vaccinations are available for cats but not given routinely)
For more information on vaccinating your pet, please speak to your veterinarian. To learn more about vaccinations, you may also visit the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA) website: www.ovma.org/pet_owners/pet_health/pet_vaccinations.html
