What Vaccinations Do Your Pets Need?

Pets need protection from contagious diseases. Thanks to modern veterinarian science, vaccines are available to help pets fight a host of illnesses and diseases.

Regular vet visits are essential to keeping a pet up to date on their vaccinations. The vet tracks what vaccines are needed throughout the life of a pet, and when they were administered. Pet vaccinations in Orlando, FL, are important even if your dog or cat is an indoor animal. This is because some contagious diseases are airborne, and occasionally indoor pets do get outside. Vaccinations are very important if you board your dog or cat. When a pet is around other animals, there's a greater likelihood they could be exposed to a contagious disease. The same holds true if you take your dog or cat to a groomer.

Keep reading to learn about the vaccines that can protect your pet.

Essential and Nonessential Dog Vaccinations

Vets classify vaccines into the categories of essential and nonessential. Essential dog vaccines target serious and prevalent diseases of distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza, parvovirus, and rabies. One vaccine, the distemper shot, protects against all four of these diseases except rabies. The rabies vaccine is administered by itself. If the rabies virus is contracted, it's fatal for all mammals, and possibly fatal and very dangerous for humans. Rabies vaccinations for dogs are required by state law. After the rabies vaccine is administered, dogs are required to wear a tag indicating they have received this vaccination. That way if they ever bite someone, there's evidence the rabies vaccine was administered, and the vet can be contacted.

Depending on where you live, your vet may recommend a host of nonessential vaccines for a variety of diseases that dogs can be vaccinated against.

• Dogs like to drink from all sources of water. Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection common in moist climates or were there are lots of areas of standing water. This disease can also spread from dogs to humans.
• Lyme disease is a threat if you hike in the great outdoors with your dog, go camping, or live by open fields and woods and let your dog roam for exercise.Lyme disease is a bacterial infection carried by ticks. The disease is common in the East and West Coasts and around the Great Lakes.
• Known as kennel cough, the Bordetella virus causes upper respiratory infections. You'll notice this because your dog will cough continuously and expel mucus. It's commonly spread from exposure to other dogs. Your vet may administer this vaccine if you board or groom your dog or bring your dog to a dog park.
• Similar to kennel cough, but more dangerous is canine influenza.This is a viral upper respiratory disease. The first known outbreak began at a Florida racetrack in 2004. From there it spread across the country. Like kennel cough, outbreaks are common in animal shelters and kennels.

Essential and Nonessential Cat Vaccinations

Essential cat vaccines target the diseases of feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, and panleukopenia. This feline distemper vaccine is similar to the distemper shot for dogs and covers all these diseases. Rabies is also a serious threat to cats and this vaccine is administered by itself. Rabies vaccinations for cats are also required by state law and cats are required to wear a tag indicating they have received the rabies vaccination.

Depending on where you live, your vet may recommend a host of nonessential vaccines as well. Here are some of the common diseases based on geographic regions and other factors that a cat can be vaccinated against.

• Feline chlamydial conjunctivitis is a bacterial infection. The conjunctiva is a thin membrane that covers the eye and lines the eyelid. These areas may become infected and cause the eyes to fill with pus.
• Feline immunodeficiency is a viral infection transmitted through close contact with other cats. This vaccine is generally only administered to outdoor cats.
• Feline infectious peritonitis is a viral infection common among cat breeders and colonies of roaming cats. It's almost always fatal. Most house cats don't have a risk of this disease.
• Known as kennel cough, the Bordetella virus causes upper respiratory infections. Like with dogs, you'll notice your cat will cough and expel mucus. It's commonly spread from exposure to other cats. Your vet may administer this vaccine if you board or groom your cat.

To schedule an appointment for your pet's vaccinations. We have 8 convenient locations with extended hours. Serving Jacksonville, Orlando, Nocatee, St. Johns, St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra and more.