Vaccines FAQs
At Forsyth Animal Hospital Winston-Salem, we believe that preventative medicine is the best kind of veterinary medicine. We would always rather care for your dog or cat when it's healthy than after it becomes ill. A big part of keeping your pet happy and healthy is making sure she's immune to a list of deadly diseases, and we do this with vaccines. If you're not familiar with pet vaccinations, you've probably got a lot of questions. Here are some common ones:
What Are Vaccines?
Vaccines are mixtures of chemicals that, when injected into an animal's body, cause that body to grow an immune response to a certain disease. In other words, each vaccine makes your pet's body stronger and more able to fight off infection, especially those infections that are the most dangerous to your pet's health and life.
Why Should I Vaccinate My Pet?
People with indoor or isolated pets might think that they don't need to have their pets vaccinated, but that's not true. Your pet can come across deadly germs by simply coming in contact with the environment, with insects, or with other animals that get into your yard. These deadly diseases have multiple ways of spreading, and the only way to protect your pet is to have him vaccinated.
When Should I Have My Pet Vaccinated?
Puppies and kittens are born with immunity they get from their mother, and continue with it as long as they drink mother's milk. As soon as they're weaned, the immunity fades. This is when you should begin vaccinating your pet. Juvenile pets need a series of three or four vaccinations in their first year of life to build up immunity. After that, your pet will need booster shots every one to three years, depending on the type of vaccine.
What Vaccines Does My Pet Need?
Vaccines come in two varieties: core and non-core. Core vaccines are those that every animal needs, like those for rabies and distemper. Non-core vaccines are only given to pets that need them, according to their environment or lifestyle. For instance, if your dog spends a lot of time in the woods, we might suggest a vaccine against Lyme disease. If you board your cat frequently in kennels, you'll need to have her vaccinated for bordetella, or kennel cough.
Contact Our Veterinary Office
Keeping your pet happy and healthy is every pet parent's goal. At Forsyth Animal Hospital Winston-Salem, we know that vaccines are among the most important parts of preventative health care. If your pet is overdue for her vaccinations, give us a call to make an appointment. Call our office at 336-765-1225 and we'll schedule an office visit today.