August is here, and so is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). In honor of this, we are going to take the time to highlight the importance of vaccination for your pet. Take the time and celebrate the beginning of August by learning about them. By making sure your pets are caught up and covered on all their vaccines, you are insuring their health, happiness and safety.
Vaccines are vital to prevent disease, as such, it is important to be aware of what kind of vaccines your pet needs. Some important vaccines include:
- DHLPP (distemper, hepatitis, leptosporosis, parainfluenza, and parvovirus)
- FVRCP (feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus infection, and distemper)
- Bordetella (canine cough)
- Lyme
- Rabies
Vaccinating your pets also helps prevent the spread of animal transmitted diseases to your family. We all know about rabies and how it can be transmitted from an infected animal to a human through a bite. But there are many other zoonotic diseases that can be that can be prevented through vaccination (for more information on zoonotic disease, check out our Zoonoses blog).
Vaccines that protect against animal-specific diseases are beneficial, too. Contracting and spreading the diseases would cause your pet and others’ to suffer.
The cost of treatment for your pet and others’ pets adds up very quickly. Prevention is always the best route to go in terms of money and health.
Vaccines have changed over the years and become even more convenient and useful. Many went from needing to be updated every year to every 3 years so pet owners do not have to worry about them as often. This National Immunization Awareness Month, make sure your pets vaccines are up-to-date so you are pet can live your fullest and happiest lives together.
