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Vaccine administration is a widely
debated topic in veterinary medicine
just as it is in human medicine. There
is a balance of vaccinating each
patient due to their environment and
activity level. No patient should ever
be vaccinated for diseases that they
will never be exposed to. For example,
debated topic in veterinary medicine
just as it is in human medicine. There
is a balance of vaccinating each
patient due to their environment and
activity level. No patient should ever
be vaccinated for diseases that they
will never be exposed to. For example,
some indoor cats may not need to be vaccinated for Feline Leukemia or FIP.
However, if your cat "just sits on the porch" or ventures outside at all, it is
recommended to vaccinate for those potential diseases, especially since they
are fatal. You may also want to consider vaccinating your indoor cat for
Leukemia if you want to bring a new kitten home in the future. It is very important
to talk to your veterinarian and listen to his or her recommendations on which
vaccines are appropriate for your pet.
However, if your cat "just sits on the porch" or ventures outside at all, it is
recommended to vaccinate for those potential diseases, especially since they
are fatal. You may also want to consider vaccinating your indoor cat for
Leukemia if you want to bring a new kitten home in the future. It is very important
to talk to your veterinarian and listen to his or her recommendations on which
vaccines are appropriate for your pet.
| Common Vaccination Protocols for Puppies and Kittens |
Please note that the following information is a guideline only and will depend on each pet's
environment, activity, and location in the United States. Always take your veterinarian's advice on
which vaccines are appropriate for your pet.
environment, activity, and location in the United States. Always take your veterinarian's advice on
which vaccines are appropriate for your pet.
|
8 weeks of age
12 weeks of age
16 weeks of age
*Do not vaccinate before 6 weeks of age. It is generally recommended that vaccines are not purchased from a feed
store and given at home. Vaccines must stay refrigerated at all times, and there is no guarantee, other than at your
veterinarian's office, that the vaccines are handled appropriately.
store and given at home. Vaccines must stay refrigerated at all times, and there is no guarantee, other than at your
veterinarian's office, that the vaccines are handled appropriately.
| Common Vaccination Protocols for Adult Dogs and Cats |
|
As noted previously, there are many opinions on which vaccines should be given and how often. For example, there
is a Rabies vaccine that is effective for up to three years, but it is a law in some states/counties that it is still given
yearly. Also, each area and veterinary clinic is going to vary widely on how often to give the Bordetella (kennel
cough) vaccine. It is generally recommended every 2-6 months depending on whether the vaccine was given as a
liquid in the nose or as an injection. Talk to your veterinarian, as he or she is the best judge of how prevalent
Bordetella is in your area.
is a Rabies vaccine that is effective for up to three years, but it is a law in some states/counties that it is still given
yearly. Also, each area and veterinary clinic is going to vary widely on how often to give the Bordetella (kennel
cough) vaccine. It is generally recommended every 2-6 months depending on whether the vaccine was given as a
liquid in the nose or as an injection. Talk to your veterinarian, as he or she is the best judge of how prevalent
Bordetella is in your area.
Vaccine reactions are very rare. However, if you have a pet that is very tiny (< 5 pounds) or just prone to reactions,
this is a very real problem. Unfortunately, you will not know if your pet will react to vaccines until it happens. Vaccine
reactions arise more commonly when a pet is young, but can appear at any age. This is due to the different vaccine
manufactures available to veterinarians. The way one manufacturer makes their vaccine may cause your pet to
react. If your pet does have a true vaccine reaction, it is still imperative to vaccinate them yearly. Based on your
veterinarian's recommendations, the vaccines may be given one week apart so your pet is only given one vaccine at
a time. Or, an injection can be given 15 minutes before the vaccines to prevent a reaction.
If your pet has a chronic debilitating disease such as cancer or is geriatric, sometimes it is best to not give vaccines.
Ask your veterinarian if your pet is vaccine exempt.
There is also one more option-vaccine titers. This involves testing the amount of antibodies in your pet's blood
before vaccination. If your pet has a high titer to the virus (Rabies, Distemper, Parvo), then they do not need to be
vaccinated that year. This is an excellent option for owners that wish to only vaccinate their pets when biologically
necessary. While this is a great option, the titers are much more expensive than the vaccinations. Depending on the
laboratory used, Rabies titers can top $150. Most owners opt to vaccinate their pets without knowing if it is
biologically needed-please be aware there is no danger to this decision. It is not harmful to vaccinate a pet for any
virus if their titer to that virus is already high.
this is a very real problem. Unfortunately, you will not know if your pet will react to vaccines until it happens. Vaccine
reactions arise more commonly when a pet is young, but can appear at any age. This is due to the different vaccine
manufactures available to veterinarians. The way one manufacturer makes their vaccine may cause your pet to
react. If your pet does have a true vaccine reaction, it is still imperative to vaccinate them yearly. Based on your
veterinarian's recommendations, the vaccines may be given one week apart so your pet is only given one vaccine at
a time. Or, an injection can be given 15 minutes before the vaccines to prevent a reaction.
If your pet has a chronic debilitating disease such as cancer or is geriatric, sometimes it is best to not give vaccines.
Ask your veterinarian if your pet is vaccine exempt.
There is also one more option-vaccine titers. This involves testing the amount of antibodies in your pet's blood
before vaccination. If your pet has a high titer to the virus (Rabies, Distemper, Parvo), then they do not need to be
vaccinated that year. This is an excellent option for owners that wish to only vaccinate their pets when biologically
necessary. While this is a great option, the titers are much more expensive than the vaccinations. Depending on the
laboratory used, Rabies titers can top $150. Most owners opt to vaccinate their pets without knowing if it is
biologically needed-please be aware there is no danger to this decision. It is not harmful to vaccinate a pet for any
virus if their titer to that virus is already high.