Vaccination of dogs and cats

Ronald Yumnam *

Vaccination of dogs and cats :: Pix - TSE

Dogs and cats are the most common pets all around the world. Almost every family owns a pet dog or a pet cat. Having pet animals come with many benefits such as companionship, mood boosting, house guarding (security), utility, assistance to sick people etc. But it also comes with our responsibility to take care of them. Keeping our pet healthy and free from disease is essential for the welfare of the animal.

Also, the owner and other humans as well can be protected from diseases transmissible between animals and humans such as rabies, cat scratch disease etc. Pet animals are susceptible to many different diseases caused by virus, bacteria, fungi, parasites, nutritional imbalance etc.

Prevention from these diseases is always better than cure. And some of the diseases is not curable, so prevention is the only way of protection against it. A good hygiene, a nutritionally balanced diet and regular exercises are some of the factors essential to maintain a good health. Apart from it, routine vaccination of the animals can prevent from various diseases caused by virus and bacteria.

Vaccination offers a simple, effective, safe and cost-efficient protection against diseases. It uses the animal’s natural immune system to build immunity against certain diseases and prevent reinfection.

For the vaccination of dogs, basic or core vaccines are essential as they prevent severe diseases and reduce the risk of exposure and the risk of spread of diseases from dogs to dogs or dogs to humans. Commonly recommended basic or core vaccinations include the vaccines against Canine Parvo virus, Canine Distemper, Canine Infectious Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Leptospirosis, Rabies and Corona virus.

Similarly in cats, basic or core vaccines are essential and crucial in making sure they grow healthy and disease free. Commonly recommended basic vaccinations for cats include vaccines against Feline Panleukopenia, Rhino-tracheitis, Calici virus, Herpes virus, Distemper, Leukemia and Rabies.

In case your dog or your cat which isn’t vaccinated against rabies is exposed to bite of dogs or cats suspected of rabies then post bite vaccination should be given on the day of the bite itself, followed by booster doses on the 3rd day, 7th day, 14th day, 28th day and 90th day.

It is advisable to deworm your pet atleast one week before vaccination. And do not vaccinate weak and sick pups or kittens. Do not stress the pets until 2 weeks after vaccination and avoid giving antibiotics until 2 weeks after vaccination.

Pet animals are susceptible to many diseases as much as humans and need to be properly taken care of as to prevent from these diseases. And as a pet parent, it is our responsibility to take care of our pets.

While pet ownership has many health, emotional and social benefits, pets can also act as a source of disease transmissible to humans. So, maintaining the health of our pets and keeping them free from diseases will also serve to protect us and our human families.

Apart from normal healthy practices such as good hygiene, balanced diet and exercises, vaccination of the animals is a very simple yet very effective way to prevent many diseases.

These simple things can prevent from diseases which are preventable avoiding costly treatments, prevent the spread of the diseases to other animals and to people, prevent from life threatening diseases saving the precious live of our pets. So, if you haven’t vaccinate your pets yet, please reconsider it, take them to your nearest Vet clinic and get them vaccinated.