Pet vaccines are essential to keeping your animals and human family healthy.
Most pet owners know that their pets must be vaccinated, but few understand why or what pet vaccines are. Vaccines are crucial for your pet’s preventative care and wellness. Even an indoor lap dog requires some vaccinations, and Alexander Animal Hospital wants to assist you in understanding better why we recommend pet vaccines.
Pet Vaccines are Essential for Preventive Care
Similarly, to humans, our veterinary team recommends pet vaccines to prevent disease in our dog and cat patients. Some vaccinations offer complete or near complete protection against the disease, while others assist in decreasing the risk of severe infection.
However, not all pets require all vaccinations. Our team at Alexander Animal Hospital takes pride in examining each patient to determine the necessary vaccinations.
Knowing Your Dog’s Vaccinations
When it comes to dog vaccinations, we can separate them into core (a must for all dogs) and non-core (depends on risk factors).
Core Dog Vaccinations
- Rabies – This is an almost 100% deadly disease for dogs who contract it. Rabies is also a zoonotic disease. This means that humans can contract it from animals who have it.
- DHPP (Distemper combination)- The distemper vaccine comprises four vaccinations: canine distemper, canine hepatitis, canine influenza, and parvovirus.
Non-Core Dog Vaccinations
- Leptospirosis – Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease that is found in wild animal urine. Infection can produce liver and kidney issues in both pets and people.
- Bordetella – Can produce upper respiratory problems such as canine kennel cough. This vaccination is usually ideal for social dogs.
- Canine Influenza – Another contagious respiratory bug that is definitely recommended for social butterflies.
- Lyme Disease – Lyme disease is a serious bacterial disease carried by ticks that can produce joint pain, fever, and kidney problems in our pets.
Overall, pet vaccines are essential to keeping your animals and human family healthy. You are always welcome to contact us with questions or recommendations for your pet.
We Would Love the Opportunity to Care for Your Furry Friends!
Alexander Animal Hospital is a full-service animal hospital located in Severna Park, Maryland, serving the Severna Park, Pasadena, and Arnold Areas. Our goal is educating clients on the needs of their pets and understanding the importance of individualized veterinary care in order to strengthen the human-animal bond between owners and their pets.
We understand you have a choice when deciding on the care for your pets, and we strive to provide you with unparalleled services including wellness exams, vaccines, lost pet microchip ID, dental care, surgical services, digital radiography, and in-hospital laboratory services and diagnostics. Other highlights of Alexander Animal Hospital are the separate cat and dog waiting and exam rooms, as well as after-hours on-call emergency services.
Please take a look around our website and then give us a call at 410-777-8678 to set up an appointment.
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